Retaining and growing staff through the holidays and BEYOND. 

Restaurants are still suffering from a labor shortage – according to the National Restaurant Association, as of September 2022 “eating and drinking places [were] still 560,000 jobs (or 4.5%) below their pre-pandemic staffing levels – tops among all U.S. industries.” We all feel this shortage. 

As a result, we see restaurants overpaying staff, modifying hours of operation or struggling with service. 

We see restaurants hiring staff that are not qualified, making an assumption that having ‘bodies’ is better than having no one. 

Employers including large companies, such as Amazon and FedEx are promising elevated pay, hours, overtime and incentivizing workers with sign on bonuses for seasonal help. This year, even more so than others, owners and General Managers are struggling.

During this hiring frenzy, here are some things to think about:

• Temporary sign on or retention bonuses. These should be offered to new hires but also be sure to include your existing staff. After the holidays, you can reassess your hiring needs and see how to move forward. 
• Offering benefits to full time employees. Highlight your company’s offerings during the initial interview and job advertisement phase. Seasonal workers are not offered benefits. 
• Review your schedule. Ask how you can make the schedule work for amazing employees and new hires. Offering flexibility opens doors for skilled individuals to work. 
• Try using an ATS system or invest in a temporary recruiter. 
• Build and develop your company’s culture. Build a culture of caring for your employees. Build traditions such as acknowledging birthdays and speaking to your team about their lives. 
• For the irreplaceable employee or vetted new hire, be aggressive with pay, bonuses and raises.