High unemployment and fiscal uncertainty means hospitality businesses have enjoyed a wider pool of potential recruits and decreased staff turnover, according to research from Caterer.com and hospitality skills council People 1st.

However, they must begin to prepare for a shift when the economic upturn comes, the quarterly survey shows.

The Hospitality Employment Index, covering July to September, shows that labour turnover in the sector has fallen from 31% to 24%, with 48,000 job ads posted across the industry.

Compared to the same period in 2010, executive chef vacancies are up 87% and bar management posts by almost 100%.

The report also shows that while lower-skilled posts such an porters, waiting staff and receptionists attract average of over 50 applications per job, pastry chefs are the hardest rolls to fill with only five applicants per advert, and sommeliers with just 10. 

Chief executive of People 1st, Brian Wisdom, says: “Businesses that want to maintain these improved retention levels will need to develop their own strategies to persuade their staff to stay longer in their roles. Now is the time for them to capitalise on this window of opportunity during the economic slowdown to recruit the best people and to keep them.”

Ian Burke, director of Caterer.com, adds that this is already happening, saying: “Many managers are putting interesting and engaging staff benefit programmes in place in a bid to boost staff retention.”