"Catering sector operates while managing financial restrictions on food preparation and service"
Staff Shortages Plague Dortmund's Gastronomy Sector
Dortmund's vibrant gastronomy scene is facing a significant challenge as dozens of kitchen professional jobs remain unfilled [1]. The city's hotels, restaurants, inns, beer gardens, cafes, and catering businesses are struggling to find staff, leading to reduced operating hours, earlier closing times, and more frequent closures, particularly during non-peak hours [2].
The root cause of the staff shortage can be traced back to inflationary pressures, VAT increases, and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, which have made working conditions more challenging and reduced the labor supply [1][2]. These factors have raised operational costs and made recruitment difficult.
To address the issue, solutions being explored include adapting working conditions, potentially incorporating automation technologies, and emphasizing better management strategies to attract and retain staff [1][5]. Additionally, there is a focus on social dynamics and inequalities that affect workforce availability, with research into gender and social inequalities in Germany's labor market potentially informing policy and business practices [3].
Current job vacancies in Dortmund's gastronomy sector are not specifically listed, but restaurants like Overkamp are actively operating and likely recruiting given the general sector shortages [1]. For up-to-date job postings, local job platforms, restaurant websites, or Dortmund employment agencies would provide the latest vacancies.
In an effort to combat the staff shortage, the gastronomy industry is aiming to establish a "Gastro-Start-Wage" of 3,000 euros gross per month for those working full-time in the hotel and catering industry after their training [6]. Torsten Gebehart, from Nahrung-Genuss-Gaststätten (NGG), advises checking online or by phone before visiting an establishment to confirm opening hours and kitchen service times [7].
However, Gebehart criticizes many gastronomy businesses in Dortmund for not paying the collectively agreed wage [8]. Furthermore, a growing movement of drivers is organizing strike actions in the gastronomy sector, such as at Lieferando in Dortmund [9]. To cope with the staff shortage, many restaurants and inns have introduced an additional day of rest, and some have even removed the lunch service [2].
In light of these challenges, Gebehart finds it unacceptable that good employees are not paid fairly in the gastronomy sector in Dortmund [10]. The NGG Dortmund has sounded a "Kitchen Alarm" due to staff shortages in the industry [11]. As the situation continues to evolve, the gastronomy sector in Dortmund will need to adapt and find solutions to ensure its survival and continued success.
[1] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/gastraumatik-in-dortmund-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [2] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [3] https://www.wdr.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/gastraumatik-in-dortmund-wegen-mangel-an-krachten-schliessen-kuechen-ein-100.html [4] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [5] https://www.wdr.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/gastraumatik-in-dortmund-wegen-mangel-an-krachten-schliessen-kuechen-ein-100.html [6] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [7] https://www.wdr.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/gastraumatik-in-dortmund-wegen-mangel-an-krachten-schliessen-kuechen-ein-100.html [8] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [9] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [10] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [11] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html [12] https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/de/Arbeitsvermittlung/Stellenangebote/Suche/Suche.html?region=10003&branche=12000000 [13] https://www.overkamp-dortmund.de/ [14] https://www.ngg-dortmund.de/ [15] https://www.lieferando.de/ [16] https://www.westdeutscher-beobachter.de/wirtschaft/dortmund-gastraumatik-kuechen-leerstand-102-stellen-im-kitchen-bereich-leer-stand.html
- The staff shortages plaguing Dortmund's gastronomy sector are not only affecting the kitchen professionals, but they might also impact other industries such as finance, business, and even the automation technology sector, as these industries often collaborate with or supply services to gastronomy businesses.
- To attract and retain staff in the struggling gastronomy sector, Dortmund's businesses could consider offering competitive salaries, like the proposed "Gastro-Start-Wage" of 3,000 euros gross per month, this could also be applied in other industries like finance or business to show potential employees a commitment to fair wages.
