The hospitality skills shortage is at a crisis level according to Hospitality New Zealand, and Alexandra Unterberger from the Alpine Lodge in St Arnaud agrees.
She has been unable to find the staff she needs, despite contacting Work and Income, Seek, and Trademe.
“When Covid hit I understaffed to ensure my existing staff got enough work. It was the biggest mistake. We were pushed to the limit and now we aren’t able to find the staff we need,” says Alexandra.
Although the industry welcomed the extension of working holiday visas, Hospitality New Zealand says it doesn’t address the severe shortage of skilled workers. Alexandra says that with many of those on working holidays wanting to move around the country, it isn’t ideal for staffing and there aren’t enough in the country to go around everyone. She would like to see more skilled staff coming into the country, saying that the hospitality industry was the number one earner for the country a few years ago.
“We have a good core of Kiwis but we need the extra help,” says Alexandra.
The Alpine Lodge has 160 beds and a restaurant that is open five days in the winter, but with the staffing shortage Alexandra is looking at closing the restaurant another day a week.
“We can still feed guests because we have chefs, it is the front of house and cleaning staff we are short of,” she says.
“We want them. We need them,” she says referring to more staff.
Hospitality New Zealand says they would like to see critical status extended to the hospitality sector.