The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A senior Baha Mar executive yesterday warned that attracting skilled workers to the Family Islands may require treating Bahamian employees like expatriates, offering benefits and incentives traditionally reserved for foreign staff to lure them to high-demand tourism roles.

Robert Sands, the resort’s senior vice-president of government affairs, told the Bahama Out Islands Promotion Board’s annual general meeting (AGM) that, as a result of the growing workforce development challenge post-COVID, many experienced hoteliers have chosen to become entrepreneurs or pursue year-round work elsewhere, leaving a gap in seasonal tourism positions. 

He said rising housing costs, limited services and logistical challenges make it difficult to draw talent back to the Family Islands, requiring creative solutions to ensure the sector remains competitive.

“It is also very difficult because of climate change issues, “ Mr Sands added. “Persons left the islands to come to New Providence, to find meaningful work, to support their families. To attract those persons back to the Family Islands, I hate to admit it, but we maybe have to treat those individuals like expatriates, and give them the type of benefits that we give expatriates to come to New Providence to our hotels. So that they can live.

“Because housing is expensive, moving to those destinations is expensive. There are limited services, so we may have to think out of the box for a certain category of employees.” Mr Sands said housing is a double-edged sword for the tourism sector as it makes it harder for businesses to attract workers while, on the other hand, it creates opportunities for Airbnb rentals and entrepreneurial ventures, which benefit the broader economy.

“You know, this affordable housing thing hurts us on one side, but benefits the country on another side, because it's created Airbnb business and entrepreneurial opportunities. So we have to find the balance going forward. Some of these problems are good problems to have. We just have to find a way to work our way through them,” said Mr Sands. 

“Going forward, I have not given up on the fact that I think we have a potentially large pool of qualified individuals, but sometimes we just can't sit down and expect them to come to us. We have to do our work and go out and find and create the channel for them, and then attract them to us.”

Mr Sands said the biggest challenge for large tourism properties such as Baha Mar and Atlantis is not attracting entry-level employees but filling middle and senior management positions. 

He explained that while qualified individuals exist, many are reluctant to move into management due to three main factors - pay is often lower than what they earn in their current roles; they do not want the added responsibility and stress; and the managers currently in place are not always ideal, requiring ongoing training and development.

“It’s not that we don't have those persons within our existing pool,” Mr Sands explained. “They don't want the responsibility of moving from a line position to a management position. 

“One, the rate of pay is not attractive to them, because in their current category, they're making much more than their manager. We've created the problem. I don't know how we address it, but we've certainly created the problem.”

Mr Sands said opportunities for offshore exposure and training are frequently declined, with 80–85 percent of staff unwilling to leave their comfort zones.

“We also have to work on providing opportunities for offshore exposure and training. I regret to say that 80–85 percent of individuals turn these down. They don’t want to leave their comfort zone. It’s not that we don’t have the hardware or the pool of potential employees — we do — but we have to find ways for them to matriculate up and compensate them accordingly. That’s some of the work we are doing in creating a more hierarchical pathway for career development,” said Mr Sands.

He also acknowledged the tension created by generational changes in workforce expectations, noting that younger employees prioritise work-life balance in ways previous generations did not. 

“Today's generation is looking for quality-of-life considerations when they come to work. They’re not like me, working 365 days a year, 15 hours a day. Those days are gone,” Mr Sands said.

He explained that employers now need to factor in expectations such as three-day weekends, flexible schedules and dedicated family time. “When we hire people now, you have to consider these priorities. Not that these are bad issues, but they are realities that properties must come to grips with,” Mr Sands added.