The restaurant industry is no exception when it comes to the challenges that come with seasonal recruitment. As businesses in various sectors struggle with the historically demanding nature of this time, restaurants face their own set of unique challenges. And with increased customer demands and tighter deadlines, the workload becomes even more intense.
To top these up, the holiday season is one when employees often prioritize taking time off to be with their families. In that case, many restaurants will have to turn to hire seasonal employees to make up for the business so it doesn’t suffer any problems.
But with the rise in inflation and low unemployment rates, getting people to work for you for the season may not be as easy as it used to be. So, how do you go about this? In this article, we will show you some effective strategies that can help you overcome the challenges that often come with seasonal employee recruitment.
Optimistic Summer Forecast
As the summer season arrives, restaurants across the country are preparing for their busiest time of the year. The surge in business creates numerous employment opportunities, at all levels within the restaurant industry.
It’s a time when teenagers, college students, teachers, and even retirees are seeking some extra shifts at their local businesses, to fill these summer positions.
According to the 25th annual Eating and Drinking Place Summer Employment Forecast, the restaurant industry is projected to add a staggering 502,000 seasonal jobs this summer. This represents the strongest seasonal hiring since 2017.
This flow of potential workers is a driving force behind the optimistic summer employment forecast for the restaurant industry. During the lively summer season, with motivated job seekers, restaurants have an opportunity to meet their staffing needs and provide exceptional service to customers.
Best Strategies to Navigate the Peak Season
Even though the future looks promising for the restaurant industry during the coming summer season, there are definitely also going to be some employee recruitment challenges. But in this section, we have described the top five proven steps that will help your business hire more seasonal workers this season. Let’s look at them.
#1: Plan and Start Early
To maximize the effectiveness of seasonal hiring, recruiters, and the hiring team, should kickstart the process as early as possible. In the competitive landscape of seasonal businesses, you need to know that as you are seeking seasonal workers to work at your restaurant; your competitors are also in the market looking for workers.
To be ahead of them, it means you will need to start your hiring process much earlier. Ideally, initiating the hiring process three to four months ahead of the targeted season is recommended.
Moreover, it is advisable to communicate with candidates through text messages. This medium often proves more effective in reaching, and engaging potential hires, compared to traditional emails or phone calls.
#2: Make Your Employees Your Brand Ambassadors
We have observed that employing a data-driven recruiting strategy reveals that the most successful hires arise from employee referrals. This is particularly effective in the restaurant, retail, and delivery industries, where coworkers often have existing connections and share similar social circles.
However, it’s not enough to simply ask your employees for referrals; you need to integrate it into their job responsibilities as “brand ambassadors” for your establishment. As brand ambassadors, each employee should actively share engaging stories on social media about their experiences working at your location.
Especially during the summer, these ambassadors should continuously seek out potential candidates for seasonal jobs, and persuade them to join the team. Encouraging employees to make referrals for the collective benefit of the team is the most effective approach.
#3: Keep Expectations Clear in the Job Description
To attract the right talent and avoid any misunderstandings, keep the job description concise, honest, and straightforward. Whether you are putting it up on social media or on a new job portal, you should clearly highlight the specific duties and tasks employees will undertake during each season.
Whether it’s waiting tables during busy summer evenings or assisting with holiday catering, setting realistic expectations allows candidates to gauge their fit within the seasonal demands. By outlining the skills and qualifications required, as well as any necessary certifications, applicants can self-assess their suitability for the position.
A well-crafted job description not only weeds out unsuitable candidates but also attracts those who are genuinely interested and committed to contributing to your restaurant’s success during each seasonal upswing.
#4: Ensuring a Great Start
Creating a welcoming onboarding, and training process is crucial for recruiters, even when it comes to seasonal employees. By providing proper training, recruiters can get several benefits, like enhancing their employer brand and identifying strong seasonal workers, who could become permanent hires, if needed.
To ensure seasonal workers perform efficiently, you should develop comprehensive training sessions – one that will also include performance tests to assess their progress. Continuous support in the form of coaching should also be provided.
As Justin Cameron, Paycom’s manager of background checks, stated, “Organizations only get one opportunity to make a first impression.”
An easy and efficient onboarding drives confidence in candidates and prevents the loss of potential top talent.
#5: Make the Work Exciting and Then Spread the Word
Creating an exciting work environment is a powerful tool to tackle seasonal recruitment challenges in the restaurant industry. When employees enjoy their work, their enthusiasm becomes infectious, attracting more potential candidates.
Infuse your restaurant with positive energy by promoting a culture of teamwork, recognition, and growth. Offer incentives, such as performance-based bonuses or employee-of-the-month programs, to keep motivation levels high.
Happy employees naturally become brand ambassadors. So, encourage them to share their experiences on social media platforms and review sites, spreading the word about the dynamic and rewarding workplace your restaurant offers.
Remember, an exciting workplace not only helps you recruit seasonal talent but also fosters employee loyalty, increasing the likelihood of retaining skilled staff for the long term.
Final Note
Managing seasonal recruitment challenges in the restaurant industry requires a proactive and strategic approach. To navigate these challenges, we have put up this article to help. Take advantage of the strategies mentioned here and you will have no issues hiring even in this difficult season.