Dr. Deirdre Curran:

We need more evidence, but staff retention is less likely to be about an urban-rural divide than it is about hospitality employers who are good employers finding it easier to get their staff back than those who are not so good.

On hospitality remaining viable, this research suggests that if these recommendations are taken on board, it will benefit workers and businesses because treating workers with dignity and respect and giving them a voice is good for business.

On work-life balance, if there is sufficient staff, people do not mind working unsocial hours; they just do not want to work them the entire time. Having sufficient staff means they can be put on a rota and have some time off to balance their lives in and out of the workplace.