This survey report details changes in the hospitality staffing and labor markets in 2023, building on annual research completed by Instawork in the past year. Presented by Instawork.

1. Entering 2023
with guarded
optimism
State of Hospitality
Staffing Report

2. About the Survey
In November 2022, Instawork conducted a survey to evaluate
the current state of the hospitality industry. We surveyed 180+
hospitality businesses from caterers to hotels to food service
operators. Their industry leaders shared how their businesses
performed over the last year, what challenges they anticipate in
the year ahead, and more. Read on to explore the results.
2

3. What is your role?
5%
9%
13%
18%
22%
34%
Chef and Culinary
HR and Staffing
Owner
Other
Catering
General Manager
, President or COO
3

4. What is your top
business challenge
for this coming year?
(Results are compared to 2022 survey results)
Staffing
Uncertainty
of demand
Rising
supplier costs
Other
Forecasting
labor costs
19%
36%
9%
5%
18%
26%
50
45
40
35
30
20
15
10
0 5 25
32%
5%
6%
45%
2022
2023
4

5. In 2022, how much
revenue did you forgo
because of insufficient
permanent staff?
(e.g. declined business, limited service)
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
19%
16%
33%
6%
3%
23%
0-5% 20-50%
Over 50%
Not sure
5-10%
10-20%
5

6. Compared to 2022,
what change do you
expect in your revenue
in 2023?
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
15%
2% 3%
48%
17%
10% to 25%
Less than 10% change
in either direction
More than 25%
More than 25%
10% to 25%
6

7. In order to attract and
retain your permanent
hourly staff (full-time or
otherwise) in 2022,
did you do any of
the following?
[Select all that apply]
Offer a flexible
schedule
Provide
training
Increase pay
Give rewards
Offer new
benefits
Give title
promotions
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
52%
38%
34%
18%
26%
20%
7

8. What percentage
of your permanent
staff did you retain
throughout all of 2022?
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
18%
8%
10%
28%
37%
1-25% 76%-99%
100%
26-50%
51-75%
8

9. To attract and retain
your permanent hourly
staff in 2022,
approximately
how much did you
increase hourly rates?
$0 - 1
$1
No Raise
$2
$3-4
$5+
Other or NA
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
2021
2022
8%
12%
2%
0%
17 %
15%
30%
28%
19%
22%
16%
16%
10%
4%
9
(Results are compared to 2022 survey results)

10. In 2022, how did
the amount of flexible/
temporary staffing you
utilize change?
Didn’t use
flexible workers
Used more
flexible workers
Other
Used less
flexible workers
19%
9%
1%
10
72%

11. How difficult do you
think it will be to find
workers in 2023?
Easier The same
Harder
22%
62%
11
16%

12. How much time
does it take for your
business to recruit
for a part-time or
full-time position?
8+ weeks
Less than 1 week 4-6 weeks
6-8 weeks
1-2 weeks
2-4 weeks
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
5%
11%
24%
34%
20%
7%
12

13. 13
For more information about local labor trends or the
hourly workforce, please contact the Instawork
Economic Research Division at press@instawork.com.
Questions?