March is Scottish Tourism Month – an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the tourism and hospitality industry and its huge importance to Scotland’s economy.
The tourism and hospitality industry is vital in Scotland, supporting £1.7 billion of economic activity due in no small part to the skilled and dedicated people who are essential in creating a great visitor experience.
Although there are some positive signs of recovery in the air, a recent survey by the Fair Work Convention found that employers continue to face pressures around staffing, retention, and recruitment with almost three-quarters (71%) facing recruitment challenges and over half (53%) experiencing high levels of turnover.
The same survey found that employees were facing challenges around flexibility, predictability of hours and fairness in pay. With nearly half (48.1%) of all jobs in the sector being paid below the real Living Wage, we know that low pay is a persistent issue and something that requires significant focus from employers.
Living Wage accreditation is one of the ways in which employers can start to tackle recruitment challenges, while also providing staff with greater security around wages. With more than 200 accredited hospitality and tourism businesses in Scotland, we know what a difference this commitment can make in terms of motivation, retention, and business resilience.
Last week, Living Wage employer Camera Obscura & World of Illusions hosted Minister Richard Lochhead to mark the beginning of Scottish Tourism Month. The focus of the visit was to both celebrate the industry and speak about the importance of Fair Work. This Living Wage Scotland Industry Trailblazer award winner sums up the benefits of accreditation beautifully on their website:
“Being accredited as a Living Wage Employer strongly aligns with our belief in promoting good work practices and being a part of this movement is a positive action which greatly benefits our team. Our staff are our biggest asset, all working to delight our many visitors. Continuing to attract and retain the best, most creative, fun, diligent and committed staff is essential to the continued success of the attraction.”
Here at Living Wage Scotland we are celebrating Scottish Tourism Month by highlighting some of our favourite Living Wage tourist attractions of the past year. This was incredibly difficult with so many fabulous employers to choose from – you can find out more here We will also be attending the STA Scottish Tourism Month signature conference in Aberdeen and would love to chat with any employers who are exploring how accreditation might work for their business – so do reach out or come and chat with us in person at the conference!