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ExpErt SpEak

Talent Management in India’s Booming

Hospitality Industry

By siddharth savkur, CEO, Kamaxi Group

ccording to research quoted by The People Network in Hotels must move
their recent insightful survey Hospitality From the Lens of beyond traditional payroll
A‘Human Resources’ , the tourism sector in India currently structures. The adage “If
accounts for 35 million jobs and is projected to employ 137 million you pay peanuts, you will get
people and contribute US$ 250 billion to India’s GDP by 2030. This monkeys” rings truer now. A
is a staggering growth path, and warrants an honest assessment of the mere two-point increase in payroll
challenges ahead if these numbers are to be achieved. percentage (relative to gross
However, enough has been said about the remarkable and mostly revenue) can significantly enhance HR budgets for hiring and better
unexpected turnaround that the hospitality industry saw across India compensation. With time, a more efficient team will generate higher
in the last two years. Hotels not only recovered from the lockdown- revenue, allowing payroll percentages to revert to previous levels.
induced slump but achieved record business levels. The question is -
how much did the workforce benefit from this surge? The unfortunate no need To reinvenT The wheel, JusT learn from
answer is that they did not. At least, not substantially. oThers
The hospitality industry tends to be behind the curve in Given that the hospitality industry is lagging behind other sectors
changing with the times, as compared to other sectors. Where in HR reforms, the good news is that we only have to borrow
others speak of work-life balance, mental health, fair compensation, best practices from others. A five-day work week, continuous
global opportunities and digitisation, we (mostly) still proudly brag training and upskilling, global opportunities, ESOPs, family
about the philosophy of hard work and long hours and romanticise benefits, ergonomic workplace design, open work culture and
how passion overcomes low compensation. When others talk of more are already the norm in other industries. Borrow a leaf
diversity, they are referring to having more LGBTQIA representation from their book. Of course, not every initiative would be easy to
in their workforce; women were already integrated long ago. On replicate in hospitality but let us at least make a start.
the other hand, when the hospitality industry says ‘diversity’ we are
still referring to having more women in the team, while there is an Tech + Touch
uneasy silence on LGBTQIA representation. Well, the Indian youth Though irreplaceable, human touch in guest experience can be
is not impressed. Every study indicates that today’s youth do not complemented by smart hotel technology. Indian hoteliers’ skepticism
consider a hospitality career as lucrative or aspirational. or misunderstanding of technology hinders its potential. Tech
The National Council for Hotel Management conducts the JEE can efficiently assist in guest interactions, data analysis, inventory
for admissions to affiliated hotel management colleges. Before the management, and more, boosting job satisfaction.
pandemic, they received around 30,000 applicants annually. In 2021,
this dropped to 12,400, leaving many seats unfilled. The shortage of iT’s noT always abouT The money, honey
trained hospitality professionals is a global challenge, affecting entry, The simple truth is that there will always be someone paying
supervisory, and specialized roles like chefs and technicians. Indian more than you. Employers should then focus on creating a work
hoteliers are in demand globally. environment where non-monetary benefits are prioritised. This
Yet, all hotel chains are regularly announcing new signings and could be through recognition programmes, perks, performance-
expansion plans. How will these projects be staffed and serviced? based entitlements, experiential rewards, a mentorship programme
and transparent career path planning.
The Time has come for some landmark changes. At Kamaxi, we prepare our culinary students to succeed
in a professional kitchen environment anywhere in the world.
democraTise The reforms process They, like other graduates of hospitality institutes across India,
Let HR brainstorming sessions not be limited to boardroom have access to job opportunities globally. If they are to choose
leaders and senior executives, as is mostly the case now. Let to build their career in India instead, employers here will have to
all sections of the team be represented - rank and file, all acknowledge and compete with this ground reality. n
departments and all backgrounds. Make sure all voices are heard The views expressed within this column are the opinion of the author,
respectfully and not filtered through the lens of the senior-most and may not necessarily be endorsed by the publication.
person in the room. Form a core panel with fair representation
of the workforce to review all ideas and suggestions presented.
Siddharth Savkur, CEO of Kamaxi Group. He is a hospitality expert with
loosen The purse sTrings 20+ years of experience in hotel operations, asset management, strategic
planning and business development with international hotel companies
Industries like airlines, cruise liners, malls, and banks are recruiting across different markets.
hospitality professionals with superior salaries compared to hotels.

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