Staffing plan needed, but too busy 'to worry about'

The hospitality industry in Otago's tourist towns has acknowledged it needs a plan to overcome a severe shortage of skilled staff.

Only problem is, those working in the industry are too busy to spend time coming up with the plan.

This conundrum was spelled out to the Otago Daily Times yesterday by hotel sector Tourism Industry Association chairwoman Penny Clark, of Queenstown.

The ODT reported last week restaurateurs were in desperate need of more skilled chefs for the summer season.

Ms Clark said staff shortages were ''across the board'' from hospitality to mechanics and bus drivers.

''You name it.''

There had been 70-80 jobs advertised in Queenstown each week since the beginning of October, she said.

''We're going through a little boom time at the moment because we have lots of customers out there and we are short of staff.''

Asked what the industry was doing to solve the problem, Ms Clark said the tourism industry was ''its own worst enemy''.

''We've got no organisation worrying about educating people to come into the tourism industry,'' she said.

''We're obviously not doing a good job. I don't know the solution to that.

''And unfortunately I'm so busy, so short-staffed, I haven't got time to worry about it.

''Dare I say, that is exactly what the problem is - there is no-one given the task of trying to do something about it because we are all running around like chooks with our heads chopped off.''

Otago Polytechnic programme manager hospitality Tony Heptinstall believes a plan is needed.

''The businesses need to develop a collective, long-term plan around staff development, incentive programmes beyond salaries, accommodation and transport for staff.''

His take on the Wanaka-Queenstown problem was that the jobs on offer were ''only seasonal'', and the area was perceived as being an expensive place to live during the summer.

As well, he said, ''anybody taking a job will be working in a very stressful environment with little to no induction time''. The Otago Polytechnic's Dunedin and Cromwell campuses turned out a batch of 75 new chefs this year but by graduation many already had jobs.

Mr Heptinstall said the shortage of chefs would not be solved by offering higher pay.

''Endless studies show that money is not a major incentive for most employees,'' he said.

However, he advised businesses that they needed to understand ''Generation Y'' and what motivated them.

Polytechnic Cromwell campus manager Jean Tilleyshort said she was hoping to increase chef programmes next year because of a high number of applications.

About 25 chefs graduated this year but most were already working part-time in the industry while studying and were employed full-time before finishing their studies.

''We have lots of really great restaurants contacting us for staff but not enough students available,'' she said.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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