Matz Reichardt stands on the doorstep of the Eckerts inn in Bamberg – located in the middle of the Regnitz, the water rushes past to the right and left. He looks wistfully into the interior and at the same time to the time about a year and a half ago: a large fireplace with glass windows, the walls made of oak from the Steigerwald and at the bar numerous people who clink glasses with the house beer. The Eckert’s marketing man still misses this relaxed atmosphere – despite the relaxation of the corona measures.
Of course, he is happy about the numerous guests who have been able to come back for a few weeks. But not only the minimum distance depresses the mood: As in all of Bavaria, around twelve percent of the staff in the Eckerts fell away in the pandemic. So can’t the hotel and restaurant industry take off after the lockdown because there is a shortage of staff?
“Especially the mini-jobbers and temporary workers have dropped out. That puts many operators in a difficult situation,” says Thomas Geppert, Managing Director of the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga). The reasons: mini jobbers are not entitled to short-time work benefits. In addition, no one could estimate how long the restrictions would last, the lack of prospects prompted many to change jobs. What’s more: Nobody knows whether a fourth lockdown might not be imminent in the fall. The search for staff brings innkeepers and hoteliers to despair. At the same time, Geppert emphasizes: The shortage of skilled workers was a problem even before the pandemic.
Reichardt can confirm this: “It was difficult to find good people before. But the situation has worsened again.” In the lockdown, the two apprentices in the kitchen would have quit because they were simply not challenged – so far, no successors have been found for the training start in September. And another factor plays a major role: because there is no tip, the job becomes less attractive. According to Reichardt, most of them looked for happiness in supermarkets or in the logistics industry. Will they come back? Unlikely. “Many are still skeptical. Perhaps some will reconsider their decision,” hopes the man from Bamberg. After all: While the competition sometimes has to restrict opening times or cannot open at all, operations at Eckerts run smoothly for the most part. Nevertheless, Reichardt would like to hire at least five workers immediately – especially waitresses.
Regardless of the shortage of skilled workers, however, there is still no talk of normality. In order to be able to implement the hygiene concept, only 80 percent of the places are currently available. The consequence: Numerous people come by and are turned away because there is no more space – actually inconceivable for Reichardt: “That hurts.” In addition, the registration of the guests and especially the mask requirement is annoying: “After a day with a mask at temperatures above 25 degrees, you feel like you’ve been through a meat grinder.” The 51-year-old would like more planning security so that the situation of Eckert and the entire industry can improve. A plan is needed now as to what a fourth lockdown could look like. In addition: The rules should be understandable for everyone and quickly implementable.
Thomas Geppert from Dehoga also asks himself: Why are the operators only allowed to open both inside and outside until midnight? In view of the intoxicated crowds who celebrate in large Bavarian cities without a minimum distance, these people must be offered a sensible alternative. Because: “They celebrate anyway. Then better with a hygiene concept in the disco or pub,” argues Geppert.
At the same time, he emphasizes that thinking beyond the pandemic would have to be taken in order to address the staff shortage. Specifically: the limitation of working hours to ten hours per day must be softened – in return, employees could take more days off. Raising the earnings limit for mini jobs is also inevitable. Geppert is certain: That would attract more workers to the catering and hotel industry. Not only at Eckerts would you have nothing against it.