Two studies presented at the congress of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Related Services of Portugal (AHRESP) point to “the perception that catering has decreased, that consumption is falling and that the lack of motivation affects workers.”
During the congress, which took place between Friday and Saturday in Aveiro, Ana Paula Barbosa, director of retail services at Nielsen IQ, revealed the first numbers of the Barómetro da Restauração e Similares, carried out in collaboration with AHRESP.
According to the study, Difficulties in hiring and business contraction are worryingand 1 in 3 respondents responded that they perceive that their business decreased in the first two quarters of 2024, the association highlighted in a statement.
“Around 36% say they have felt a drop in consumption during this period of time, which may justify the 42% percentage of respondents who say they have no confidence in the next 6 months. More than half (52%) perceive that the sector’s turnover is decreasing,” reads the study prepared from an online survey, carried out during the months of August and September.
The main reason presented as a possible reason for the falls in consumption is lower purchasing power. (80%).
Lack of training or experience (66%) is the main difficulty experienced when hiring people to work in the sector, followed by the necessary bureaucracy (24%), communication problems (Portuguese language) and the lack of supply or lack of interested people.
More than half (59%) have foreign workers, with Brazilian nationality being the predominant one (79%), while the issue of taxes and taxation (48%) is what most worries respondents in the next 6 months.
The “Health and Inclusion” session, on the second day of the congress, was dedicated to discussing mental health at work.
Antónia Correia, president of KIPT, stated that the risk of “silent abandonment” is higher among single workers (25%) and among those between 25 and 34 years old (28%), according to a press release from AHRESP.
“Portuguese people are at greater risk of adopting this practice (23%) than foreigners (18%), as well as employees with professional and higher education (57%), followed by those with less than basic education (50%). The propensity to give up is greater among those who earn more than 3 thousand euros (35%), followed by those who earn up to 999 euros (24%),” it reads.
Among the conclusions of the study carried out by the KIPT laboratory in collaboration with AHRESP, it is found that, To optimize talent retention, there must be effective management, that is, adapted to the needs of different types of workers. — younger people, immigrants, professionals with higher education.
The AHRESP 2024 national congress, which took place at the Aveiro Exhibition Park, with the motto “Management is having the heart on the right side”, had 1,600 registered and 62 speakers and 36 exhibitors, where “they shared knowledge, experiences, revealing innovations that can be applied to restaurants and tourist accommodation.”
Source: Observadora
