Recruitment campaign takes aim at staffing shortages in Manitoba hotels

Manitoba hoteliers say they're short-staffed and struggling to keep up with increased demand in the first summer since 2019 without any pandemic travel restrictions, but a new campaign hopes to turn the tide.

The Manitoba Hotel Association (MHA) launched a new campaign, funded in part by federal and provincial governments, which aims to promote employment in the industry.

"We couldn't go to a hotel today that wouldn't be interested in hiring someone for a multitude of positions," says Scott Jocelyn, president and CEO of the association.

While there's a labour shortage across the board, the number of employees each hotel needs will depend on its size, location and the type of services they offer. 

As part of the There's Room for You campaign, the MHA created ads and a website where interested candidates can upload resumes, which will be sent to all 280 association members on a weekly basis.

In the week since its launch, the association has received 300 resumes.

Dane Surtees, general manager of The Alt Hotel in downtown Winnipeg, says the few resumes he's getting aren't converting to new hires. 

"Resumes are coming in very light. And then I've had a few people I've set up to come in for interviews and they no-show, without even giving you the courtesy of letting you know," Surtees says.

With all hotels facing labour shortages, Surtees says everyone's drawing from the same small pool of qualified candidates.

Like airlines, hotels haven't recovered from staff layoffs or those who quit during the beginning of the pandemic. Labour shortages have caused major delays in airports.

While airlines risk overselling flights and not having enough employees to operate them, hotels face a similar risk.

"You could oversell your rooms, and you don't have the people to either clean the rooms or to deliver those services," Surtees says.

In June, the Alt Hotel had occupancy rates comparable to 2019 numbers, but it's operating with about 15 fewer employees than before the pandemic.

"We were in a situation where we basically had to close off our rooms to sell because we couldn't clean them and turn them over in time for the next guests coming in."

Jocelyn of the MHA cites early pandemic layoffs and the unpredictability of public health restrictions as reasons job seekers have been deterred from the industry.

But Surtees thinks that the move to working from home might be a factor too, because for the most part, hotel jobs require in-person work.

"People have gotten used to doing jobs from home and they've got comfortable," he says.

He's hopeful that the promotional campaign will help fill some of the vacancies at his hotel.

Until then, he says you can find him stepping into various roles like bartending, housekeeping and reception to keep up with the demand.