The Covid-19 pandemic has created opportunities to change approaches and access rare talent, says HARPwallen Executive Recruitment group managing director Kristina Wallen
The global travel industry is emerging, cautiously, from its lockdown cocoon. After months of flights being grounded, hotel doors locked, and resorts like ghost towns, there are signs of reawakening, albeit it to a new chapter of reality.
Likewise, the people of our wonderful industry are starting to consider what they want from the future. This is a time for projecting dreams of what you want from your career, and how you might best build it.
What does your ideal career look like? A few days a week working at home? Are you considering a full-on change of direction after redundancy? Perhaps short-term contracts, rather than full-time employment, is for you?
Naturally, after weeks and months of working from home, there has never been a better time to make a robust case for flexible working. Corporations all over the world must be revising thoughts on whether an expensive city centre head-office is necessary? And, if it is needed, does it need to be as big to accommodate so many people?
If this is something you’re wanting to build into your career, seize this moment and have the conversation. Companies are looking to restart operations but will be doing so in a new way.
We are already seeing an increase in interest in short-term project-based assignments and flexible roles within the travel and hospitality industry, many of which are connected to change management.
This global shutdown of our industry has forced organisations to re-evaluate processes, so if you have experience and expertise in overseeing this, the post-pandemic world could offer some interesting opportunities.
This is the time for businesses to organise their talent pool in line with market trends, changing priorities, and having the ability to hire the skills they want, when they want them, for the length of time they need is imperative.
Likewise, there is a swathe of people in travel and tourism, at all levels from mid-management to senior executives, who have been affected by recent redundancies who will potentially be able to start work immediately.
We have certainly seen that in action in relation to our own HARPwallen FlexExec Register, which specialises in short-term or project-based contracts.
This is an industry in which connections and relationships have always been highly prized. Working together to bring travel back to life, after its most challenging time ever, will require us to be resolute, kind and flexible – to ourselves, our colleagues, and our workplace.
It is not going to be easy, or fast, but I have faith in our incredible industry and its people. We will be back.