Travelodge is aiming to attract parents returning to work to meet anticipated post-Brexit staffing issues with a new recruitment drive.
This strategy will be deployed as more than 100 new hotel openings are planned and these will create around 3,000 new jobs over the next five years.
One of Britain’s largest hotel chains with 575 properties, Travelodge hopes to fill 550 jobs immediately by attracting parents with hours that fit around the school run. These include roles in reception, restaurants, housekeeping as well as some head office roles with flexible hours.
YouGov research shows that 86% of these parents would like to return to work, so Travelodge will be targeting some of these 2 million-plus unemployed parents, most of which are women. Almost 75% of the group's staff are women, and the majority of Travelodge’s hotel managers are women.
Like the rest of the hospitality sector, Travelodge is heavily reliant on EU staff, who account for 30% of its workforce. The industry has warned of the devastating impact the government’s plans to slash immigration from the EU by 80% after Brexit will have on the industry. The government wants to extend the £30,000-a-year minimum salary threshold that applies to non-EU workers to EU migrants.
Chief executive, Peter Gowers, said, “Travelodge is growing quickly and we want to unlock the potential of Britain’s mums and dads as they return to work. Hospitality can offer a great career for parents, with jobs close to home, hours that can match the school run, benefits that suit families and a path into management.
“We are preparing in earnest for post-Brexit Britain. With thousands of new jobs to fill, we need more new colleagues than ever. We see vast untapped potential in parents who want to return to work.”