In this post, we have highlighted the Pros & Cons of working in the hospitality industry.
A job in the hotel industry allows a great deal of freedom and mobility, as well as the rare opportunity to meet, service, and interact with people from all walks and corners of life.
A lot believe hospitality jobs are great. A lot hate it. Few love diversity while few hate the work routine. For some it’s fashionable and for some it is monotonous.
In this post, we will try and provide answers to the following questions.
1. Why work in the hospitality industry? the Pros
2. What are the major disadvantages of working in the hospitality industry?
Advantages of Working in the Hospitality Industry- The Pros
Let’s begin with the advantages of working in the hospitality industry.
With so many different career avenues available, it can be a particularly challenging task to try and figure out which career path you should take. Here, we present reasons to choose a career in the hospitality industry.
If you are looking for a career in which you can grow your career vertically as well as horizontally, then you should definitely consider career opportunities in hospitality and tourism.
Even with imminent fluctuations in the economy, the hospitality industry has always shown great resilience in its business and has even managed to survive when other sectors have not.
Certainly, the hospitality industry has boomed over recent years and it is expected to continue growing in the future as technological advancements continue to be on the increase and as people have access to more disposable income.
Like most other careers, a career in hospitality demands a lot from you partly because it is firmly rooted in customer service.
Now moving on to the benefits of working in the hospitality industry in greater details.
Flexible working options and travel opportunities
If you are not the type of individual that does not like being tied down by schedules, the industry is ideal for you.
The industry is extremely flexible and involves a lot of variety so you do not have to be stuck with a 9-5 schedule.
The hospitality sector hires thousands of people each year.
A job in the hospitality sector can be exciting and rewarding particularly if you have a passion for it.
If you are one of those who has a question in their mind of why to work in the hospitality industry, we try and provide some simple arguments.
In the hospitality industry sectors like Hotels, Restaurants, Entertainment and Facility Management it is pretty common to have flexible working hours.
Flexibility is the key to a successful hospitality career. Plus, creativity and attention to detail can make you a star in a really quick time.
Thus, if you are someone who loves creativity and flexibility then now you know why you must work in the hospitality industry.
It provides A wealth of Opportunities
The hospitality industry is anything but dull.
The hospitality industry offers the perfect opportunity to meet interesting individuals from all over the world including world leaders, celebrities, politicians, as well as actors.
As per the report of STR global, there are close to 20 Million rooms in the world.
Numerous food outlets, travel and tourism firms, Cruise, aviation and lots more. The options are limitless when we speak about career options in the hospitality industry.
But the real perk is that the industry is dominated by large chains giving the employees a chance to relocate and work at various locations.
If you are a deserving candidate, you will never fall short of options to travel the world and work at various locations within your organisation or by changing your organisation.
Yes, Hospitality and Travel industry has been one of the fastest-growing and stable industries over centuries.
According to theWorld Travel and Tourism Council:
- The Hospitality and Travel Industry employs more people than automotive, mining, financial services and manufacturing combined.
- 1 out of 10 jobs currently are provided through travel and tourism.
- 1 out of 5 new jobs is being created by the hospitality and tourism industry.
- Travel and tourism industry contributes 10.6% of the Global Gross Domestic Product
- The growth rate of the hospitality and tourism industry is over 150% of the global average
Hospitality professionals find multiple reasons to smile even amidst their busy schedule.
A career in hospitality comes with Stability and Growth
The hospitality sector has remained relatively stable despite the tough economic times.
The hospitality industry is pretty much immune to market fluctuations. The Covid 19 pandemic has jolted the industry. However, it is set to bounce back.
But, even more important is the essence of the feeling of working in an industry that has its traditions rooted from thousands of years.
The hospitality industry has a long and interesting history that can be traced back to ancient times.
History of the hospitality industry is a fascinating journey which has found a space on its own at this portal.
People have always needed a place to eat and sleep as they travel so it is interesting to know that you would be part of an industry that has such deep roots.
Thanks to its long history, it means that the industry also has a future that you can rely on, which should point towards job security.
How does that help you decide to select hospitality as a career?
Almost all other industries, may it be the IT industry or the automobile industry or energy industry are younger than the hospitality industry.
Plus, they have had there highs and lows. Only the hospitality and tourism industry has been unfazed by economic, social, political and other turbulence.
Although the travel and hospitality sector took some hits, the industry survived and is once more vibrant and flourishing.
Over the next decade, the hospitality industry is set to become the largest global employer.
Various Sectors of the Hospitality Industry are set to engulf a lot of smaller industries.
- The hospitality industry has almost all job positions in the book.
- Working in hospitality provides professionals with ample opportunities to grow within the industry.
- There are various opportunities for international experience as well.
- After a few years of experience, the job opportunities get limitless.
A lot of top countries for hospitality jobslike Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc. ensure that they come up with employee settlement plans for overseas employees.
Work permits, training visas and more make sure that these hospitality jobs are attractive and stable for professionals.
Excellent Perks of Working in the hospitality industry
Perks are not limited to just the financial part.
Let’s face it; the hospitality industry has a lot of perks including travelling to great destinations, access to world-class amenities, free hotel rooms, exposure to people from all parts of the world, as well as great pay.
People that work in hotels and hospitality enjoy some of the best tips and bonuses.
Some tips can go as high as twenty per cent or even higher when excellent service is provided.
A lot of you have to pay a hefty service charge when you stay at a luxury hotel, resort etc. or when you travel on a Cruise.
This gets distributed among the staff members for providing service to the tourists and business travellers.
There are a lot of other perquisites on top of tips and bonuses making the icing on the salary cake sweeter and thicker.
You will find a lot of Diverse and Creative Job Positions
Musicians and artists are not the only ones who enjoy fulfilling and creative careers.
The hospitality industry is extremely diverse. There are thousands of career options to choose from.
There are many different career options and positions for people in the hospitality industry including catering, management, transport, careers in the hotel industry, and so on.
Hospitality industry virtually has all the job positions in the book.
Hilton Worldwide has come up with a nice little video on Hospitality careers which impresses with explains a multitude of things including diversity in a quick video.
Here’s the video should you wish to explore more on the pieces of advice by Hilton Worldwide.
The industry offers some interesting challenges that may require one to use their critical and creative thinking.
One of our other extremely popular articles lists some of the most Creative Jobs of the Hotel Industry.
These creative jobs may come from many sectors within hospitality industry and some examples are:
- Food and Beverage
- Chefs
- Wine Sommeliers
- Information Technology
- Sales and Marketing
and more.
Do you need any other proof in support of our assertion that the Hospitality and Travel sector is one of the safest industries to work in?
Opportunities to grow quickly
If you were in the IT industry it would probably take you ages to become a manager from being a developer. Same is the case with engineers or a banker.
Now let’s take an example of a hotel management graduate who might start as a management trainee and might become a Food & Beverage Director at one of the Top Hospitality companies in the world.
The industry is laden with examples of Top Celebrity chefs in the world who shot to fame in no time.
There are always opportunities present for you to advance yourself in this industry professionally and individually.
With time and commitment, you can move from a low-level position to an upper one in a matter of a few years.
Disadvantages of Working in the Hospitality Industry – The Cons
Although there are obvious advantages, there are also some disadvantages of working in the hotel industry that certainly should not discourage anyone from joining the sector.
Our other post discovers some of the Best Paid Hospitality Industry Jobsto keep you engaged with job categories that are making working in this industry all the more worthwhile.
These are the 5 things we hate about the hotel industry and would desperately like improvements in these areas.
Let’s now turn the tide and look at the disadvantages of working in the hotel industry or the hospitality industry:
While the hotel industry has more pros than cons, we have listed here 5 big disadvantages in the hotel industry. The things that we hate about the hotel industry. Check the list to see if you agree.
Things, however, are changing and we desperately want this to change even at a faster pace.
1. The Work Pattern (Long Hours and Weekend Work)
It is not uncommon within the hotel industry to hear of long working hours, multiple shifts and working weekend.
Demanding work hours and poor work-life balance is said to be the biggest disadvantage of this industry.
The situation is worse in Asian countries where at times Hotel industry professionals have to work up to 18 hours a day during the peak season.
The situation is a lot better in European Countries and North America but compared to other industries, even the hoteliers in these countries complain often about tough working conditions.
A lot of hotel industry professionals work over the weekend when everyone else is having a great time with family and friends. Yes, that’s what hospitality service is all about but even these professional deserve some break.
We suggest the below to the thinkers and leaders of the hotel industry to improve this.
- A five day work week across the industry all around the globe. Happier staff means better service that would definitely reflect in terms of long-term benefits.
- Extra pay for weekend work and rotational weekend off.
- Better use of technology to forecast staffing requirements in peak season
- Automation (depending on the feasibility) at front office and restaurants during peak season
- Treating staff as internal customers and on par with external customers. A healthy workplace is a need of the hour for the hotel industry.
2. Bureaucratic Hierarchy
The Hotel Industry is plagued by too much micromanagement. This is because of the old school Bureaucratic hierarchy in hotels.
“I order you Obey” is the concept utilised in most of the hotels. The Hotel Manager pressurising Directors who in turn provide pressure to the managers and supervisors.
However, the immense stress is passed on to the workers which constitute a majority of the workforce in hotels. This leads to a high attrition rate in the hotel industry and a less than satisfied workforce.
One of the major tricks to attract and retain the best hotel industry professionals is to decrease micromanagement and have a purpose and ownership added to job roles.
We suggest a move towards a slow death of the hierarchy culture of the hotel industry by the introduction of flat organisational structure or something like Holacracy as described by the below image of Medium.
3. The Star Divide between 5 Star Hotels and 1/2/3 Star Hotels
Yes, the hotel industry professionals are primed to treat 5-star hotel and people working over there in a separate league that 1/2 or even 3-star hotels.
As if one is the king and others like pawns.
Customers look at features, services and cost and go for a 3 star or a 4 star or a 5 star as per their convenience.
When customers are not rigid in selection (barring a small star conscious section), why should the hotel industry carry a bias?
We are all aware of the tussle between apartment-sharing websites like Airbnb vs the Hotel industry. This divide has to diminish and disappear to give the competitors a tough fight.
Let’s all forget inequality and hire and invite people based on talent and preferences without any biases.
4. Unruly Expectations and Complaints of the Customers
This is another thing we hate about the hotel industry.
At times guest becomes too unruly with their expectations. You would hear of the most bizarre complaints in the hotel industry.
Just for a few freebies or refund at times customers threaten hoteliers by leaving a bad review on travel websites or by spreading a bad name.
While at times the complaints are genuine, the unexpected and fake complaints outnumber them.
Yes, customers are not always right.
We need to find robust measured to handle guest complaints in an effective way to deal with genuine complaints. These should not be mean to blackmail hotel or its staff for some discounts or free meals.
5. The Seasonality of the Hotel Industry
This again is one of the disadvantages of the hotel industry that impacts all the customers and those working in the industry. Forecasting of expenses and revenues is so very difficult in the hotel industry due to the seasonality issue.
The business is seasonal and depends on too many factors like weather, socio-political situations, economy etc. It becomes a torrid task to forecast staffing needs, expenses and revenues making life tough for all the hoteliers.
Concepts like Timeshare, retail outlets and concept/themed food outlets can help hotels fight seasonality. But, the onus is on the respective governments and regional travel authorities to help the hotel industry fight the issue of seasonality.
Devising better policies by understanding seasonality and having a more integrated tourism industry can help fight this issue in the future.
There are a few other disadvantages of working in the hospitality industry which can be added to the above list.
It can be tough to adjust for everyone
High standards and tight deadlines
Cultural issues within teams
Hierarchy and politics within the hospitality organisation
Tight Salaries and slow increments – This can’t be completely verified but this seems to be a fact especially in the developing nations. This must change as it can be a serious disadvantage of working in the hospitality industry in the coming years.
Let’s not dwell on the disadvantages of working in the hospitality industry further.
Let’s leave the complaining bit and discuss why working in the hospitality industry can be a great thing for your career.
Conclusion
Here you go. Few of the pros & cons of working in the Hospitality Industry.
In this article, we have taken multiple routes to understand all about working in the Hospitality Industry.
To help you understand, here we presented some pros & cons of working in the hospitality industry.
A lot compare hospitality jobs with the army; you hate it but still like to be here. Whatever may be the reason, hospitality jobs are in high demand and the demand is increasing day by day.
The hospitality industry has a history that spans millions of years. Even in ancient times, there were inns and private residences available to the public. The industry has grown by leaps and bounds since then and it shows no signs of slowing down.
There are numerous departments in hospitality and each is important. Apart from customer service, there are also economics, sales and marketing, engineering and other broad positions. So, the opportunities are limitless while working in the hospitality industry.
