by editor’s office, ch, tophotel

The issue of reduced working hours has reached the German hotel industry. Close to 20 percent of lodging establishments have filed short-time work. This was found by a survey among 269 employees and employers in the hotel industry, conducted by trade magazine “Top hotel“. However, only 16 percent of respondents are personally affected by reduced hours. Still, 40 percent of hotel employees have looked up regulations on state benefits in the event of reduced working hours – as a precaution. This indicates that short-time work may yet become an issue for many establishments.

The extent to which hours are being reduced is not yet too serious, however: 85 percent of affected companies are presently cutting up to 10 percent of total working hours. Close to eight percent of establishments are replacing 20 percent of working hours with short-time labor, while 2.6 percent of surveyed companies are cutting up to 30 percent and 2.3 percent of companies implementing short-time work are reducing hours by up to 40 percent. But the hotel industry has shown more severe short-time regulations, too: One particular establishment reduced working hours by up to 90 percent – at least for individual employees.

Working hours at hotels affected by short-time work are by far not cut for every member of staff, either. More than half of the affected hotels have put a quarter of their employees on short-time work. In 20 percent of establishments, on the other hand, half of the staff is working part-time for the time being, with 15 percent, each, of hotels and establishments having cut working hours for 75 and 100 percent of their employees, respectively.

Short-time work, according to the employment bureau, is meant to be used for advanced training. This offer does not seem to be well received, however: Only 23 percent of those affected by short-time work have booked courses. The majority (55%) are ignoring the training offer, with 22 percent being undecided. What’s more: 45 percent of respondents stated to have had no prior knowledge of funding support for advanced training.

On the method applied: The trade survey „Short-time work in the hospitality industry“ was conducted among 269 participants (50% being employees) between June 24 and 30, 2009. 80 percent of respondents are working in the hotel industry. The majority of participants (59%) is between 30 and 49 years of age. 21 percent of respondents have up to ten years of work experience, 27 percent have been in the profession for 20 years, and 32 percent have been working in the hotel industry for up to 30 years, even.

By www.tophotel.de.