It is a recipe for a restaurant staffing disaster: A surplus of unfilled positions, not enough workers interested, and everybody competing for the same talent at once. It’s a reality for most restaurant managers, leaving them at a loss on how to recruit in this type of market. However, some restaurants have discovered effective incentives to get qualified candidates to apply and accept offers with them. Here is what restaurants are doing to convince candidates to jump back into a restaurant career.
- Boosting Base Pay
- Opening Up Health Insurance
- Providing Tuition Reimbursement
- Setting Achievable Bonuses
- Creating a Work-Life Balance
- Partnering With Experts
Boost Base Pay
The most straightforward method to draw candidates back to restaurants after a rocky year and a half is to increase hourly and salaried pay. Regardless of if workers were employed while out of the restaurant industry, taking a step back made many realize how overworked and underpaid they felt. While the increase in payroll cost may be tough for many restaurant owners to stomach, it is the most effective way to attract and retain the talent they need to get up and running again.
Health Insurance
Before COVID, restaurants could get by not providing insurance for hourly employees. Now, workers have had time to reassess what they need to provide for their families.
Restaurants who previously felt it was an unnecessary expense for most roles are changing their tune and providing insurance for more hourly positions.
Tuition Reimbursement
Being an employer that actively investing in the growth of employees could be the deciding factor in whether a candidate decides to accept an offer from you. Not having tuition loan payments would feel akin to a pay bump, and the prospect of continuing education provides hope for future career advancement.
Achievable Bonuses
Give employees a chance to take part in a restaurant’s success. Allow all employees to participate in bonus programs and make sure they are realistic. A bonus program is only as attractive as its chance of paying out. Sign-on bonuses can also help tip the scales for a candidate hesitant to return to restaurants right now.
Work-Life Balance
Still, many ex-restaurant workers say that no amount of money will make them return to an industry that was so exhausting. While it will always be a physically demanding environment, employers can take a more employee-friendly approach. Paid time off, sick leave, and more stable schedules can encourage previously burnt-out or disillusions workers to return to the restaurant industry.
Partner with Restaurant Recruitment Experts
In such a tough hiring market, even the smallest details can make a difference in your recruiting success. Using experienced restaurant recruiters shows candidates that you are serious about finding the best talent. They can also help you create attractive offers that will seal the deal. Contact us today to learn how.
