How can you ensure staff retention int he hospitality industry?

The restaurant industry has had to face the challenge of staff retention head-on in recent years, with many restaurants reporting that they have difficulty keeping their employees on board. With this in mind, it is important to explore how you can make sure your staff stay with.

•  Provide a competitive salary - A competitive salary is a good way to entice people to work with you. It will help them feel valued and more satisfied in their position which will then have the side effect of improving retention rates as staff aren't going anywhere! More benefits mean that more people will be willing to work with you. The more competitive your salary, the better quality of candidates you will attract, and this is beneficial for staff retention in general as they are going to feel valued! Consider implementing a bonus scheme or commission system if possible so that employees can earn even more money when they do well. This way people know there are options to further their careers and their incomes. From the chef in his chef coat or kitchen shirts, to the servers and bussers in their server aprons, everyone wants to feel appreciated, and also earn an additional income.

- Offer flexible work hours - Flexible working hours is also a great way to ensure staff retention. Running a restaurant is no easy feat and it's likely that you will be putting in long hours during the busy periods of your business, but this can leave things feeling like an all-consuming job for some! Offering flexible hours will allow people to have more control over how they spend their time outside.

- Give employees the opportunity to grow their skills and advance in the company - Giving staff the required training to progress is a good way to ensure that they feel supported and are confident in their achievements. Giving them the opportunity for advancement will provide staff with an incentive to stay, such as providing performance-based pay or higher positions when promotion becomes available.

- Be open to feedback from your staff, and be willing to listen - Being open to receiving feedback is a sign of employers who care about their staff and want to improve the quality of the workplace. Listening is also important because employees are more likely to stay if they feel that they have been listened to, encouraged, and supported by their managers or supervisors. This includes being open to feedback when there has been an issue with safety in the work.