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Staff shortages are a problem that almost every restaurateur is familiar with. Finding skilled, motivated and responsible employees is becoming increasingly difficult, and keeping them in the team is a real challenge. Chefs, waiters, managers – each of them is important for the flawless operation of the establishment, because when at least one of them is missing, the establishment operates at its limits.
The lack of staff affects everything: the speed of service drops, the atmosphere in the restaurant suffers, and profits begin to decline. Guests will remember not only the delicious food, but also how long they waited for it.
Let’s look at specific tips on how to attract, retain, and motivate your team. Because the success of a restaurant starts with happy employees who are its core.
Why does your restaurant have a staff shortage?
To solve a problem, you first need to understand why it has arisen. Staff shortages rarely appear out of nowhere. The most common reasons are:
- low level of professional training;
- not all candidates meet the requirements of specific vacancies;
- amidst economic instability, employees demand higher wages, which does not always correspond to the financial capabilities of the restaurant;
- a significant number of skilled workers leave for other countries or regions in search of better working conditions and higher salaries;
- reduction in the number of working-age population.
To temporarily solve the problem of staff shortages, restaurants can redistribute responsibilities among existing team members
Effective business solutions
The problem of staff shortages in the restaurant business does not disappear on its own. To solve it, you need to look at business as an integrated system where people play a key role. Investing in salaries, staff development and corporate culture is a strategy that not only reduces staff turnover but also helps to improve the efficiency of the business as a whole.
Raising salaries seems obvious, but it’s not just a cost. On average, waiters in Ukraine earn between UAH 12,000 and 16,000, cooks earn UAH 15,000-25,000, and managers earn UAH 20,000-30,000, including taxes.
Increasing salaries by 10-15% often pays off by reducing staff turnover and increasing motivation. However, it is important that salary increases are accompanied by clear performance criteria, such as KPIs, the number of positive guest reviews, or the achievement of a sales plan.
Staff training is another important part of a stable business. In our practice, we have noticed that even experienced employees lack the specific skills required to work in our restaurant.
One of the biggest mistakes that restaurateurs make is the lack of career prospects for their staff. If waiters or chefs do not see opportunities for growth, they are more likely to accept offers from competitors. However, when people see that their work opens up new opportunities, it motivates them to put in more effort and stay in the team longer.
Create a positive corporate culture
While salary is an important factor, the real motivation comes from making people feel part of something meaningful. A positive culture reduces employee turnover, improves productivity and builds employee loyalty.
When employees feel part of a close-knit team where their opinions are heard and valued, they stay for a long time. Instead, a toxic environment or indifference from management can quickly destroy even the most professional team.
Formulate your institution’s values and show that they are not just on paper. Open communication between management and the team should become the norm. Personal recognition of employees’ efforts, even simple words of gratitude or public celebration, inspire more than material bonuses.
Develop and implement values that support your corporate culture. It is important that they are not just written down, but actively implemented.
Outstaffing: a solution for critical situations
Outstaffing is becoming a popular solution in the restaurant business to quickly fill vacancies, especially in times of shortage of qualified staff. This approach allows restaurants to focus on core processes by delegating HR management to third-party companies.
Outstaffing is a form of cooperation in which employees are hired through a recruitment agency and perform tasks for the restaurant without being directly employed by the company. The process includes several key stages:
- Search and hiring of employees by a recruitment agency.
- Legal registration of employees.
- Performing tasks in the restaurant.
Recruitment agencies have access to a database of employees and can quickly find the right specialists. This is especially important during the peak season or when opening new establishments.
Despite all the advantages, outstaffing has its own nuances. The main risk is lower engagement of employees who are not part of the permanent team.
In Ukraine, outstaffing is regulated by law, which allows recruitment agencies to provide employee leasing services. It is important to choose trusted partners who guarantee compliance with labour laws, timely payment of salaries and social guarantees.
The problem of staff shortages in the restaurant business does not disappear by itself. To solve it, you need to look at business as an integrated system where people play a key role.