The disconnect between post-80s and post-90s generations and the service industry is certainly closely tied to their pursuit of individuality. But it’s also time for the industry to “catch up” in terms of mindset, compensation systems, and management practices.
Nowadays, post-80s and post-90s university graduates have gradually become the main force in the job market — a unique group of people, who are completely different from those born in the 60s and 70s. Most of them are only children, the “apple of their parents’ eyes,” and many grew up around computers, being exposed to many new things via the internet. They have their own distinct personalities, strong self-confidence, and innovative thinking.
As this generation was growing up, China’s service industry also underwent major changes. The transformation in modes of production has opened up vast prospects for the service sector, and hotels have sprung up all over China. Recently, China’s leading hotel industry portal — MyHotel.com — released its “Q4 2011 National Star-rated Hotel Openings Statistical Report.” According to the report, in Q4 2011, 56 star-rated hotels opened across the country, the highest number in a single quarter for the year. These newly opened hotels are primarily focused on recruiting talent. In such a promising environment, more post-80s and post-90s individuals should be joining the hotel workforce, taking root, growing, and thriving in the industry.
But that’s not the reality. Hotels still struggle to recruit workers, still desperately need post-80s and post-90s employees, and yet many from these generations still can’t find jobs. So whose fault is this situation really?
1. Misconceptions about the industry.In the eyes of hotel and catering businesses, the post-80s generation is seen as unconventional, too self-centered, having unrealistic expectations, lacking practical skills, being insufficiently dedicated, and restless. Some hotel and catering companies are also not particularly “welcoming” to tourism school graduates, believing that the training model for hospitality majors is outdated, that the curriculum is disconnected from actual industry needs, and that many post-80s and post-90s graduates are not hardworking enough.
2. Lack of appeal in the work itself.Recruitment positions in high-end hotels and catering businesses are mostly front-line roles and internships. These employers have high requirements for staff quality, appearance, and language skills, while offering long working hours, shift work, and low wages, making these jobs unappealing to students. Currently, wages in the hotel industry are generally too low. Compared to the double-digit annual growth in urban per capita income, hotel service staff salaries have barely changed over the years, falling far short of the standards expected by post-80s and post-90s individuals, which severely dampens their enthusiasm for joining the industry.
3. Social stigma.In societal perception, restaurant servers are often seen as serving others, with low social status. Some netizens argue that while it’s said that every profession produces its top experts, how many parents would actually be willing to let their children work in hotels, especially as servers? Industry insiders believe that only by gradually improving the social status and wages of service industry workers can the shortage of restaurant staff be effectively addressed.
4. Uncertain future.Some believe that the hotel industry fails to fulfill dreams of “getting rich overnight” or “becoming famous overnight,” offering neither financial nor career prospects. While this view isn’t entirely accurate, it does reflect the thoughts of some individuals. Many post-80s and post-90s don’t necessarily seek instant wealth or fame; they just want stable jobs to support their families. But the hotel and catering industry doesn’t align with their vision of a “future,” and it doesn’t provide the sense of security they desire. In truth, this indirectly reveals that hotels are not offering clear career development paths to their employees.
All of these reasons contribute to why many post-80s and post-90s are unwilling to work in the hotel industry. Qiao Yi, founder and CEO of Zuijia Dongfang, Xianzhi.com, and MyHotel.com, believes: The disconnect between post-80s and post-90s generations and the service industry is certainly closely tied to their pursuit of individuality. But it’s also time for the industry to “catch up” in terms of mindset, compensation systems, and management practices.