The staffing shortage in our industry is real and not easily resolved. Here are some ways to find good people and invest in their professional development, plus some ideas for getting by until you’ve got a full team in place.
Step #1: Build a Talent Pipeline
While we can’t flip a switch and solve the meetings industry’s talent shortage quickly, we can work on building a steady stream of new talent.
The key to an applicant pipeline is visibility and relationships. Think about your entire network as a source of potential talent—hotel contacts, industry organizations such as Meeting Professionals International, industry events like IMEX, former colleagues, and friends.
Look for people with the passion and skills you need but consider those with alternative work experience (creatives, project managers, hospitality, etc.). Your college roommate who’s now an investment banker may not want to switch careers, but she may know people who would find hospitality a good fit for their skills.
Be open to interviewing future talent on an ongoing basis, not just when you have a position to fill.
You can also partner with educational institutions; more schools have specialized hospitality programs and you can leverage recent grads or interns.
Step #2: Invest in Structure and People
For those changing careers or those without a specific degree, consider developing an apprentice program or internship. You can also explore shorter placements, such as an externship for college students on the trimester system (three 10-week terms, with a six-week break from Thanksgiving through New Year’s) or during a “J-term” (when students learn outside the academic setting during January).
When you do hire someone, invest strategically in the onboarding process. Training is key, but so is company-wide engagement. From day one, set people up to learn from other teams and collaborate across all teams within the company. Bonus: this gives your new hire a network of support and potential friendships much sooner than keeping them focused only within their immediate team. According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace Report, only 21 percent of people feel engaged at work, and nearly half feel stressed. A support network or even one friend at work can help people enjoy their job instead of watching the clock.
Beyond onboarding, continue the investment in your new hires through professional development. This isn’t just training or classes. It can include connecting with mentors, attending conferences, cross-training within the organization, or even shadowing colleagues at other companies (perhaps your clients or suppliers) to continue to learn, grow, and feel valued. It’s less about the certificates and more about experiences and the time away from the “day to day.”
As always, be thoughtful about your benefits. Beyond vacations and health care, think about wellness programs that address mental, physical, and emotional health—a top value for employees.
Step #3: Find “Right-Now” Solutions
Even if you put all those plans into place, you’ll still feel the pinch in the short term. What can you do right now to handle the complications of this staffing crisis?
• Consider the seasonality of our industry. If the dates of your meetings and events can be flexible, you can get more talent when it’s available (for example, in the summer).
• Re-engage those leaving the workforce. This could mean using seasoned professionals who don’t want to work full-time anymore or who need more flexibility. They are often open to mentoring and training others, or working part-time or seasonally. A competent part-time planner can produce better results than a stretched-too-thin team!
• The gig economy is in full swing. There are talented contractors out there who want to build their independent business and work on a project basis. Networking within the industry can help you find contractors, as well as working with recruiters/headhunters and even platforms like Cadre or companies like Plannernet and Soundings Connect.
Melanie Maddock, SPHR, is vice president, talent and culture at Bishop-McCann. Maddock’s extensive background in the start-up community allows her to serve as a coach and collaborator throughout the organization.
