Amid ongoing recruitment challenges, travel firms are advised to enhance staff benefits to remain competitive.
- Employment experts highlight the lack of competitive pay as a barrier to attracting talent, despite recent salary increases.
- A recent webinar by C&M Travel Recruitment identified remuneration packages as a significant issue within the travel sector.
- Statistics reveal an uneven increase in salaries, with lower-paid positions seeing minimal growth.
- Industry leaders stress the importance of comprehensive benefits packages to attract and retain employees.
In the face of persistent recruitment challenges, travel firms have been urged to reevaluate their staff benefits to bolster competitiveness. The suggestion comes amidst an industry grappling with recruiting difficulties precipitated by uncompetitive pay scales, despite an average 20% salary increase since pre-COVID times. Employment specialists emphasised that remuneration packages remain one of the sector’s most pressing challenges.
During a webinar hosted by C&M Travel Recruitment, industry experts pointed out that although salaries have risen by 11.6% year-on-year to an average of £34,156 in 2023, the gains are not evenly distributed across all positions. The managing director, Barbara Kolosinska, voiced concerns about those in the lower salary brackets, whose earnings showed minimal increases. She warned that the sector could continue to struggle in attracting talent if this issue persists, underlining the risk of losing potential recruits due to non-competitive salaries.
It is recommended that companies maintain a constant review of their remuneration offerings. This approach necessitates an evaluation beyond mere salary increases, extending to staff benefits to ensure alignment with market demands. Examples of attractive, non-standard benefits include additional leave for wellbeing or special occasions such as birthdays and fundraising activities.
Kolosinska further asserted that candidates are scrutinising the holistic package offered by employers, rather than focusing solely on salary. HR expert Claire Steiner highlighted travel-related perks, like a travel fund, as potentially attractive benefits for sector employees, reflecting their intrinsic motivation for working within the travel industry.
Ami Naru, head of employment at Travlaw, supported the notion that enhancing benefits could significantly bolster the sector’s allure. Given that firms often cannot match the salary levels offered in other sectors, understanding and leveraging the unique attractions of working in travel becomes critical. Claire Steiner remarked upon the disparity in investment between consumer marketing and efforts to attract employees, advocating for a balance akin to consumer practices.
Steiner articulated the frustration of inadequate resources directed at engaging potential employees, insisting that firms must take cues from leading practices to engage effectively with future prospects. She insisted on the importance of employee reviews being as robust as consumer feedback, pointing to a need for strategic HR practices aligned with industry standards.
Effective staff benefits are key in ensuring travel firms remain competitive in recruitment.
