Evolution Observatory: “Today many entrepreneurs have “returned to the stove”, but the not even remote danger is that at this rate one business in three will be forced to close”
Press release
«Reservations for the May 1st long weekend are moving towards pre-pandemic levels, but Italians of any age looking for work do not seem willing to accept seasonal contracts, because they no longer value a permanent job, but rather learning, have new experiences, open up and travel. This is why today, in view of the May 1st long weekend, many entrepreneurs have “returned to the stove”, but the not even remote danger is that at this rate one business in three will be forced to close».
This is what emerges from the research of the “Evolution Forum Business School on SMEs” Observatory, conceived by the trainer Gianluca Spadoni on a panel of over 1200 micro and small entrepreneurs (i.e. with a turnover of up to 1 million euros, and less than 5 employees) and created close to the Bridges, the first real holidays for Italian families in 2024.
According to research by the “Evolution Forum Business School on SMEs” Observatory, for these long weekends in 2024, companies are especially looking for ultra-specialised figures for all those shops that would like to remain open even on holidays: fish shop workers (41%), to the butcher’s shop (40%); gastronomy workers (38%); delicatessen (34%), bartenders (50%), bakers (28%), pastry chefs (26%), fresh food counter operators (22%), shelf workers (19%), packaging plant workers (14%). A shortage of staff which today seriously jeopardizes the survival of one business in three. It is no coincidence that, according to data from Confcommercio research, 111,000 retail shops and street vendors have closed in Italy in the last 12 months, 8,000 of which in 2023 alone. Among the most affected sectors is the food sector with -12% of stores opened in the last year. And one of the main causes would be the lack of staff.
In the big cities then, during the May 1st long weekend, all the shops linked to luxury tourism would also like to remain open, as they are desperately looking for: personal assistants (66%), i.e. very high profile sales assistants for luxury shops in the most famous brands, with knowledge of foreign languages such as English, Chinese, French but also Russian (despite the embargo).
In tourist resorts, especially at the seaside, May 1st will be one of the first “dress rehearsals” of the summer holidays. In this context, practically all hoteliers are desperately looking for hotel staff: from the chef de rang sought by 33% of hotels (these are people who have gained experience abroad, with knowledge of the English language) to the sous chefs ( according to 29% of restaurateurs), from waiters (47%) to cloakroom attendants (40%), from dishwashers (22%) to concierge/doorman (21%).
Finally, according to the “Evolution Forum Business School on SMEs” Observatory in the galaxy of all logistics services connected to the tourism sector during the 2024 long weekend period, Italian SMEs in the sector are exhausted because they are chronically understaffed, especially on holidays. These SMEs are desperately looking for: Forklift drivers (i.e. in possession of a regular license) for 61% of SMEs; customer care staff for general customer assistance (55%) but with knowledge of foreign languages.
«Companies have understood that their offer in the world of work must change. The game is no longer played on an extra 100 or 200EUR per month in the paycheck. We must try to change the offer starting from the assumption of building a company where people want to be; not only for profit, but also to increase one’s skills, finding a working environment in which one is considered and esteemed and in which the entrepreneur is no longer the boss and that’s it as in the 80s. For the long weekend of May 1st, exactly as for that of last April 25th, it is very probable that we will therefore find many of our entrepreneurs who, in the absence of seasonal workers, will put on their apron and return to the kitchen themselves, or could unfortunately be forced to close».
This is the caustic comment of the trainer Gianluca Spadoni in research of the “Evolution Forum Business School on SMEs” Observatory, on a panel of over 1200 micro and small entrepreneurs (i.e. with a turnover of up to 1 million euros, and less than 5 employees) and created close to the Easter holidays, 25 April and 1 May, the first real holidays for Italian families in 2024.
