Clear sailing on the workfront

The popularity of cruising sees employment demand surge, while technology adaption leads to some jobs being streamlined and a new set of workplace expectations from Generation Z. Adriana D’Angelis, managing director of AA Appointments, spoke to travelBulletin about the year ahead in the workforce.

With an impressive growth rate of 10% each year, the popularity of cruising brings with it a set of welcome consequences — namely, the need for extra labour. This extends up and down the supply chain from administration staff, engineering staff and sales staff though to travel consultants.

“There’s massive growth in cruise related employment both from wholesalers and cruise companies. In particular there’s demand for cruise specialists, so anyone that’s a cruise specialist or who can get their qualifications is guaranteed to get a job,” said D’Angelis.

Welcome news for anyone seeking a job in the cruise sector. However other sectors may be in line for job shedding thanks no less to the adoption and efficient use of technology.

“Corporate is becoming more and more technology focused, there’s likely to be some streamlining of corporate travel roles,” D’Angelis said. “You’re finding many companies now are advancing their technology so their labour force isn’t as large as it used to be.”

However as some doors close, others open. Generation Z, or post-millennials, are now entering the workforce and bring with them a set of expectations that does not hinge on how much money is on the table.

D’Angelis states “the younger ones are not necessarily driven by salary. They’re not thinking about mortgages. It’s everything else that the company can offer. They’re thinking about the total experience. They want it to be a fun workplace; it’s all about the experience.”

Employers may also need to offer Generation Z more in terms of work function. To them, social media is innate and they want to play in such circles continuously.

“We’re seeing savvy employers getting the younger generation involved in more marketing and social media whereas before if you started off as a retail travel consultant then that’s what you’d do. Now employers are giving them extra duties like utilising social accounts to keep them more engaged.”