Finding Human Resources in the restaurant industry, a key issue for the sector
March 17 2022
In addition to placing severe constraints on restaurant sales, the health crisis has had a significant impact on food costs and labor management.
The hospitality industry has lost 237,000 employees during the Covid crisis (between 2020 and 2021). This has made it more complicated to recruit and retain quality employees. Adoria reveals best practices for recruiting, onboarding and retaining employees.
New recruitment strategies
Until now, the most common strategies for retaining staff have been -when possible- to increase salaries, add benefits and offer attractive career development opportunities. However, the new economic landscape of the restaurant industry means finding new strategies to recruit and retain your staff. You need to cultivate your employer brand, which includes digital.
Recruiting with employee retention in mind can help develop a sense of belonging among your restaurant employees.
Distinguish yourself during the recruiting process
Distinguish your restaurant by clearly stating what sets it apart from other establishments. What is the vision for your restaurant? What makes it special? Be sure to outline all the reasons why the candidate should work for your restaurant, addressing aspects of your company culture. The ability to articulate this uniqueness is critical to any recruiting effort.
Attract and entice candidates on the web
Having an online and social media presence (e.g., Tik Tok in fast food) is more important than ever to your recruiting strategy. Use your distinctive arguments to guide your communication strategy on the networks. After all, your editorial line not only gains popularity with your customers, but also strengthens your reputation as a great place to work.
Don't forget that your website can also be an important tool for your job listings. Not only can you list them, but also let the image of your establishment shine through, highlighting the values, team and atmosphere.
Take advantage of your employees' recommendations
Once you have updated the channels you use to post job openings, you can also ask your employees to testify. This is because they are loyal and have already shown that they are a good fit for your company. They can highlight the internal promotions they have received: this proves that in your restaurant, work is recognized. Leveraging recommendations from these employees can be a powerful recruiting tool, if done right.
Good HR practices for retaining your restaurant employees
Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, there are a few best practices that apply to all types of restaurants to best retain your employees.
Institute a culture of transparency
For them to feel good, your employees need to be reassured, safe and aware of developments in terms of management. By creating an environment of trust and transparency, you facilitate open communication and feedback, which improves the restaurant's ability to not only serve your customers but also retain your employees. One-on-one interviews, satisfaction surveys and team meetings can help cultivate this culture of transparency.
Provide ongoing training that builds trust
Your employees need constant training and reinforcement so they are all on the same page. The best way to do this is through ongoing training to ensure that the restaurant's values are instilled in everyone, from kitchen clerks to servers to senior management. Bring in outside trainers, have seasoned employees teach classes on what they do well, and make it fun.
