LANSING, Michigan – Business is better than it was at the height of the pandemic, but many local restaurants and hotels are still struggling.
The labor shortage is hitting the hospitality industry hard, leaving many restaurants closed and hotel rooms empty. The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association released a statewide poll on Wednesday that shows that nine out of ten restaurants and almost every hotel are struggling with inadequate staff.
Justin Winsow, President and CEO of MRLA
“Despite the anecdotal stories of the industry’s recovery, the data confirms the challenges companies face in relation to workforce inflationary pressures. And the recurrence of Covid-19 variants is staggering, “said Justin Winsow, President and CEO of MRLA.
The data also shows that 81% of hotels limit the number of rooms they use for the same reason.
“It has been shown that the nature and speed of this return have put tremendous pressure on the industry and its supply chain,” he said. “Almost 90 percent of those surveyed currently work with insufficient staff to meet consumer demand. Almost 80 percent of the restaurant and hotel operators stated that they had to reduce their working hours. “
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Local restaurants are also struggling to find workers.
Tyler Voller, recruiter for Cottage Inn Pizza
“A lot of people have the potential to be unemployed longer than they used to be, so we’ve done everything from changing store opening hours to moving managers to [paying] a higher rate so we can compete with unemployment or other competitors, “said Tyler Voller, who works as a recruiter for Cottage Inn Pizza.
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association noted that restaurants and hotels are trying to meet demand, even ahead of pre-pandemic levels, with 100,000 fewer workers.
The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association noted that restaurants and hotels are trying to meet demand, even ahead of pre-pandemic levels, with 100,000 fewer workers.
“95% of respondents in restaurants and hotels have increased their wages to meet this challenge in 2021, with more than half increasing their wages by more than 10 percent this year. That is more than twice as much as in any other industry at the moment, “said Winsow in a statement.
Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association is urging government agency help for the hospitality industry. They hope to work with Governor Whitmer on legislation to provide more support to the industry.
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