The managing director of Energy PEAK, a Manchester-based business energy consultancy, has urged consumers to be supportive of hospitality workers when the sector re-opens.
Energy PEAK, who help businesses in the hospitality sector manage their energy consumption and save money on energy bills with free energy audits, commissioned a study of hospitality workers earlier this year.
The research revealed that the UK’s bar staff, chefs, waiters and other sector employees are excited about getting back to work when the sector re-opens in June, but many are nervous about busy crowds and being out of practice at their jobs.
The nationwide poll found that only a third (33%) of hospitality workers feel confident about returning to work.
Three in ten (30%) say they’re not looking forward to how busy their workplaces will be. 13% say they’re worried about being out of practice once they return. 12% say they are looking forward to getting back to work, despite feeling nervous about being out of practice.
Confidence across the sector varies by location too.
Hospitality workers in Manchester are the most excited about getting back to the day (or night) job. 57% said they were looking forward to the sector re-opening and felt confident about going back to work. Hospitality staff in Leeds (50%) and Birmingham (46%) were also feeling confident and excited.
London’s hospitality staff seem less positive. Just 25% of the capital’s hospitality staff said they felt confident and excited about returning to their hospitality jobs, while Edinburgh’s hospitality workers are the least confident of all, with fewer than one in ten (9%) saying they feel confident about getting back to work.
Energy PEAK managing director Jeff Walsh says of the findings:
Jeff Walsh, MD of Energy PEAK.
“Hospitality workers have been among the hardest hit during the pandemic. So it’s really important that customers are patient with them as they get back up to speed. Let’s not forget, many of these workers won’t have been able to put their skills to use for more than a year when they finally get back into behind the bars and into the kitchens.”
“I’m sure customers will be understanding. I personally can’t wait for the sector to reopen and will be looking forward to supporting all the fantastic local businesses that we’ve all missed while they’ve been closed.”
