The restaurant industry is facing one of its biggest challenges yet: staffing. Turnover has always been a challenge for restaurants, but it's at an all time high. So while the hospitality industry is finally bouncing back after two years of hellish lock downs, ongoing labour shortages are making it difficult for restaurateurs to find, train, and retain capable employees. What to do? I thought i would share a little bit of our online training modules with you today to give you a sense of what we have available. First up though a little bit of info on recruiting and retaining employees...also very important in today's employment market.
Here are our top 5 tips for hiring and retaining food business staff.
1. Search for candidates in the right places
It can be time-consuming to go over candidate applications, so you want to make sure you’re investing your time searching in the right places. These resources can help you find quality leads in your staff search:
Word of mouth: The restaurant and hospitality industry is very well connected, so one of the best resources you can use is your own staff! Ask for recommendations or referrals, and your staff could even provide you with valuable insights on potential candidates.
Culinary schools: You already know that these students are interested in pursuing a job in the industry, and students will be looking for valuable experience in the field.
Restaurant-specific job posting sites: Narrow the playing field by searching for candidates at industry-specific job posting sites instead of a general job board that attracts people that may not necessarily be looking for a job in the hospitality field.
2. Find the right fit
Staff shortage challenges may tempt you to quickly hire the first few candidates you encounter. Keep in mind, though, that hiring and training staff only for them to leave after a short period of time is ultimately detrimental to your business — so during the hiring process, take the time to ensure they’re a good fit. Start off by writing a comprehensive job description so that potential hires know what their job will entail. During the interview process, be transparent about the needs of the business and the current food service landscape to manage expectations. With a position that requires good teamwork and, for some roles, the ability to interact with customers, it’s also integral that you know how well a potential employee can work with others. You might want to conduct a trial run with your top candidates for the role by either asking them to cook something or participating in service. This way you can put their skills to the test while also observing how they interact with the rest of the team.
3. Create a robust training program
As a food business owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to make sure staff have the tools they need to do their job effectively. A comprehensive onboarding plan will help new employees get started off on the right foot, while refresher training for existing staff can help reinforce best practices. Ensure that you have an Employee Handbook that staff can refer to for the:
business mission statement: describe your business goals, core beliefs and the services you aim to provide.
organizational structure: outline the different roles and responsibilities within your business so that employees understand their individual responsibilities and know who to go to for help.
operational procedures: explain the different tasks to be completed and the proper procedures for each. This could include your health and safety guidelines, cleaning and sanitizing procedures, processing payment instructions, checking inventory procedures and more. It’s also helpful to have real-life scenarios to illustrate how these procedures should be put into practice!
employee code of conduct: detail how you expect staff to conduct themselves at work.
In Canada, Food Handlers are required to be properly trained in food safety, and certain provinces and territories have even made it a legal requirement for them to have their Food Handler Certification. For your business’s certification needs, the Canadian Institute of Food Safety’s (CIFS) nationally recognized Food Handler Certification Course will help your staff develop a strong foundation in food safety skills.
4. Build a positive workplace culture
It’s no surprise that people want to work at a place where they feel valued and heard. That’s why it’s so important to work on fostering a good workplace culture where employees at all levels feel comfortable voicing their ideas or concerns. Recognize team members for a job well done and make it a priority to sit down with your team to get their feedback about the business — what they enjoy about working there and any areas for improvement. Once you have that feedback, take the steps to ensure any concerns are addressed and implement initiatives that encourage team building!
5. Encourage career development
Do you have a job opening for a more senior role? This could be a great opportunity for existing staff to grow their skills within the business! Promoting staff means you’ll fill a role with someone who already knows how the business works and shows your team that you care about their career development. This may require more training for eligible candidates, so it’s also a great opportunity for them to up-skill before starting a new role with new responsibilities. When looking to hire new staff, take the time to find candidates that are a good fit for your business, create a comprehensive training program for both new team members and seasoned professionals, and continue to build a positive workplace culture that recognizes and values staff at all levels of the business. Staff shortages and turnover have been a difficult challenge for the food service industry — use these tips to help alleviate some of the burden in hiring and retaining valuable team members!
And now for my contribution, a few FREE training guides for specific jobs within a typical food service operation.
Cheers, and have a happy hump day!
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