The Retailer Winter Edition 2022

THE RE TA I L ER

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THE WAR FOR TALENT IN RETAIL & HOSPITALITY

Antonia Torr Partner Howard Kennedy

Lydia Christie Legal Director Howard Kennedy

Michayel Villani Trainee Solicitor Howard Kennedy

R ecruitment in retail and hospitality is becoming an increasingly concerning issue. Retailers and other businesses must act now.

The other key component to successful recruitment will be knowing the immigration landscape for such roles. Many retailers and hospitality businesses believe that you cannot sponsor a retail shop manager to set up a new store, for example, into the UK as a Skilled Worker - but actually, you can. Many more businesses believe that it is very difficult to obtain a sponsor licence, and that managing the sponsor licence is incredibly difficult. With the right advice and planning, it is possible to obtain a licence and have it managed effectively. Sponsoring an individual is also not the only option for foreign talent - you could have someonework for youwithout sponsorship. For example, you could source some young talent out of university and potentially have them join the company on a Graduate visa! The point is that the war for talent does not need to be an unsavoury scene like the one described in the first paragraph. With the right plan ning, advice, and strategy you could build a model whereby you don’t need to go hunting for people - people will come hunting for you. As advisors, we often input into recruitment plans and strategies so that recruiting is sustainable and commercially viable.

The title of this article may have conjured up an image of a muddy battlefield - a group of terrified chefs sitting in the middle of the bat tlefield. To the west, a restaurant chain stands hungrily on the crest of a hill. They can see their prey. To the east, a hotel operator paces on their horses. They need those chefs in the middle just as badly. And then, as if orchestrated, the restaurant and hotel operator charge at the chefs - cries of “Come work for us” ring out whilst a solitary eagle, also known as a recruitment agent, circles high above. The image of this battlefield is unsavoury, but it can be used to represent the employment situationwithin retail and hospitality at this moment in time. Retailers and most businesses in hospitality have similar problems and will need to think outside of the box when it comes to attracting talent. Salaries will not be enough. The culture of the organisation will be important for potential employees. A culture that appreciates and values staff as well as developing their talents should be at the core of all retail and hospitality businesses and it is important in the process of hiring and retaining staff members.

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A culture that appreciates and values staff as well as developing their tal ents should be at the core of all retail and hospitality businesses and it is an important in the process of hiring and retaining staff members.”