Managing temporary staffing in the restaurant industry is a significant challenge for restaurateurs. In a field where flexibility and reactivity are paramount, quickly finding qualified profiles often becomes a real headache. Fortunately, dedicated recruitment applications are responding to these specific needs, revolutionizing how restaurateurs manage their human resources. Let's explore the challenges of recruiting temporary staff, the digital solutions available, and practical tips for using these tools optimally.
Table of content
Need help with your ZenchefOS platform?
Go to the help center

Challenges of restaurant recruitment 

Recruitment challenges in the restaurant industry

Hiring in the restaurant sector is never easy, especially when it comes to finding temporary staff for occasional needs. Publishing an ad, contacting an agency, or activating a network are the usual routes for restaurateurs to find temporary help. These methods are time-consuming and costly for publishing offers in specialized media.

Double challenge of hiring a temp

Hiring a temp involves finding someone quickly and who is immediately available. This process is particularly complicated during periods where the demand for staff is highly seasonal.

Seasonal demand for temporary staff

The demand for staff varies greatly depending on the season, creating unpredictable peaks in activity. Recruiting temporary restaurant staffing for occasional needs, whether to cover an unexpected absence or sudden increase in customers, requires quickly finding candidates who are available and operational without extensive training.

High turnover and absences in the restaurant industry

The restaurant industry suffers significantly from turnover. In 2019, 25% of employees had more than three sick leaves in the year, and only two-thirds had been in their current job for over a year. A study by L'Hôtellerie Restauration and CHD Expert also shows that nearly 50% of employees feel their employer does nothing to retain them.

Digital solutions for temporary staffing

Several startups have emerged to address recruitment challenges in the restaurant sector. These applications help find quality staff quickly and at a lower cost. Some of these are also available in the UK:

Brigad

Brigad connects restaurateurs with qualified freelance professionals through a rigorous selection process, ensuring competent and reliable profiles. Restaurateurs can review previous evaluations of candidates, reducing recruitment risks.

Staffmatch

Staffmatch simplifies schedule and contract management, allowing restaurateurs to anticipate and organize their recruitments more effectively, reducing recruitment costs and delays. It is available in the UK through its parent company's reach.

Gofer

Gofer facilitates temp recruitment from a smartphone and handles administrative tasks. Restaurateurs can evaluate candidates at the end of each contract, building a digital reputation for each profile.

‍

Choosing the right app for your restaurant 

The choice of recruitment application depends on several factors:

  • Customization of Job Offers: Opt for an app that allows customizing job offers to attract candidates suited to your needs.
  • Transparency of Information: Ensure the app enables clear communication of working conditions to avoid surprises.

‍

Best practices for using recruitment apps 

To make the most of recruitment applications, follow these best practices:

  • Craft Precise Ads: Write clear, concise ads that reflect your establishment’s values.
  • Evaluate Quickly: Be responsive. Use features like evaluations on Brigad to aid in selection.
  • Effective Onboarding: Prepare rapid onboarding so temps are immediately operational.
  • Anticipate Activity Peaks: Use apps to create a list of available candidates in advance.

‍

Mistakes to avoid in temporary staffing 

Ensure efficient recruitment by avoiding these mistakes:

  • Neglecting Reference Checks: Even with well-rated candidates, always verify references.
  • Rushed Recruitment: Avoid hiring without preliminary interviews to preserve service quality.
  • Vague Job Descriptions: Be specific about duties to prevent misunderstandings.

5 Tips for quickly hiring temporary restaurant staff 

1. Look in your surroundings

When in urgent need of staff, start by exploring your surroundings. Many restaurateurs overlook this, but turning to former employees is advantageous. They already know your establishment, saving you time on training. Moreover, you have previous working experience with them, minimizing surprises. This is why 20-25% of restaurant temps are former employees.

  • Tip: Use an employee database. Implement a database listing former employees' contact details and roles to recruit quickly when needed.

2. Leverage your network

If your former employee database is insufficient, turn to your network. Studies show candidates recommended by your circle are three times more effective than those recruited through traditional methods. Recommendations are based on real judgments; your contacts provide reliable and objective information on the person’s skills and experience. Moreover, they avoid suggesting incompetent candidates to protect their own reputation.

3. Use a temporary employment agency

When time is short, resorting to an agency can be beneficial. Agencies have extensive databases of candidates ready for quick deployment. However, they can be costly and sometimes limited in sourcing specialized profiles, such as chefs.

4. Post an online ad

The internet is a powerful tool for quick recruitment. Hundreds of candidates can be reached swiftly. Many sites specialize in restaurant jobs where you can publish ads:

Some, like urgent-extra.fr, focus exclusively on recruiting temporary restaurant staff.

Tip: Download our 5 pre-written ads to simplify temp recruitment for servers, chefs, cooks, or dishwashers.

5. Use the "Contact"

For extremely urgent recruitment needs, the Internet may not be fast enough. This is where the "Contact" comes in, a tool developed by Urgent RH for restaurateurs in emergency situations. The process is simple:

  1. Indicate the position sought (e.g., server)
  2. Indicate the location of the position (e.g., Boulogne)
  3. Write a short message with your ad (e.g., "Restaurant XX is looking for a server available from XX/XX to XX/XX. Contact 06XXXXXXXX").

For 50 euros for 5 searches, the "Contacter" will browse its database and send an email to all potential candidates available in your area. Guaranteed results!

‍

Urgent RH Tip: Always specify your phone number in the ad, as it is much more effective for quick recruitment than providing an email address.

To access the "Contact" service, click here and create an employer account to start your search.

Make you business thrive with ZenchefOS
Book a demo
Download here
By
31/10/24