Northern Ireland hotel group adopts NHS workforce planning model as hospitality turnover hits 52%

McKeever Hotels, a Northern Ireland-based hotel group, has become the first tourism and hospitality business in the region to adopt the Six Steps Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning, an approach originally developed by the NHS, to strengthen recruitment, retention and long-term resilience.

Love Ballymena reported that with seven hotels across the island of Ireland, the group says the move comes as it prepares for a summer season at a time when staffing shortages continue to dominate industry concerns.

According to the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation, turnover in hospitality sits at 52%, significantly above the UK average of 34%, underlining the scale of the issue facing the sector.

Janice Gault, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotel Federation, said: "The pressures facing hospitality are not short-term fluctuations, they are structural."

She added that in a sector where turnover significantly exceeds national averages, organisations investing in workforce planning capability are much better positioned to grow. Labour shortages remain the number one concern for industry leaders.

Kristine Graham, group HR manager at McKeever Hotels, said: "Like many hospitality businesses, we have an abundance of workforce data at our fingertips, but we weren't always making best use of it."

She added that the programme has enabled the business to make informed decisions faster and create more opportunities for staff to develop and progress.

The four-week implementation programme introduced practical tools to help the business align staffing levels with demand, redesign roles around changing service models, strengthen internal progression opportunities and anticipate skills gaps before they become critical.

The initiative was delivered in partnership with workforce development specialists People 1st International, with Northern Ireland director Roisin McKee leading the programme.

Access complete details on the Six Steps workforce planning methodology and hospitality sector implementation.