Exploring the labour shortage in the Halifax accomodations industry: industry perceptions of cause and effect

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges and opportunities facing firms competing in the accommodations sector in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with the goal of recommending new strategies for attracting and retaining qualified staff. Data was collected from Halifax accommodations firms. The results reveal that while there are some financial limitations that lead potential employees to migrate to larger cities in search of higher pay, that is only one part of the problem in seeking qualified labour. Rather, issues impacting the labour shortage include industry image problems, underlying workplace issues and lack of managerial understanding of the problem. Recommendations are provided for overcoming these difficulties.