FINDING EMPLOYEES IS A BIG PROBLEM RIGHT NOW FOR RESTAURANTS

Actually, finding employees is a problem throughout the country in almost all industries.  Demand seems to be there but employees are not.

Here is a list from RestaurantOwner.com on techniques for recruiting.

• Set up an employee referral program.  Ask current employees to recruit their friends.  Make it worth their while with a large incentive.
• Get in touch with past employees.  Maybe they could go part-time or have friends that might be available.
• Put recruiting messages on your website, sales receipts, table tents, to-go packaging and even menus.  You are always looking for good employees even when you are fully staffed.
• Ask new hires.  Maybe they know someone else who is looking for work.
• Create business cards for your employees and ask them to hand them out to potential new hires.  If the new hire turns in the card, the employee would get a bonus.
• Trash your help wanted signs.  No one pay attention.  Try replacing them with something funny, clever and attention getting such as:  “Choose your hours – make a few bucks”.
• Get buttons for your servers to wear.  “Ask me about how to join our team”.

If you are a family-style restaurant this could work especially well.  Sponsor the local high school and college activities.  Give donations to cheerleaders, football, marching band, etc.  Run contests with free meals as prizes.  Give gift certificates and with every contact, and advertise that you have job opportunities available.

Don’t give up.  Find creative ways to advertise you have jobs available.  See related article in this newsletter about the job situation today