I am terrified.

I suppose I don’t know that much about how it all works, but…

I’m terrified.

With all the recent changes —

the pandemic, Brexit, the National Insurance increases…

The world just seems… destructive.

And working conditions in hospitality have worsened.

Businesses are struggling.

And that means that the workers are struggling more.

The message is always that technology will make our lives easier —

but will it?

Or is it just making it all harder,

but cheaper?

I am not convinced workers are finding it easier.

I am finding it harder.

It all just seems so complicated.

I keep hearing from people who are struggling more.

People who are struggling to learn.

Struggling to keep up.

Struggling to get enough hours.

Enough shifts.

Struggling to find joy in their work.

They came into this work because they are people people —

but now there is no time for people.

All this… stuff is just in the way.

There is just so much of it.

And so little that makes sense.

They say that now one worker will be able to do the job of three,

because the machines can replace the other two.

Where are those other two supposed to go?

Where is the industry supposed to go?

And who works on the machines?

Who fixes them when they break?

And who is there to fill in when they malfunction?

Tech is being brought in that just creates more problems than it solves.

People are working.

Working harder.

Being asked to do more.

The machine can do the job of two workers

so that one worker can do the job of four.

[PAUSE.]

Maybe I am very old-fashioned, but…

There are machines everywhere these days.

Cameras all over.

The machine in my hand that is almost a part of my body.

I am hearing of workers who are receiving messages from their employers

at all hours of the day —

the latest rota,

the latest reviews,

who did right and who did wrong,

and can you please do X, Y, Z before locking up.

I am just seeing workers being monitored more and more.

And this is opening more and more avenues

for them to be penalised by employers.

Maybe it isn’t the technology itself that is dangerous.

But the people using it.

But how do we stop this from happening?

How do we regulate this?

How do we keep people wanting to work in hospitality?

How do we know…

that we are all going to be okay?

[END]