Workforce readiness: industry insights on building future-ready talent for hospitality

Purpose This study considers industry perspectives toward developing a future-ready workforce for addressing the global challenges facing the hospitality industry using the framework of workforce readiness theory (WRT). It identifies crucial skill gaps in fresh graduates and entry-level workers in hospitality, reflecting the need for realignment between educational curricula and operational industry requirements. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a qualitative research design using in-depth interviews with Indian hospitality managers. The interviews were analyzed to generate themes, sub-themes and codes. The integration of the WRT framework enhanced the theoretical understanding of talent development in the service-oriented industries. Findings The findings highlight requirements of human-centric skills, personal effectiveness and strategic capabilities for future-ready hospitality talent. Findings also reveal a lack of proficiency in adopting artificial intelligence and emerging technologies among the fresh graduates. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on the hospitality industry's skill development landscape, primarily within India, while drawing insights from global best practices. Future research could expand to longitudinal studies and comparative cultural studies to contextualize these Indian findings globally. Originality/value There is a lack of research applying WRT specifically to hospitality workforce preparation. By aligning with WRT, the study provides a structured analysis of the variables that influence workforce preparedness in hospitality.