Maybe it was always the case, but the pandemic has highlighted the importance of finding, hiring and keeping good workers: whatever the cost.
We have seen new changes impact the restaurant industry. In the early days of the pandemic, many restaurants were forced to close while others had to reduce their work staff. In fact, the service industry was down 5.9 million jobs, during that time, with many more restaurants scheduled to close their doors. Now as restaurants have reopened to full capacity and new ones are starting up, it’s time again to fill those lost jobs. Meanwhile, achieving full employment for restaurant’s open positions has become a splitting headache for every restaurant manager.
While restaurants currently may face new challenges, there are some tips to keep in mind when hiring:
- Figure Out What You Need
- Write a Good Job Description
- What Benefits Make You Stand Apart?
- Consider Your Website
- Opportunities to Advance and Referral Programs
- Treat Your Staff Like Family
The pandemic made many jobs within restaurants bleed together. Front of the house workers found themselves delivering packages or chefs had their hands full helping take orders while manning the grill. The division between Front of the House and Back of the House jobs has blurred, so it’s good to have a clear vision of what you expect from those roles.
Your entire team should have a solid understanding of their position and your expectations of them! It’s unfair to assume they will know they need to be in charge of To-Go orders, for example, unless you let them know.
We’ve all seen the growth of “Help Wanted” signs in restaurant windows over the years, but these days, workers may need” a little more” to encourage them to apply to restaurant jobs.
While the food itself matters, it’s how everyone gets along that will keep your restaurant or cafe running smoothly. Keep in mind that almost every restaurant is hiring right now, so what makes yours stand apart?
- Competitive wages
- Health insurance
- Retirement plans
- Pet insurance
- Other benefits
- Paid vacation/Paid time off
- Sick days
- Entertainment perks (concerts, travel, etc.)
- Opportunities to learn and advance careers
Once you’ve written a detailed job description, including wages and benefits details, the next step is to post it online – this allows as many people as possible to view the job posting and have a full roster of job candidates.
These days, your online presence can yield you hundreds of applications for each of your open jobs, especially if you post them on traditional job boards.
However, you maintain the best odds by keeping your website and menu up to date on your webpage. By visiting your website, prospective applicants can also get a good feel for your work culture, team spirit, menu, wages, and more and it allows you to attract the perfect team member! According to CareerPlug, companies with job pages have the highest ROI (return on investment) within the restaurant industry, resulting in 43% more hires overall.
On top of a well-maintained website and career board, you can also connect with job seekers through the following job boards:
As with many service industries, hiring friends of friends is one of the best ways to build up your restaurant team for 2022. Ask your existing staff if they have any friends within the industry looking for a great gig.
Restaurants that set up a referral program for their existing employees allow industry friends and family to fill needed roles and possibly receive a gift card, cash bonus, or other incentives for referring a great connection.
Once prospective applicants understand what sets you apart, your wage and benefits package, and the job expectations, you can start attracting the perfect people for your restaurant..
Considering that the estimated turnover cost averages around $5,864 for a typical front-line employee, you don’t want to keep repeating this cycle every 90 days. It’s essential to find someone that blends seamlessly with your existing team, job role needs, skills, and more.
One of the best hiring tips for 2022 is to hire with long-term needs in mind. Save money on training, resources, time, and more by being more deliberate about who you choose to hire. It’s not just about filling a need but it’s also about finding genuinely kind, thoughtful, curious, hard-working, and self-aware people full of integrity. These factors can prove more important than the level of skill a person brings to the table.
In the end, just make sure you hire someone you’d like to work with.
On-the-job Training
Once you have a team ready, ensure they are on the right track so they’ll choose to STAY. Make sure your restaurant team training is on-par, on-time, effective and efficient. Synergy has combined its decades of restaurant operations expertise in one easy-to-use application for your restaurant employees. Over our time in business, we have helped countless owners and managers sustain full employment and make their job training the best it could be. To learn more about training and operations tools, click here or contact us at 1-888-861-9212 today.