Hot Eats & Low Pay: Hospitality’s Hidden Price
Did you know the hospitality sector fuels a huge portion of the UK economy? In 2023, it pumped a staggering £93 billion into the national coffers, and experts predict a £29 billion lift by 2027.
The Numbers Behind the Cha-Cha
- Average Hours: 26 per week – a nice bit shorter than the usual 40‑hour grind.
- Wage Reality: Just £12.39 an hour – a mere 18p över the national living wage.
- Overtime: 2.8 extra hours a week on average – more overtime than the average office worker.
What’s Cooking in the Kitchen of Compensations?
Even with a booming business, the startup costs post‑COVID and rising National Insurance have left the hospitality sector’s workers sour. The temptation to keep trimming the wage scale has become almost a culinary art, while employers pray their profit margins stay a mouthful.
Why Salaries Aren’t the Secret Sauce
Joe Phelan of money.co.uk doesn’t get it any other way: “If you want great talent in your kitchen, you can’t just toss a few extra euros into the pot. Modern workers enter the workforce with a portfolio of expectations – they’re longing for balance, flexibility, and a bit of respect for their personal life.”
He reminds us that: Happy staff equals fewer turnovers and steadier productivity. This, in turn, fertilizes healthy cash flow and allows the business to grow with gusto rather than jitter.
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