UK hospitality employees received an average pay rise of 9.5% over the past year, outstripping the national average rise of 6.6%.
Geographically, this latest research from hospitality hiring platform Caterer.com found the highest pay rises in London (11.5%) and the North West (11.2%).
Nationally, the main trend it identified was that those working in pubs have been getting the largest overall pay increases, with an average lift across the sector of 11.3%, which splits down to 11.8% for those in entry level pub roles, compared with 10.8% for those in senior and experienced roles.
The number of UK employees seeking jobs in the hospitality sector has reportedly surged, with thousands of people looking to pubs, restaurants and hotels for new and/or additional income.
Having weathered years of short-staffing, employers’ top priority is now to retain this new influx of workers. Responding to the survey, 37.2% said that they had focused on improving company culture to support employees, while over a third said they have provided more progression opportunities, and 32.4% are now offering competitive training, development and learning opportunities.
Nearly 30% of UK hospitality employers are now offering ‘competitive rewards and benefits’ to give themselves an edge in the tussle for top talent, including pensions (47.2%), competitive annual leave (43.8%) and bonuses (43.8%).
Director at Caterer.com, Kathy Dyball, said: “As the long-standing skills shortage continues to impact the sector, hospitality employers are focused on offering competitive salaries and benefits to attract and retain the people they need.
“Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis and other challenges faced by hospitality employers, such as rising energy costs and inflation, the industry understands the value of its people, and has ramped up efforts to provide appealing and rewarding opportunities for employees.”
