Leisure

The industry

In 2001, the leisure industry was worth some £178 billion and could be worth as much as £191 billion this year, double what it was just over a decade ago. As a result, the industry is now responsible for creating 1 in 5 new jobs in the UK and will need to recruit a staggering 700,000 people over the coming year to meet increased demand in the sector. In a period of relatively full employment and with strong competition from all other industries for good people, there is a need for the leisure industry to work hard at recruitment, to be creative and to build environments that are great places to work in order to continue to attract and retain great people.

Recruitment is a big challenge, and the hospitality sector has not been best known for its employee friendly approach to business.

At Whitbread, we put a great deal of effort into creating and maintaining a working environment where high quality committed people can grow and prosper. The company and its brands have won, been shortlisted, and well placed in a number of 'employer of choice' awards and league tables in recent years. In June 2003 it was identified in the Work Foundation report as one of the leading companies in the UK to revolutionise work and training opportunities for employees.