← BlogMay 27, 20225 min readEditorial teamDEUAENRU
For Companies
Hotel Staff Shortage: How to Secure the 2022 Summer Season
After the Covid years tourism is picking up again, yet many hotels cannot find enough staff. Good planning can still secure the summer season.
The situation: high demand, too few staff
Since the easing of restrictions in spring 2022, guests are booking significantly more again. At the same time, many employees left the industry during the pandemic. Hotels and restaurants are therefore looking mainly for service staff, kitchen helpers, room service and housekeeping. Those who react too late have to close rooms or shorten opening hours.
Where the bottleneck is biggest
Positions with weekend and shift work, housekeeping and the dishwashing area are usually the hardest to fill. In housekeeping especially, quality is directly tied to guest satisfaction. We described the effect on reviews in Hotel housekeeping and guest reviews.
Three levers for the summer season
- Keep your core team: publish rosters early, limit overtime, show appreciation.
- Hire seasonal staff directly: suits long seasonal contracts but takes time for selection and administration.
- External support: temporary agency work for peaks or a contract for work for clearly defined areas such as housekeeping or dishwashing. The difference is explained in Contract for work vs. temporary agency work.
Keep the legal points in view
When using external staff, the minimum wage (currently €9.82, €10.45 from 1 July 2022), the AÜG rules and working-time regulations apply. If workers come from other EU countries, an A1 certificate may be needed. Keep clean records of working hours.
Do not forget housing and commuting
Seasonal workers from other regions need housing and good access to the business. With the 9-euro ticket planned for local transport from June to August 2022, commuting also becomes cheaper. Businesses with staff housing have clear advantages in recruiting.
Checklist: securing the summer
- Estimate weekly needs per department
- Agree rosters early
- Secure extra staff for peaks
- Choose a model: agency work, contract for work or direct hiring
- Set onboarding and a contact person
- Clarify housing and commuting
Frequently asked questions
When should I request extra staff for the summer?
As early as possible, ideally four to six weeks before the season starts.
Which areas suit external staff?
Housekeeping, kitchen help, dishwashing, service and breakfast, especially at peak times.
Does the minimum wage apply to hotel helpers?
Yes. Currently €9.82, from 1 July 2022 €10.45 per hour.
Which is better: agency work or contract for work?
It depends on the area. A contract for work fits when a clearly defined result is owed, agency work for flexible deployment.
