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Summarised by Centrist
More than a third of hospitality and tourism workers say they plan to quit within the next year, raising concerns about retention in two sectors already under pressure.
A new study commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment surveyed nearly 1000 workers and found that 40 per cent of hospitality workers and 31 per cent of tourism workers intend to leave.
The report concludes that many are walking away because “conditions no longer appealed”.
More than half of workers earned below the living wage of $28.95 at the time of the survey, and only 48 per cent felt they were paid fairly, down from 57 per cent in 2024. About one in 12 reported being paid below the minimum wage.
Two-thirds of respondents said they felt tired at work, and 43 per cent reported feeling hopelessness when working with customers.
Thirty-five per cent reported experiencing bullying or harassment this year, up from 23 per cent the previous year. In about half of those cases, customers were the perpetrators, compared with 26 per cent in 2024.
AUT lead researcher Professor David Williamson said workers were dealing with physically or verbally abusive customers and drunk patrons. He suggested economic pressure and lingering COVID effects may be contributing to worsening behaviour.
When asked why they planned to leave, respondents cited bullying and harassment alongside low pay. “It’s the combination between not being paid enough to put up with a very difficult work situation,” Williamson said.
