Why can't hospitality build a stable, happy workforce?

An industry that loses people faster than it can train them definitely isn’t sustainable — something has to change, writes Orla McAndrew

Like so many women, I grew up with the idea that hospitality wasn’t really suitable for mothers, or for anyone who wanted a steady life. File photo

I've been thinking a lot about the future of hospitality in Ireland, and it feels like a conversation we need to keep returning to. Everywhere you look, places are struggling to keep staff. 

Training colleges are doing their best to encourage students, yet so many young people seem unsure about committing to the industry long term. Anyone who works in food or even brushes up against it can sense the unease. Something is shifting, and I find myself paying closer attention than ever.