Travel companies need to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies if they are to address an endemic shortfall in staff.
That is according to Arpad Szakal, executive search and leadership consultant at Cormis Partners, who told the Business Travel Association (BTA) conference: “Candidates are saying ‘No’ to a lot of jobs in travel.”
Szakal said recruitment candidates reject the industry because “they’re disappointed at the offer, receiving better offers, don’t like the culture of a business, or the location or working hours or lack of flexibility, and because the process often takes too long”.
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He told the conference: “A lot of young candidates ask ‘If I join, what will I become in three to four years?’” Yet Szakal suggested the average time spent in an aviation or travel role is “two and a bit years” and argued: “Retention is critical.”
Szakal said: “If diversity, equity and inclusion are not as critical as profit and loss, DEI ends up branded as HR and people go to sleep.”
Nadia Clinton, Delta Air Lines UK and Ireland regional sales manager, pointed out: “Diversity goes well beyond gender. It’s about feeling comfortable and being able to be yourself.”
She noted Delta produces a ‘Close the Gap’ report each year on its progress on diversity and operates a ‘skills first’ policy on hiring, saying “Why need a degree for every entry position.”
Clinton told the conference: “All our interviews have a diverse panel, with someone who looks like the candidate or is a similar age.”
Samantha McKnight, enterprise sales vice-president for business visa provider CiBT, agreed saying: “We had a new chief executive two years ago and brought in younger staff on the recruitment panel.”
She noted: “Younger workforces will challenge you – do your values measure up?”
Sian Seyward, chair of the Business, Events, Accommodation and Meetings association (BEAM), told the BTA: “We’re struggling with resource allocation and have had to address it with automation.”
As a consequence, she said: “At check-out, you hardly see anyone anymore.”