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Recruitment expert predicts shift back to office working

A leading travel employment specialist has questioned whether the move to hybrid and homeworking will continue despite the pressures on recruitment.

Barbara Kolosinska, managing director of C&M Travel Recruitment, said: “Traditionally, travel was a candidate-driven market with very few hybrid or home-based roles and salaries were comparatively poor.”

She said: “Hybrid/homeworking is the norm [post-pandemic]. Candidates just won’t accept anything else. But I don’t know if that will be the case in future. We notice some candidates wanting more office work. Full-time office work could return for some, especially when businesses want to train people.”

Kolosinska noted: “We lost a lot of talent from the industry [and] last year was the busiest ever for travel recruitment. Our placements were up 26% on 2019. [Employment] packages have improved. The average salary rose almost 12% last year.”

She added: “Nearly all travel companies still have vacancies.” However, she said: “Vacancies are down [and] candidate numbers are higher than in the last five years.”

Yet Kolosinska warned: “The pipeline shortage [of recruits] will affect us all. The industry needs to think how to attract talent.”

More: New travel job seeker numbers reach five-year high

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