Credit: The Brando

· Reluctance & Gratefulness

We observe that employees who have kept their jobs seem less open to new opportunities than before the crisis.

We could assume they are scared to lose the security of their job and therefore reluctant to take the risk by changing jobs in this context. That is certainly one of the reasons.

That could explain why some candidates ask us not to have a probation period, which is a request we receive daily.

However, I feel that there is another reason: employees are loyal to their companies, they feel grateful not to have been made redundant, and they would not jump ship before the crisis is over; they would feel bad, even guilty to do so in this tough context.

Employees have powerful values too!

 

· An appeal to work in countries with strong government support schemes:

We note an appeal to work in countries with strong governmental job retention schemes, to face to crisis. Lots of expatriates are ready to come home:

- One the one hand, to be close to their family

- but on the other hand, some of them realize that their expat package comes with a price in some countries; they could be made redundant overnight, whereas in some other countries, governments may support furloughed workers

No need to say that France, and some European countries, are well known with this regards.

 

To give a precise example, we can refer to the French support scheme, called “activité partielle”.

To avoid redundancy, the French Government supports companies who need it: employees who cannot work due to the situation but are still employed are entitled to 84% of their net salary. The scheme offers a certain form of flexibility as the companies define how many days per week their employees work.

That makes a real difference compared with countries not offering this kind of support to companies; employees can be laid off.

 

· “I want to keep working”

We hear a lot of people who just want to “keep working”. Unemployed, furloughed, or even, people working only few days a week share their concern: they want to feel useful in their job.

It’s not rare to meet Executives who have accepted a lower position at a lower salary to sign a work contract.

Our industry employs of passionate people, and most of us would prefer a wage cut rather than stop working.

 

Let’s have a quick word about salaries.

Some Hotel Groups have asked Executives to take a pay cut. Even when there is no drop in wages, bonuses can be at risk for a couple of years.

Benefits for expat packages - usually including: housing and schooling allowances, one return ticket for the family, medical insurance, transportation / car – can be impacted in some cases; for example: a reduction of the housing allowance.

The expatriate packages, as we knew them in the past, tend to be rare now. An easy way for companies to reduce their costs is to offer expat contracts with a single status, or a kind of “local-expat contract”: an expat salary, sometimes with flight tickets - but with no other perks, such as housing and schooling allowances. It’s not new that hospitality groups are trying to reduce the numbers of expatriates, and instead are eager to promote locals whenever possible, which is a good thing. This trend could also be accelerated by the current crisis.

We will need more time and data to analyse the long-term impact of the crisis on wages and packages, but so far, all assignments we’ve received are in line with the salary grid Tovalea publishes yearly.

 

· “I want to work differently”

To sum up the current trend, let us quote our candidates, we hear from them daily that they want to work “differently”.

The crisis seems to have an impact on all generations with this regards.

I teach Luxury Hospitality Management to MBAs and Masters, and I always thought that being in close contact with the new generation of Hospitality Executives would be inspirational. And it is!

I can tell you that what I hear now from candidates is exactly what I hear from “Y-Generation” students: they want to “work differently”.

 

What does it mean? What do they want?

We notice that some candidates may rethink their initial professional project. They see their career path differently now, and they appreciate what is important for them and their families.

Among what we are told, I can quote few examples:

· Living closer to family members, coming back to their home countries - a lot of expatriates, highflyers Executives with an International career contact us for positions in their home countries

· Reaching a better work/life balance - having worked remotely or having suddenly time for themselves, some people have reconsidered their priorities

· Having a “meaningful job” / a job “that makes sense” - they aspire to have a positive impact on the society and the environment

· Work for some brands that have a meaningful mission - and to be part of it

 

 

 

As professional coachs, Valérie Bisch and I also help candidates identify their goals, mindsets and values, in order to rethink their professional vision, to choose a career that makes sense for them.

A lot of candidates want to unlock their potential and consider this tough situation as an opportunity.

 

It is often said that the Chinese word for “crisis" is composed of two Chinese characters signifying "danger" and "opportunity". It’s a lovely story, unfortunately not true. What is true is that a lot of hotel Groups and candidates are seizing this crisis as an opportunity.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it useful.

Please let us know about your experience, during the crisis.

Thanks in advance.