New challenges of the staff market in the hospitality industry

The article addresses the contemporary issue of a staff shortage in the hotel industry of Russia. The authors of the article conducted their study in the context of the current industry state, identifying a clear need for strategic decision-making at the government level. The empirical basis for the study was formed through the findings of expert interviews with management of hotel enterprises situated within the Southern Federal District. While searching for the causes of staff shortages and their solutions, the authors propose to find them by analysing the dynamics of two flows: the employee flow-in to the labour market of the hospitality sector and the flow-out therefrom. Thus, the focus of management activities should be on recruiting new employees, retaining existing personnel and enhancing the performance of the current workforce. Based on the expert interviews, the authors examined financial and non-financial factors of staff retention and the value of the concept adoption of “employee welfare”. The authors highlighted the growing significance of individualised solutions in the context of staff shortages. In this regard, the authors analysed the potential for implementing a personalised retention matrix and constructing a personalised set of staff motivations through the conflict of personal meanings. This study analyses the efficiency increase of available employees in the case of the country club, Golden Horse. It was found that simply putting in order the business processes of the enterprise significantly reduces the need for front-line staff. The difficulties of recruiting new staff to the hospitality enterprises were noted. In the context of the present reality, there are various potential strategies for the recruitment outside the staff schedule, and the primary approach is that of outsourcing. The findings present the social and economic expediency thereof.