Faced with a serious shortage of staff, Monaco has recently increased the base wage in the hospitality sector in an attempt to find more workers. The higher wages started on December 1.

Working in the sector in Monaco is financially much more attractive than in France, with wages between 22 and 28 percent higher in the Principality, plus other advantages such as built-in seniority bonuses and the fact that in Monaco there are 12 public holidays per year compared to six in France.

Whether this will be enough in itself is too early to tell, as there are other important issues to solve.

A major problem is the split shift system, which means that restaurant employees work from before lunchtime until late at night, with an afternoon break that’s difficult to utilise.

This problem has been around for a very long time, and there’s no easy solution.

However, the coronavirus lockdown resulted in many experienced hospitality workers leaving their jobs and finding work in sectors where the working day is more manageable.

Alberte Escande, president of the Association of Monegasque Hotel Industries, said that transport after 23:00 and the shortage of housing are two major problems. She described the lack of transport options after 23:00 as a “catastrophe.”

The hospitality trade and Monaco’s Government are now working hand in hand trying to find solutions, but in the meantime the restaurant trade faces huge challenges in the Principality.

FILE PHOTO: Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel Max Brodie