Short of skilled hands

Travel and tourism providers need to brace for newer challenges in Covid era especially retaining skilled personnel, experts and industry leaders say.

“Airlines, as well as other small and big players in the travel and tourism sectors need to embrace the new normal and face the challenges facing them in the Covid era’’, says Renny Johnson, a travel and tourism expert having decades-long experience in the sector.

According to him, several skilled employees have left the industry and may not be joining the same organisation for a lesser pay. Recruitment and training to groom the new staff can take several months and resources.

“In this scenario, retaining the experienced staff even at a premium really matters’’, he said.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is focusing on standards, digitalisation and addressing the skilled labour shortage to build resilience and ensure long-term sustainability post pandemic for ground handling activities. Reports suggest that ground handling providers are facing severe shortages and challenges in retaining and recruiting staff.

“There will be challenges as ground handling operations ramp up to meet growing demand as the aviation industry’s recovery from Covd-19 progresses. Overcoming labour shortages, ensuring safety with strict adherence to global standards and digitalisation and modernisation will be critical to achieving a scalable restart’’, according to Monika Mejstrikova, Director of Ground Operations at IATA.

Experts further advise that in order to retain skilled staff, there should be programmes like wage subsidy and lucrative packages although it might mean additional costs on the employer.

“Experienced and skilled staff is always an asset of an organisation that helps it achieve the goals and meet the targets from time to time’’, says Reena Rahman CEO of Alhind Travel.

“Various packages to retain experienced staff are in practice across the world and newer plans are currently being worked out by researchers in order not to affect the turnover of the organisation’’, she said.

To accelerate training of personnel, the use of competency-based training, assessments and online training should be increased, and training requirements harmonised. A concept of training passport can be developed that would mutually recognise skills across ground handlers, airlines and airport staff members.