Signs like these seem to be a staple on every window, door, and register at businesses today. Everywhere is hiring. The labor shortage is still in full swing. Owners are investing in higher wages and using advanced search systems to find job candidates, but that still isn’t enough.
In 2022 alone, 678,000 jobs became available again, but businesses still cannot seem to fill the open positions, with the accommodation and food service industries struggling the most. The workers that are left in these industries are burnt out, carrying double the workload as many of their colleagues did not return or left altogether. Due to these staffing shortages, hotels are having to close off rooms for reservations and restaurants are having to shut down parts of their dining rooms.
Changes have to happen. Businesses have to find a way to adapt. But there are better options than reduced business hours and closing locations - they just require creative solutions.
Prospera has been working with robotics companies to create the perfect "cobots" for the hospitality and food service industries. Cobotics offer effective collaborations between humans and robotics, making them the perfect solution during this labor shortage. With the priority of not replacing jobs on their mind, Prospera robotics (or cobotics) are made to assist workers with everyday monotonous tasks, not take preexisting jobs. From cleaning robots, which vacuum, mop and disinfect simultaneously, to food service robots, which use LiDAR technology to deliver customers’ food from kitchen to table, cobots can not only help a struggling business get back on their feet again but also help them maximize efficiency levels.
Housekeepers can now complete room cleanings quicker than ever before. The use of cleaning robots can take the sanitation time for a room from 30 minutes to 3 minutes. Hotel managers and front desk workers can now fully focus on their managerial work or check in/out duties as service robots deliver room service and fresh linens. CLOi can pick up food from restaurants’ kitchens and deliver them to the table so waiters and waitresses can give their undivided attention to guest needs and even practice upselling.
The use of cobotics in these industries is transforming the labor shortage into a growing opportunity for businesses to show how they adapt. They are helping carry the workload for the staff that are still working, boosting employee morale and creating stronger retention rates. Maximizing efficiency makes for quicker service and happy guests, which leads to better reviews, returning customers, and higher sales overall.