by Natasha Reta – Culinary Consultant
The restaurant industry has always faced challenges in the field of recruitment and hiring. But having a great team and adequate amounts of staff is essential to great hospitality. Operators are currently faced with the usual hiring challenges of tracking down serious candidates, streamlining the onboarding process, and retaining the employee for the long term.
Currently faced with the usual hiring challenges or tracking down serious candidates, streamlining the onboarding process, and then retaining the employee for the long term, the issue is further compounded with the newest challenge of the current labor crunch. Operators will need to make significant changes to the way they hire, focusing on maintaining the retention of quality. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Once you get that employee in the door, how do you keep them there?
Most frustrated restaurant staff have described leaving good-paying jobs due to a lack of training. New employees want to feel comfortable in their workplace, yet a lack of systems and training allows for error, confusion, and frustration. A thorough training program for both FOH and BOH, should be quickly developed and implemented to maintain staff retention. This training should incorporate specific job function training and product training, food safety training, salesmanship, and hospitality.
Company Culture: Yes, it’s Really Important
Okay, so you have the best systems and training, but is your company culture appealing? What do your brand and company say to your future internal guests, your employees? How do you create an environment they want to return to? Lead by example. Your establishment should be treated with respect just as your guests. The cleanliness and organization of your operations are a clear observation as to how your company cares. New employees now say company culture is what keeps them returning. They enjoy a happy work-life balance and feel respected.
If you haven’t yet, now is the time to assess these areas of your restaurant operations:
- BOH/FOH operations and safety
- Overall restaurant cleanliness
- Job titles and accurate descriptions
- Training systems
- Growth opportunities
- Company culture
This foodservice labor shortage is certainly challenging for operators to tackle. Critically important is making your team feel valued, well trained, and taken care of. With some attention to these areas, your operation will manage to survive this current hiring crisis. Don’t have a robust training and operations system in place? Synergy Sync is a powerful, flexible, and affordable digital training platform for restaurants look to upgrade performance. Reach out to us to learn more!