Is reducing turnover in your restaurant on your list of New Year’s resolutions this year? You’re not alone. Even if you still have more applicants than ever applying for jobs, turnover is still a problem in restaurants. Having more applicants to choose from makes the job of hiring the right people – people who will stay – more challenging than ever.
Savvy operators already realize that turnover has a profoundly negative effect on the service their guests receive. Customers hate turnover. Why? Service becomes inconsistent or shuts down completely. Managers and staff are cranky from working double shifts. The extra cost of continually recruiting and training new restaurant employees has to be covered somewhere — that could mean raising menu prices. And pity the poor customers who have questions about the menu and hear this from one of your new servers: “Uh, sorry, I don’t know … Today’s my first day … I guess I could check with those guys in the kitchen.”
Turnover makes your restaurant a far less inviting place to be. And your customers will show you how they feel about it simply by not returning. So how do you break the cycle?
- Become a better recruiter so you’ll attract more suitable applicants.
- Become a better interviewer so you can select only the best candidates.
- Become a better leader so those employees will want to stay.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as 1-2-3. If you want to truly improve your turnover rate this year, you need some solid ideas that will help you improve your recruiting, hiring, and retaining of employees.
Get More Restaurant Staffing Tips
The restaurant staffing section of our blog is dedicated to helping you meet your staffing goals. Check it out!
