Workforce
79,000 fewer payroll jobs - but hospitality still needs people.
The numbers on payroll are falling. The need for people at the right time isn't.
9 October 2026 · 2 min read
The issue
Hospitality is employing fewer people on payroll than a year ago. At the same time, operators still talk about how hard it is to staff a shift well.
Both things can be true. The challenge isn't always having more employees. It's having the right number of people at the right time.
What the data says
The ONS reported a fall of 79,000 payrolled employees in accommodation and food service in the year to June 2026, the largest decrease of any sector.
UKHospitality has said that the sector has been hit by more than £5b in extra costs over the past two years, with 100,000 jobs lost.
What the industry is saying
UKHospitality has been clear that shortages have been a long-running problem, not a new one.
What it means for hospitality
Fewer payroll jobs don't mean less work to do. Demand in hospitality comes in waves - weekends, events, seasons - and a fixed headcount rarely matches every wave.
What it could mean for flexible staffing
A marketplace of verified professionals who choose their own SHFTs gives operators a way to meet the waves without carrying the full cost all year round. FLEXSHFT is one way to do that, alongside a strong core team.
