Staff retention and productivity boosted in hospitality industry by 66% of employers investing in training

Employers in the UK hospitality industry provide more training than any other sector, and it has helped their retention, research has shown.

The National Employer Skills Survey, which polled 79,000 employers across all industries, found two-thirds of the 7,900 hospitality and tourism employers questioned invested in some form of training, with an average annual investment of £4m.

More than half (57%) hotel and restaurant businesses said training had a beneficial effect on staff retention, higher than the overall average of 44%. Hospitality employers also reported a 6% increase in staff productivity and product and service quality as a result of the training compared with the overall average.

John Cridland, deputy director-general of the CBI, said training can make a significant difference to retention, and encouraged more employers to look at taking part in schemes like Train to Gain.

"Unlocking the talent of employees through training can have a direct impact on a company's ability to flourish in the long term," he said.

"A well-trained workforce is indispensible to its success and programmes like this offer businesses tangible support and solutions to respond and excel."

Paul Holme, director of skills for employers at the Learning and Skills Council, urged more organisations to increase training: "Tens of thousands of employers are already seeing a substantial impact on their bottom line. What's more, learners are also reaping the rewards as they enjoy better skills and promotions."

The annual research is commissioned in part by the LSC and is part of a campaign to raise awareness of the Train to Gain scheme.