The Looming Labour Shortage Impacting Industry Recovery

The weather is getting warmer and restrictions in BC are lifting. Indoor dining is back and we can travel around our beautiful province. While we might be ready for a hot girl summer, the industry is definitely not. Many women of WORTH have shared they are unsure if they will ever return to the business they once loved. The tourism and hospitality sector is bracing for perhaps the worst labour shortage ever, which will slow the recovery efforts and further hurt this hard hit industry.

Why the change of heart? We know that women accounted for over 65% of the job losses in accommodation and food services. With the flip flopping of closures and reopenings, women found other employment in various sectors. Many who remained employed these past 16 months are burned out and seeking an exit. My LinkedIn page has been overwhelmed with new job announcements in tech, retail, or wellness. I’ve seen women start their own businesses and others return to school. While I am thrilled to see women from our network forge new paths, I am left scratching my head as to how we re-attract and retain women of recreation, tourism and hospitality, especially when there are so many opportunities coming available.

This week, I had the chance to speak to CBC radio hosts across the Province to share my thoughts on women and the labour shortage. You can listen in HERE, where Stephen Quinn on the Early Edition told me, “never waste a good crisis”.

I took these words to heart. Covid-19 must be a catalyst for change. In order to ensure the viability of this 20 billion dollar sector, we need women in BC leading the way. We cannot be a female dominated industry if very few women are dominating. At WORTH, we are advocating with industry associations and the Provincial Government to take a feminist lens in this recovery. We have asked for a seat at the table with the BC Workforce Working Group to ensure women are at the forefront of the conversation. We’re demanding more gender-based research be done in Ottawa to account for the job losses and continued exits. We’re working hard to develop WORTH resources and planning our return to events.  

So, let us not waste this crisis. Women are refusing to return to normal. So what still needs to change? I want to hear from you if you’ve made the decision not to return to the industry. What would it take to get you back? Send me a note at joanna@worthassociation.com and let’s continue an important conversation.