New Jobs Transformation Map for hotel sector focuses on sustainability, technology

IN LINE with a government roadmap launched on Thursday (May 18), some 135 hotels in Singapore, employing over 18,000 local workers, have committed to transforming their jobs.

Noting that transformation efforts helped the hotel industry rebound when travel resumed, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng said: “To sustain growth and meet consumer demand, the hotel industry must press on with efforts to transform and build capabilities.”

Speaking at the launch of the Jobs Transformation Map (JTM) for the hotel industry, he laid out three shifts to which hotels must respond: technology as a key growth enabler, increasing scrutiny of sustainability commitments and increased competition for talent.

Organised by the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA), the JTM was launched during the Hotel Human Capital Conference 2023 held at Parkroyal on Beach Road.

It identifies how job roles and skills will be affected by technology, as well as global and local trends, over the next three years. It then recommends the skills and talents needed to remain “competitive, innovative and sustainable”.

Four major trends were identified – changing guest expectations as lifestyles evolve, sustainability, an increasingly competitive landscape and changing workforce aspirations.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

The JTM then assessed 87 current job roles in light of these trends. Of these, 40 are likely to be redesigned.

Rising automation is expected to mean extensive redesigning for seven of these roles, including that of sales coordinator and reservations officer.

The other 33 still require human intervention but may be augmented by technology, so “moderate redesign” is needed to give workers the relevant skills. These include engineers and housekeeping managers.

For the jobs that do not require redesign, some upskilling is still required. For example, an operations manager who uses digital property management systems should acquire capabilities in consumer intelligence and sustainable procurement.

Hotels can also reconfigure existing jobs by merging roles and equipping workers with new skills. For example, the two separate roles of catering sales coordinator and assistant events executive can be merged into a sales and events associate role.

There will also be new job roles in the “hotel of tomorrow”, said Dr Tan, referring to the JTM’s vision of the future of hospitality. 

“As travel continues to recover, it is timely for hotels to reimagine their business models,” said Singapore Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Keith Tan. 

The “hotel of tomorrow” has three themes of sustainability, technology and placemaking. Hotels can hire talent who can chart a sustainability journey; improve productivity through technology; and create meaningful experiences in and around the property.

Workforce Singapore chief executive Tan Choon Shian urged hotels to “continuously develop the capabilities of their workers to take on jobs with the emerging skill sets” identified in the JTM.

The JTM was jointly developed by STB and Workforce Singapore in consultation with 105 hotels and eight education institutions. It is also supported by SkillsFuture Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower, SHA and the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union.