In our industry, it’s no secret that staff turnover is high and it’s hard to find skilled employees. Waiters quit to go to school, chefs change restaurants regularly and bartenders get tired of the late hours. In this blog post, we’ll give you tips on how to keep your staff (and attract new ones)!
Sign a collective agreement
Today, very few restaurants have collective agreements – so signing one can make you a more attractive employer. By offering your employees the rules of a collective agreement, you can increase the competitiveness of your workplace. As long as you explain and sell the terms properly to your staff, that is!
Many people have little understanding of what collective agreements mean and think “My employer already has good conditions, I don’t need a collective agreement.” But it doesn’t have to be that way! The collective agreement covers issues such as holidays, working time, parental leave and insurance. Complex areas that many may take for granted – until it turns out not to be. Sure, the workplace may already have good conditions, but a collective agreement becomes a seal of quality that you’ve really gone for it.
It is also important to clarify to staff that the collective agreement applies to all, not just those who work full-time. Part-time workers are also included, which can be reassuring for the extra staff! Aren’t the most important things already covered by the law anyway? No, actually it is not. The right to annual pay increases, regulated overtime, minimum wage, overtime pay, holiday pay and night work, for example, need not be automatically included in the terms of employment. That’s why collective agreements can be convenient!
Offer a salary scale
You can give your staff incentives to stay if they get a chance to increase their salary over time. This allows you to train talented employees over time and reward them on an ongoing basis. When you allow staff to grow into their role, you also create more dynamism in the service – and reduce the risk of them turning to another employer for a pay rise!
A salary ladder means it never has to be flat and boring, because there’s always something to strive for. With a collective agreement also comes a minimum wage – one idea might be to let employees start their employment at that and then work their way up. How much the salary increases and at what rate varies, of course. It depends on the employee’s skills, willingness to develop and the conditions of the business.
Development opportunities
Offering development opportunities in the restaurant industry can be tricky. The high staff turnover makes it difficult, for example, to send employees for training – as there is no guarantee that they will still be there six months later. So how do you attract good people and give them room to grow? Set individual goals with each person based on what they want to develop in. Do you have a waitress who wants to learn more about wines? Or maybe a chef who wants to try out new recipes? Be open to letting your creativity flow – within reasonable limits.
New responsibilities and tasks that benefit the business should of course be rewarded with another step on the salary ladder above. Together, set goals for how the job will progress and what you can both gain from it! If you have a larger business, or perhaps are opening up another restaurant, it may also be an idea to offer some key people partnerships in the company. Of course, this is not the case in every business, but if you have the opportunity, it is a gesture that clearly shows that you value the people in question.