Generation Z represents an essential talent pool for a hospitality industry that is still reeling from Covid-19’s effects, with a seemingly perpetual talent shortage. This study investigates and contrasts the perceptions of hospitality students and hotel general managers regarding the hospitality industry’s efforts to attract and retain Gen-Z talent. Interviews with 27 hospitality students and 22 GMs revealed three aggregate dimensions related to new recruits’ career journey, the structure of work, and management approaches. The findings’ implications for managerial practice in the hospitality industry are discussed.
