Members in the News: Creative Hiring Strategies

Although the labor shortage is now less dire than six to nine months ago, hiring and retaining employees remains challenging for concessionaires. A recent survey of ARRA members showed the magnitude of the hiring challenge: all respondents had fewer employees today than in 2019; 50% of respondents need 11% to 20% more employees; and another 28% of respondents need more than 20% more employees to consider themselves fully staffed. And, as is often the case, necessity inspires creativity!

In his recent Airport Experience News article, “Staffing Up,” Senior Reporter Andy Tellijohn tells of creative solutions ARRA members High Flying Foods, LaTrelle’s Management, Paradies Lagardère, and SSP America have used to meet the recruiting and retention challenge our industry faces. Just a few examples:

• Engagement with employment assistance agencies for outreach to historically underrepresented groups in the working population including veterans and persons with disabilities
• Dedicated recruiting staff to augment human resources departments
• On-the-job training in pre-security and off-airport locations while waiting on security badges
• Stipends to employees to cover their parking, public transit, and other transportation costs to often distant and inconvenient airports
• Airport subsidies to support employee bonuses and transportation costs

The creative solutions mentioned in the article demonstrate the dedication of concessionaires to serving the traveling public. They also highlight the importance of partnership between concessionaires and airports to achieve our shared goals.

There is much to learn here. We urge you to read the full article from the Fall 2022 issue of Airport Experience News here.