Retirement at 70? Age discrimination? Does that even make sense in the hotel industry?

The first thing that comes to mind is the oft-mentioned roofer who's supposed to still be working on roofs at 70. Great if he can manage it, and there are still quite a few of them. Realistically, though, it's probably only possible if he doesn't voluntarily get off the roof and stop working by the time he's 70. But what if an experienced 70-year-old or 60-year-old roofer—regardless of his fitness level—applies for the job at that age? Will he be hired? Is it age discrimination? Is the employer using common sense? Will the insurance company agree? It's the same story in the hotel industry. A waiter, a cook, or a chambermaid has covered more kilometers by the time they retire than most marathon runners and lifted more weight in their careers than many a construction crane. The salaries aren't good, and consequently, the pensions are modest. Keep working? At some point, the body simply can't take it anymore. Accepting a small pension is often the only option. Retirement at 70 is unthinkable for many in the hotel industry due to the physical and mental demands. There are websites online that offer jobs for people over 60, but looking at these offers, retirement at 70 seems more like a political ploy to cover up politicsmistakes. Since these people don't do any physical work while receiving full pay, it's easy to propose. Waiting for retirement at 70 in a comfortable armchair is hardly conceivable for those in the hotel industry.

There are job postings for "silver workers"—nicely described! But for people with hotel experience, these can be quite daunting. The best positions are: Guest Relations (though it's unclear what additional responsibilities this entails at the hotel). Reservations (which rules out most cooks and waiters). Housekeepers and cleaning staff are also in demand (another grueling job in the hotel industry), as is breakfast service. Anyone who's ever done that knows how exhausting it is. With today's staff shortages, you're likely to be left on your own quite often.

The advertising for older workers sounds appealing:

The hotel industry is suffering from an extreme shortage of skilled workers. Older, experienced staff are highly sought after by hotels because they:

have excellent interpersonal skills,

remain calm under pressure,

are loyal and reliable employees,

and don't require a long training period.

Advertising for older employees sounds good, but so does advertising for Red Bull and Rheumagel.

The hotel industry is losing so much experience, but with today's wages and benefits, you can understand the employers' perspective.

I only experienced this once myself, in Asia, where a 5-star hotel regularly employed older former staff members who knew regular guests, could teach the younger staff a great deal, and were invaluable to the hotel's reputation. They were also paid for work performed, which would be problematic under European labor law. It was a win-win situation for both the hotel and the older employees. Guests benefited from their familiar, efficient staff, and the older employees had the pride of still being needed and earning a living.

I fear the only advice left for the hotel industry is to quickly switch to an office chair and cling to it until they're 70.

Websites: mitErfahrung.de, indeed.com

Stephan Busch possesses invaluable and diverse experience in the hotel and restaurant industry. His expertise ranges from senior management positions at renowned hotel and resort chains to project development—from commissioning to business development—for hotel and cruise companies in Asia, Europe, Canada, and Russia.

His expertise encompasses not only the planning, opening, and operation of hotels, international golf clubs, airports, resorts, and cruise ships, but also the successful restructuring and repositioning of companies during the Asian financial crisis.

Stephan Busch earned his Master of Science in Hospitality Management from Cornell University (USA) and served for many years as Academic Director/Lecturer in Hotel and Tourism Management at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RGGU) in Moscow and at the Swiss International University in St. Petersburg.