Why restaurants suffer from high turnover rates
There are a number of reasons why restaurants have high turnover rates. Some of the most common reasons include low pay and long hours, a demanding work environment, and a lack of job security. Additionally, many people who work in the restaurant industry do so as temporary or part-time jobs, viewing restaurant positions as a transition to make some money while going to school or working on one’s ‘real career.’
None of these factors are going away anytime soon, at least not for the vast majority of businesses in the food service industry. That’s why it’s important to use every tool available to overcome the challenges associated with this high turnover rate in order to stay competitive.
Hiring processes: how to identify gaps and overcome challenges
Hiring gaps refer to situations where a company or organisation has job openings that it is unable to fill because it cannot find suitable candidates. These gaps can be frustrating for employers because they prevent work from getting done – you can’t operate to your fullest and maximise your revenue if you don’t have sufficient manpower.
The restaurant industry has hiring gaps for a great number of reasons. Here are a few common ones.
Inconsistent work schedules: It’s typical for restaurant employees to have shifts that change every week to meet the varying needs and demands of the business. It’s difficult to find workers who function well with this inconsistent scheduling because they have other commitments in life.
Finding people who want to grow with the company: Unlike a startup or traditional business, restaurant work is typically viewed as a transient, shorter-term position rather than a career. It’s incredibly difficult to find employees who are willing to stay for the long haul, through the ups and downs, because the pay is so low and employees are rarely given any stock.
Culture alignment: Every kitchen has its own culture, idiosyncrasies, and vocabulary. Further filtering the already slim pool of candidates by whether they’d be a good culture fit is a hard task.
Lack of soft skills: Many people enter the restaurant industry at a young age or without a great deal of education. This leads to a largely inexperienced pool of candidates who have never worked in a customer-facing position or had to deal with many workplace responsibilities. It’s understandably difficult to take the risk on these candidates.
How to use technology for restaurant business recruitment
In today’s world, you need to stay on the cutting edge of digital technology to stay ahead of the competition when it comes to any business, especially with regard to hiring in the restaurant industry. There are many great tools at your disposal that allow you to address those hiring gaps and keep your positions filled with quality candidates.
Use online job boards to post open positions
There are many online job boards. With restaurant hiring, you want to cast as wide a net as you can and then filter, filter, filter. It’s critical to be active on all the major online job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn.
The key is to make it as easy as possible for potential employees who meet the minimum qualifications to submit an application. Accomplish this by using a quick apply function or a text-to-apply feature.
Utilise social media to advertise open positions
If you want applicants, you need to go where the people are. Right now, that means advertising your positions on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok. Social media platforms have large user bases, so advertising on these platforms can help employers reach a large number of potential candidates quickly and easily.
Social media allows employers to target their ads to specific groups of people based on factors such as location, age, and interests, which can help ensure that the ads are seen by the right people. Even more, social media ads are inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising, and they can be easily tracked and measured, which can help employers understand the effectiveness of their recruitment efforts. At the same time, every one of your ads has the potential to build positive branding! A win-win-win.
Use video interviewing platforms to screen candidates
Cut down on in-person meetings and interview scheduling by setting up preliminary online video conferencing screenings. It’s more personal and interactive than a phone call while being less resource-demanding than in-person screenings. As a bonus, you can record the screenings and review them later or share them with others.
Virtual screenings are fairer to applicants as well, as it allows more flexibility in their schedule to figure out a time to meet online without the hassle of travelling to your restaurant location.
Manage your pipeline using an HR software
There are several HR management software tools specifically tailored to the restaurant industry. With applicant tracking systems that automate and streamline processes like job postings, hiring documents, and employee onboarding, restaurants are able to focus more on making great food and worry less about where they’re going to find their next line cook.
Conclusion
It’s said that the restaurant business is cutthroat for a reason. For independent and franchise restaurants alike, staffing is perpetually a struggle point. Fortunately, there are solutions out there. You just need to leverage software and technology to your advantage in order to find, screen and retain quality employees – the necessary ingredients for a restaurant’s success.