Over a third of former hospitality employees do not plan to return, survey

Roughly one-third of former hospitality workers do not plan to return to the industry, according to a poll released Thursday by search engine Joblist.

And more than half will not return to their jobs at all, the survey also found. 

To be sure, the industry has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with such work associated with close contact with customers and coworkers.

According to The Hill newspaper, the company polled roughly 13,000 job-seekers on whether they would want to work in the hospitality field. Of those who had previous experience in hospitality, almost 40% said they would not return. 

Some responders said incentives – such as higher pay or a bonus and other benefits – would encourage them to return. However, the majority still said they would not, even with incentives. 

Some reasons for not returning, or seeking a job in hospitality, included low pay and a lack of benefits and flexibility in scheduling. Those wanting to leave the industry have expressed desires to work remotely.

The refusal to return to the hospitality field comes during a time in which unemployment remains relatively high as many employers struggle to fill openings.