The foodservice industry maintains one of the largest workforces in the United States, and yet nearly 43% of job positions in this field will remain vacant for as many as three months or longer. Worst of all, the overall turnover rate in foodservice sectors seems to only be growing, reaching as high as 66% in 2014 alone. These, of course, are terrible statistics for you, as foodservice employees are a critical component of providing exceptional patient care. So then, how do you recruit and retain quality foodservice employees?
Use Existing Connections
If you already employ a wonderful staff of loyal, reliable, hardworking foodservice employees, don’t be shy about asking them to help you find your next hire. While it might not work out every time, most of the time you will be introduced to people who are anxious to prove themselves, and excited at the prospect of being able to assimilate more easily onto your team because they already know someone on it.
Be Upfront
While you do want to entice and intrigue potential new hires to be more open to applying for the positions you’re looking to fill, this can backfire easily if you don’t remain honest and upfront about the actual demands and responsibilities of the job. Make sure you note exactly what you’re looking for in an employee, and every detail of the position and what is expected of them, so no one has to waste their time.
Screen Potential Hires
Commercial foodservice is very fast paced, so don’t be afraid to put applicants to the test to ensure they can handle it. This can include preinterview quizzes that present various common situations that they must react honestly to, avoiding simpler yes/no questions during initial meetings, and more. The point is to make sure the person you hire is not only motivated to succeed, but also familiar enough with the ins and outs of your industry to guarantee success.
Be The Place People Want To Work
No one wants to work for a company or person that doesn’t appreciate them or make them feel useful, which means if you want to be able to hold onto good employees, you need to give them a reason to stay. After all, they can get a simple paycheck anywhere, so you need to consider what else can you offer to make them feel like their efforts and contributions are valued. Even small things can make a big difference, like better benefits, a more diverse/inclusive working environment, and viable growth/development opportunities.
Communicate
Just because your staff needs to be able to work independently as much as possible doesn’t mean communication should ever break down. If things are running smoothly, continue to praise their efforts and recognize each success. If things are slipping, take a step back and talk to your teams and offer feedback to figure out where exactly the problems are originating. Help them understand how their efforts and mistakes affect your facility as a whole, and work on coming up with more effective strategies and solutions together.
So long as you are actually taking the time to choose the right people for your foodservice team, and offering a superior working environment that supports your employees and commends their accomplishments, you should have no trouble at all recruiting or retaining foodservice employees. Want to make life for your current kitchen staff even easier (making your facility a more enjoyable place to work)? Don’t forget to check out our impressive foodservice software at Vision Software!
If you need additional support, Vision Software and our array of impressively innovative food service software applications will always be here for you! Call 629.777.8989, or fill in the free consultation form in the sidebar, to learn more about how Vision Software can positively impact the lives of the patients and visitors you service every day.