Question about “why” – Gastro: Few vacancies and yet a shortage of staff

According to the Stiermarkse Public Service for Employment Services (AMS), 995 vacancies are currently being filled in the Stiermarkse Horeca and Accommodation sector. This corresponds to a decrease of 7.7 percent compared to the previous year. This compared to 3,761 unemployed (plus 12.7 percent). Nevertheless, the Stiermarkse restaurant owners must take a long breath when it comes to whether they can hire enough suitable staff. To then explain: “The hospitality industry has always had difficulty finding suitable staff. But in recent years it has become much worse, “complains Richard Kaufmann from Gasthaus Kaufmann in Jagerberg.

“Work when others are free”
But why does he think this is the case? “The working hours are of course not very family friendly. We work when others are free. Many people shun weekend and evening work. But in other professions that is a fact, so I don’t understand. “The argument that this field is not paid properly, he rejects:” Although the collective agreement is not that attractive now. But me and many others pay too much. Yes, sometimes it is of course very stressful with the guests; Everyone has become more sensitive since Corona. You have to be able to deal with people very well. ” Kaufmann is currently mainly looking for a kitchen help. “She doesn’t have to be an expert; She gets everything from us. The will counts and we try to organize our employees well and fulfill their wishes. “

Restorer Leyla Day, who runs her restaurant in Vogau and will soon open a new restaurant in the Leibnitz Kindermann Center, the situation is anything but simple. However, there is still a lot to do, especially the search for staff gives her headache: “I am looking for everything: from cook, waiter, breakfast lady, bartender to cleaner.” She sees the problem as too high in financing from the AMS and partly because of that caused by the Coronapandemie: “Many people can no longer deal with people, they simply no longer have the guts for it.” Because: “I have a great team and that will be the case in my new restaurant. There are so many people in the Kindermann Center that tips will be very lucrative alone. In exchange, my guests must receive service of the highest quality. Service to people is an enrichment, my employees must experience that too. ”

Daniel Freismuth is not allowed to complain. Together with his partner, the Stiermarken runs ten hotels and restaurants, such as the Kurhaus and the Therme Bad Gleichenberg or the delicaterie with around 400 employees, and can report the opposite. “We have more applications than there are vacancies. We certainly have the advantage that we can offer our specialists many benefits due to our size. But working at the weekend or in the evening is of course a big problem. And yes, young, committed employees are not coming in large numbers. “Our student numbers are currently stable,” he admits.

In his eyes not optimal: “Of course many employees come from neighboring countries. “This will get even worse in the coming years,” he is convinced. Why is that? “If you don’t want to train young specialists, you don’t have to complain about the situation.” You can only get suitable staff if you can offer them something. And if, for example, you ensure that you make regulated schedules, that enough days of rest are planned and that the interaction with each other is human: “Just like with us. We are sharpening rough diamonds! ”