The lack of staff in the hospitality industry continues to be a cause of concern for hoteliers in the Canary Islands. Currently on the islands, 10,000 waiters are unemployed and 4,000 cooks, according to RTVE. Despite the figures, waiters and cooks are still needed. What are the reasons for these positions not being filled in Lanzarote?
The president of Hostelan, Cristóbal Sánchez, is clear: "the lack of regulation of housing." Something that, according to the president, "if the problem were fixed, the lack of staff in the island's hospitality industry would end," he acknowledges.
He confirms that "housing costs are very high", to the point of being "equal to those of Ibiza". Furthermore, with the added inconvenience that the apartments "are intended for vacation enjoyment". Renting an apartment in the heart of Ibiza costs around 1,000 euros, like the 1,200 euros for a 45 square meter apartment in Cala Tarida, as reported by Diario de Ibiza. As for Lanzarote, the minimum price to rent an apartment in Tías is 1,400 euros per month for a two-bedroom house (as reported by several websites such as Idealista).
Due to the conditions when renting an apartment, "people are afraid to do so," adds Sánchez. The hotel sector is looking for measures to solve this problem: "We are looking for places for staff to stay during the working months," he anticipates.
"People are afraid to rent apartments in Lanzarote"
Regarding working conditions, he makes it clear that in the Canary Islands: "they are much better than in the Peninsula." Furthermore, all employment contracts being made "are indefinite," he adds.
"The conditions are not bad at all, there are some precarious positions unfortunately, but most hotels have very good conditions," clarifies the president. The positive thing about working in the tourism sector of Lanzarote is that "we work all year round and not in specific seasons", which makes it a much more stable job.
"Experience is no longer required, only that they want to work and they are taught along the way"
In most cases, jobs for the hospitality industry, especially that of waiter, seek previous experience and languages, in addition to the corresponding hospitality studies. But although these requirements are necessary, since for "an employer it is important that the person has languages" and "if they have experience, perfect", Sánchez acknowledges, due to the "shortage of staff", "experience is no longer required, only that they want to work and they are taught along the way", he points out.
To incentivize the lack of waiters and cooks, Cristobal Sánchez proposes that "the taxes that are raised do not go directly to the payrolls and the worker can try more and be incentivized to motivate people to work." Furthermore, he reveals that "it should be better paid than the rest of the professions, than those that "work from Monday to Friday".
As an alternative to solve the problem, the president of Hostelan, comments on what is already being done: "closing in the tourist areas several days a week and taking less staff", for "greater comfort" of the workers.
"It is not like before, people prefer to have more free time than to be working on a weekend when others are on the beach," Sánchez emphasizes. Therefore, "we have to look for people who want to work, which there are not," he laments.
Regarding the salaries of waiters and cooks, in November of last year, it was found that a cook earned more than a waiter in the Canary Islands, with the annual salary of a waiter being 18,000 euros and that of a cook 19,500 euros, according to a report by the employment and career guidance company, Adecco. To all this, Cristóbal Sánchez comments that "a good waiter earns very well", although "since Masterchef has become fashionable, everyone wants to study cooking". In any case, the "dining room is more in demand", he acknowledges.
Overtime is also a negative point when it comes to filling positions in the hotel sector, something that can prevent people from wanting to fill them. "There is a maximum of overtime hours that can be done", being able to be "twenty per month", the president makes clear. "The worker wants to do overtime because they want to earn more," he points out. "That people are free to give all the overtime they want, but that the money is received by the worker", he recognizes as a measure to attract workers.
The hotel industry is not the only sector that is affected by the lack of workers. There is also a shortage of workers in commerce, hotels, construction, etc. All this, due to working conditions and remuneration. This is what Sánchez emphasizes: "Labor is lacking in all sectors: receptionists, gas stations, shop assistants, etc."
Cristobal Sánchez gives the necessary keys to be a good worker in the hotel field: "If you want to be a professional waiter you have to be the best, learn languages and put a lot of effort into it", he makes clear. "The person who studies hotel management can have a great future", he advises people who really want to dedicate themselves to it.
