The Hotel Talent Shortage: How to Build, Train and Retain a Team

Based on an interview with Yuliia Kosenko, CEO of Ribas Hotels Management, for MC.today

A hotel can be built in a few years, but the team that creates good experiences for guests every day takes much longer to assemble. The quality of service depends almost entirely on people, and so does a hotel’s profitability. Yuliia Kosenko, CEO of Ribas Hotels Management and co-founder of Ribas Hotel Academy, spoke to MC.today about the current staffing situation in the hotel industry and what a company managing 14 hotels of different formats is doing about it.

Engineers and technicians take over six weeks to find

The hardest roles to fill are engineers, technicians, housemen and general laborers. These are jobs traditionally held mostly by men, and mobilization has significantly shrunk the available talent pool. According to Ribas Hotels Management, hiring such a specialist takes about 46 calendar days in 2026, while the company aims for 14–28 days for line technical staff.

The shortage goes beyond line staff: strong managers are in short supply too

Finding someone with hotel experience is easier than finding a manager who can make decisions independently, work with financial indicators and develop a team. Yuliia Kosenko sees this as a challenge for business in general, not just for hospitality. That is why the company is paying more and more attention to growing its own managers rather than looking for ready-made specialists on the market.

A new hotel’s team is built from the top down

Team building begins long before the first guests arrive: first comes the general manager, who must shape the property’s culture, then the heads of departments, and only then line staff. The goal is not simply to hire the required number of people, but to make sure they understand the standards, know their role and can work together. That is why, before opening, the team goes through training, hands-on practice and simulated work situations.

Where to find people, and who has a chance without experience

Referrals from current employees and the internal talent pool work best. The company also recruits through professional platforms, social media, local communities and partnerships with educational institutions. But according to Yuliia, simply posting a vacancy is no longer enough: the company has to be clear and attractive to candidates, and employees need to see that they can move up to the next position within the network.

Ribas is ready to consider candidates with no hotel experience, because many professional skills can be taught. The most important qualities are responsibility, a desire to work with people, willingness to learn and a calm attitude to feedback. Sometimes candidates from other fields do very well in hospitality.

Pay alone doesn’t keep a team together

Bonuses, discounts and extra paid days off matter, but according to Yuliia, they will not retain a good team on their own. People need to understand what is expected of them, have the resources they need, receive fair recognition for their work and see where they can grow. A lot also depends on the direct manager: even a well-designed motivation system won’t help if a person works amid chaos or constant pressure every day.

Training is judged by what changes in the work

In Yuliia’s view, the effectiveness of training is not measured by the number of workshops held or certificates issued. What matters more is what a person started doing differently: whether a manager now controls costs better, or whether guest reviews have changed. Otherwise, training remains extra knowledge that may someday come in handy.

Overall, Yuliia is convinced that in the coming years the advantage will go to companies that learn not only to find ready-made specialists but also to train them themselves.

How much do housekeepers, cooks and receptionists earn, what length-of-service bonuses do employees receive, how much does training at Ribas Hotel Academy cost, and what does Yuliia Kosenko think about work–life balance? Read on in the full interview on MC.today: “Built on People: Behind the Scenes of the Hotel Business, Training and Pay”.