Q4 2025 Insights
The prevailing sentiment among workers in the Hospitality and Travel industries is one of profound frustration, exhaustion, and feeling undervalued. A major and frequently discussed pain point is the entitlement and increasing rudeness of guests and customers, which has reportedly worsened significantly since the pandemic. Workers frequently share stories of being verbally abused, receiving impossible demands, and being blamed for issues entirely outside their control, such as a lack of available rooms for early check-in, hotel policies, or even the direction of the sunrise. This persistent exposure to demanding, sometimes belligerent, guests has led to widespread burnout and a feeling of being a "doormat for peasants' wages," making the emotional toll of the job outweigh the low pay.
In terms of surviving the industries, many workers detail a life characterized by a challenging, if not entirely nonexistent, work-life balance. Long, inconsistent hours, including split shifts and the necessity of working weekends and holidays, are the norm, which makes maintaining a social life or tending to family responsibilities extremely difficult. For those trying to cope, survival often involves strategic scheduling, such as working busy weekend shifts to free up weekday evenings, or taking night audit positions for quieter, uninterrupted study time, but even these adjustments often result in sleep debt and mental exhaustion. There is a common recognition that companies will rarely prioritize employee well-being, leading to the trend of simply demanding better conditions and learning to say "no" to excessive demands or long stretches of work. The overall feeling suggests that surviving requires a significant personal sacrifice, though some newer employees or those in rare, well-managed establishments still express genuine passion for the work and a love for the positive interactions.
A significant trend highlighted in the worker discourse is the exploration of new jobs and industries, signaling a mass exodus from hospitality and travel. The widespread feeling that the job is simply not worth the stress, poor pay, and lack of work-life balance has fueled this shift. Many workers, particularly those who took time off during the pandemic, realized there were greener pastures to be found, moving into industries like logistics, retail, or even starting their own businesses. Former managers, in particular, frequently discuss stepping down to less stressful, non-management roles or moving entirely into fields like HR, technology, or the trades, which offer better pay, standard hours, and less emotional strain. While some express the difficulty and even sadness of leaving a career they once loved or a workplace with a strong sense of camaraderie, the consensus is that the new opportunities provide a more sustainable and dignified lifestyle, even if it means taking an initial pay cut. Ultimately, the willingness of the workforce to leave the industry is forcing some businesses to consider structural changes, such as raising wages and improving working conditions, to staunch the bleeding of staff.