Did the catering industry only talk about cheese?

Franz Sepp Caluori (62) goes to Schaffhausen. The President of Gastrograubünden meets with other regional associations there. On the agenda: shortage of skilled workers.

Caluori runs a cafe in Chur GR. All positions are currently occupied. “But there are still gaps in big companies, especially in ski areas,” the restaurant operator says. It will be like last year: Restaurants will have to cut down on the menu or limit opening times due to a lack of staff. It is even said that some hotels from Valais will offer fewer rooms – and this is the most profitable time of the year.

According to a calculation by Hotelleriesuisse, a shortage of skilled workers cost the industry 650 million francs last year, for example, because restaurant terraces could not be serviced.

High unemployment in hospitality

Given the loud laments about staff shortages, it’s surprising that bars were only found by recruiter Adecco at the bottom of the new skill shortage index. The study finds an “unprecedented shortage of skilled workers” in Switzerland and focuses primarily on healthcare professions, IT and engineering.

Service staff, cooks and receptionists are in the category of “personal services” and are only 27th in the index. Distinction: a significant surplus of skilled workers! Official unemployment statistics reveal a similar contradiction: Unemployment across Switzerland is at a record low of 1.9 percent. But when broken down by industry, it shows significantly higher in the hospitality industry at 4.3 percent.

lack of education

Have gastro associations sounded the alarm over stock, as they have repeatedly been accused of doing during the pandemic? Associations are against it. “An unemployed chef snapped his fingers and got a new job,” says Marc Tischhauser, 44, managing director of Gastrograubünden. According to statistics, there are still unemployed cooks because some want to change industries. Their last job is recorded in the statistics and this then shows up in the unemployment rate in the hospitality industry and falsifies this figure because these aspiring workers are not interested in a new position in the industry.

In addition, many of the unemployed in the hospitality sector do not have a completed education. Recruitment agency Adecco, creator of the annual index, also says the qualifications of the staff are decisive. “There is a particular shortage of skilled workers such as trained cooks or trained service personnel. On the other hand, there is enough staff with little or no qualifications,” said Jessica Jocham, spokesperson for Adecco.

This impression is also confirmed by the head of Gastrograbunden Caluori: “We can do a quick bleach for simple workers.” On the other hand, St. Finding a trained chef for a fine restaurant in Moritz GR is more difficult.

Guest workers are coming back thanks to inflation

The restaurateurs’ hope for the winter season is now in seasonal workers. Many have stayed away during the past Corona years. Switzerland is becoming attractive again, as inflation in the eurozone is constantly hitting new records. Border regions such as Engadin, which attract many workers from Italy, particularly benefit from this. Germans and Portuguese will also increasingly work in Swiss mountain inns to earn a salary in stable Swiss francs instead of sick euros.

Whether or not there is a shortage of skilled workers, the industry is optimistic for the coming winter: ski hotels, piste restaurants and the like are expecting record sales. “Companies have learned from past seasons and will be able to handle the hustle and bustle even with less staff,” Churer Beizer Caluori assures.