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Coming off the pandemic, Los Cabos businesses are trying to find enough workers in the hospitality industry. Due to a staff shortage, these local businesses are concerned about poor customer service and are looking for workers beyond the Los Cabos area.
Poor customer service could hurt image
Los Cabos isn’t alone in dealing with the aftermath of Covid-19, and they aren’t immune to it either. Whether it’s hotels or restaurants, businesses around the hospitality industry in Los Cabos have struggled to find workers since last year.
The shortage of workers could be a significant concern when dealing with tourists experiencing Los Cabos for the first time. First impressions are everything, and a lack of workers could negatively affect customers.
Hotel staff shortages can affect a visitor’s stay in numerous ways. Lack of housekeepers and servers can affect service levels and cleanliness resulting in a horrible first impression for hotel guests.
Waiting longer to check-in or having reservations dropped because of a lack of experienced workers can also hinder a customer’s stay.
Restaurants have struggled with staff shortages for over a year now. The lack of workers at local restaurants is concerning because of the number of tourists they cater to. When restaurants can’t house an entire staff, it can be noticeable to customers leaving an overall bad impression of Los Cabos.
Cleanliness is essential to a successful restaurant, but this can be one of the first segments of the business that suffers when not staffed adequately. Long wait times to be seated or receive food due to a lack of waiters and cooks will ruin a restaurant’s reputation.
Local businesses look elsewhere for workers
Due to the high demand for workers, local businesses are looking for labor help from the country’s interior. How this is done depends on the specific company. Many businesses in Los Cabos have sister companies or subsidiaries that can temporarily transfer employees to Los Cabos.
Many local companies will use human resource officers to travel to different locations and recruit new workers. This is not a new hiring practice within the last couple of months. Businesses in the hospitality industry have been looking for workers in other areas of Mexico since late 2021.
What is the reason for outside help?
According to Armando Espinoza, the Human Resources Association director, many workers went back to their hometowns during the pandemic. “Because many companies were closed for 4 or 5 months, workers left Los Cabos to be closer to family. Many of these workers have not returned, which has led to a drastic shortage of workers.
The association has promised this new hiring strategy should not affect local citizens looking for work. Many companies in the hospitality industry are still looking for new employees. Espinoza stated, “this is a temporary tool being used to deal with the gap between open jobs and lack of employees. When companies feel they can confidently fill positions with Los Cabos workers, that is where they will look.”
High tourist demand is not helping the problem
While this may seem like bad news, the main reason for hiring workers from different parts of Mexico is the need is so high. Los Cabos is undergoing a population and tourist boom at the same time. Then you add that foreign tourists haven’t been able to travel since 2019, and you run into a supply-demand issue.
Los Cabos has never been busier than it is this year. This can be an exciting time when a location is buzzing with so much energy and possibilities for tourists. The downside is that you may have to wait longer for services, and customer service may not be at its peak in Los Cabos.
