Match or Mismatch? An exploratory study into the match between talent practices-in-use by the Hospitality Industry and the expectations and characteristics of Generation Z.

The hospitality industry is one of the largest and fastest growing industries today and will remain to do so in the near future. With one out of five jobs being created in this industry the request for new employees is high and will only increase. However, the hospitality industry is facing an increasing challenge to identify, attract and retain employees, let alone individuals who are considered to be of high-potential or talented. Semi-structured interviews were held with hotel management to get a deeper understanding of the talent practices-in-use by hotel organisation and the motivation behind the use of these practices. Semi-structured group interviews were held with Generation Z hospitality students to determine the motivations these students have for choosing hospitality education, what they expect from their future employer and what is characteristic to Generation Z. The findings indicate that there does not seem to be one particular talent management approach that all hotel organisations adhere. Practices-in-use that match with the expectation and characteristics of Generation Z are for instance the digital platforms that hotel organisation use as a medium to promote their organisation and the creation of talent pools wherein talented employees are challenged and developed to fill key positions.