Outdoor gastronomy in Berlin (symbol image) Photo: Getty Images
By Stephen Peter
The innkeepers in the capital not only have to contend with regulations and offices. The biggest problem in gastronomy is the extreme lack of staff!
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the restaurants and hotels have lost around 20,000 employees. Because of the many long lockdowns, they migrated to other industries, thousands did not return. “They now work in test centers or in retail,” says Dehoga boss Thomas Lengfelder.
The industry association is looking for new employees for several campaigns. Two arguments: “We pay by far not as badly as we used to, and there are good career opportunities,” says Lengfelder.
Anna Maass is the manager of the restaurant “Gendarmerie” Photo: PR
Some restaurateurs are also in a better position: “We have not lost a single employee since the pandemic began,” says Anna Maaß, head of the “Gendarmerie” (centre).
She emphasizes: “After the lockdown, we paid everyone 1,500 euros net as a thank you for persevering. And in March there was a wage adjustment of 200 euros.”
