This despite the huge contribution that the industry makes to the life and well-being of the country, to say nothing of the economic and employment contribution it makes as the fourth largest employer. The hospitality industry reaches every single part of the country and will be accessed by almost all of the population every week. That could be from the takeaway coffee on the way to work to the heights of fine dining, from an overnight stay in a bed-and-breakfast to the pampered luxury of a five-star hotel.
Yet despite the impact, the industry makes on the nation it is still considered to be “Below the Salt”.
This expression comes from the medieval period when salt was a very precious and expensive commodity and was placed, often as a salt cone, in the centre of the high table at meals. Those of the nobility and rank were seated above the salt and had access to it, whereas those who were of lesser rank and servants were below the salt.
Despite the very high reputation the nation enjoys as a tourist destination, served of course by the hospitality industry, it’s status as a centre of culinary excellence and the extremely high standards of customer service that the industry provides, it remains, in the political and national psyche an industry for those “of lesser rank below the salt”.
Much time could be spent on discussing why? Is it the inbuilt British class system and snobbery? Does the British culture deem high-quality service to be servile? Does that account for the focus of the education system on the academic rather than the vocational and the professional? In whichever area of the national life, you look there are telling examples of the prevalent attitude to hospitality. From advice given to school leavers that, when all else fails, try hospitality, to the way that our politicians pay lip service to the industry’s importance yet provide little or no support. If we made cars the situation would be very different.
We are living, to paraphrase an old Chinese curse, in interesting times, the implications for the industry are very far-reaching and the impact, depending upon your point of view, ranges from disastrous to a great opportunity. What is apparent is that the focus on skills is the only way that the country’s, and the industry’s, long-term economic well-being and staffing issues will be addressed. Regrettably, in this regard, the hospitality industry has gone to the back of the queue.
This is best illustrated in extracts of very recent correspondence from two different government departments.
The first from DDCMS, the Department that represents the hospitality and tourism industry:
Post-16 education plays a crucial part in supporting future economic growth. That is why the new Post 16-Skills Plan will help meet the needs of our growing and rapidly changing economy by raising the prestige of technical education, É The new technical option will prepare individuals for employment in occupations which require the acquisition of both a substantial body of technical knowledge and a set of practical skills valued by industry including the hospitality sector.
The second extract is from the Department of Education in response to an enquiry on the proposed Catering and Hospitality post 16 ‘T’ level qualifications. These are an essential part of the post-16 education plan referred to in the DDCMS correspondence:
Following the general election, however, we have reviewed priorities with Ministers. As a result of these conversations, we have agreed that first teaching of T levels will take place across 6 priority routes (Digital, Construction, Childcare and Education, Engineering and Manufacturing, Legal, Finance and Accounting and Health and Science).
Once again we are “below the salt” and not considered a priority sector by ministers. Further government announcements have indicated that the new post 16 technical education provision for Catering and Hospitality will now not be available until 2022.
The industry is presented with a number of major challenges which are interlinked. At the operational level, it is finding enough staff to be able to maintain the high quality that is now expected. At the strategic level, it is raising the public perception of the industry as an aspirational professional vocation that provides a huge opportunity that now sits firmly “above the salt”. It is only through changing the public perception that the necessary changes to the education system and political support for the industry will follow.
That is not to suggest that the industry should not continue to apply as much pressure as possible on the political and educational systems but at the same time, now needs to also work on those who are their customers, to raise awareness and embark on a long-term campaign to change public perception.
Every hospitality professional, every hospitality business and every hospitality related institution or association must work together if these issues are to be addressed. It is not something that can be left to either individuals or organisations because it affects every element and part of the industry, from the smallest restaurant and guesthouse to the largest of the international corporations.
To the reader of this, it is no longer ideas on a postcard please, but an email outlining your thoughts and considerations in answering one simple question, “What can I do in my business to improve the public perception of the industry?”.
Collectively we have got to try and move the salt.
About the author
Professor Peter Jones is the Dean of the eHotelier Academy. With a distinguished career in hospitality, education and training, Peter has been involved with national and international projects with clients involved in hospitality education. Peter is a Director of the Edge Hotel School and of Hotel Future, a new education and training initiative in Greater Manchester and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Derby. He was also awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the hospitality industry.
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