The good and the bad of working in tourism and hospo

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey has welcomed the data released this week about the tourism and hospitality workforce.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment commissioned Dr David Williamson from the Auckland University of Technology to conduct a follow-up survey to the landmark He Tangata 2022 tourism and hospitality workforce survey.

Overall, the 2024 survey showed significant improvements but there is still work to do in many areas, particularly pay, with more than half of workers earning less than the Living Wage.

Improvements on 2022

• One of the most significant improvements was in the percentage of respondents stating that ‘training opportunities are good’, increasing to 57.2% in 2024 from 40.5% in 2022
• Respondents being paid less than the Minimum Wage fell to 0.9% in 2024 vs 7.5% in 2022
• Overall job satisfaction increased to 67.5% in 2024 vs 62.2% in 2022
• The percentage of respondents indicating they intended to leave the hospitality and tourism sector dramatically reduced to 18.3% in 2024 vs 33.7% in 2022
• Respondents’ being able to voice their opinions without fear of retribution increased to 64.3% in 2024 vs 59.9% in 2022
• Respondents’ perceptions of having good opportunities for promotion increased to 50.0% in 2024 vs 42.2% in 2022
• Respondents’ perceptions of being treated with respect and dignity by managers improved to 74.3% in 2024 vs 68.8% in 2022
• Respondents who reported they enjoyed their work increased to 72.0% in 2024 vs 70% in 2022
• Respondents who indicated they were being paid fairly were up 10.0% compared to 2022
• Improvements were also shown in reported compliance with sick leave, holiday pay, opportunities for promotion, and receiving supportive feedback from managers

Areas of concern/work still to do

• Just over half of all respondents (51.0%) reported earning less than the Living Wage. This increased to 71.8% for front-line workers vs 30.0% for managers and supervisors
• There was no change in the number of respondents who reported experiencing bullying or harassment (23.0%) from the 2022 survey
• Reports of witnessing bullying or harassment (32.4%) remain very similar to 2022 (33.9%)
• The percentage of respondents indicating they intended to leave their specific job increased to 31.7% in 2024 vs 27.6% in 2022
• Only 58.4% of respondents felt they could always take sick leave when they were unwell
• Only 50.5% of respondents stated they could always take their contracted breaks
• A total of 59.7% of respondents stated they would like more training

“Two of my key priorities include supporting the people who make up the tourism and hospitality workforce and growing the value of international tourism. In order to grow New Zealand’s international tourism we need a stronger workforce,” Doocey says.

“It was particularly great to read most respondents reported good training opportunities at work and the percentage of respondents that indicated they intend to leave the hospitality and tourism sector dramatically reduced.

“I was also pleased to see 91% of respondents are focused on being productive in their jobs and 90% feel they have the skills to do their jobs with confidence.

“However, clearly there is room for improvement with the results showing job satisfaction is low and the levels of bullying and harassment in the workforce have not improved.

“Our tourism sector plays a vital role in showcasing the best of New Zealand to the world and driving our economy, contributing billions annually. It's crucial that the workplaces behind it are safe, welcoming, and supportive for all.

“These results have come at a great time as I expect to work through this data next week with hospitality leaders and representatives at the upcoming Hospitality Summit at Parliament.

“As the tourism sector continues to bounce back, workforce will be a key part as we look to the future. I look forward to hearing directly from the sector tangible actions that can be done to deliver better outcomes for hospitality and tourism workers.”

The Workforce Survey results can be found here.