Building Robust Teams for QSRs and Fast Casual Restaurants

Future-Proofing your Workforce in an Ever-Changing Industry

The Quick-Service and Fast-Casual dining world, a vibrant sector dancing on the stage of modern business, is in the throes of transformation. This dynamism is twirling to the rhythm of tech evolution, customer trends, and labor flows. Pivotal to weathering this whirlwind is cultivating an effective and forward-thinking approach to managing your workforce.

A challenge that emerges from this dance, as illuminated by the insightful report by Trail in 2023, is the pressing shortage of labor in the hospitality sector. The heart of this challenge beats not just in securing the right personnel, but also in ensuring they remain within the fold. This predicament of retention is accentuated in the fast-paced ballet of Quick-Service and Fast-Casual eateries, notorious for their high turnover rates.

The secret to triumphing over these labor hurdles? A sterling employer brand. Remember, the reputation of your restaurant stretches beyond the taste of your cuisine and the aesthetic appeal of your premises. It permeates into the realm of your perception as an employer. With the advent of online reviews and social media, your reputation as an employer lies in the open, making brand management a necessity rather than an indulgence.


Crafting an impressive employer brand is akin to a well-rehearsed ballet—it takes time, patience, and careful execution. The opening act is nurturing an inclusive and supportive workplace. Champion your values, develop the talents of your staff, and provide opportunities for growth. Make open communication the norm, invite feedback, and respond with action. Show your employees they are the heartbeat of your enterprise and their contributions matter. Such fulfillment not only increases productivity but also turns your staff into advocates for your business, painting a positive image for potential talent and patrons.

A note-worthy trend cited by Exploding Topics is the blossoming of ‘Ghost Kitchens’. This model centralizes kitchen operations, reducing the need for customer-interfacing staff, offering an alternative solution to the labor puzzle. But let’s not forget, even in such setups, the power of a dedicated team is irreplaceable.

To waltz smoothly through the obstacles the Quick-Service and Fast-Casual industry presents, businesses need to orchestrate a comprehensive strategy. A rhythm of efficient hiring, effective retention tactics, and a striking employer brand could form the symphony of successful enterprises.

But the choreography gets complex. This all needs to be performed on a stage where labor regulations are tightening their grip. Be it minimum wage stipulations or workers’ rights regulations, businesses must keep a keen eye on the evolving regulatory environment to stay on the right side of the law. Striking the right balance between business profitability and legal compliance is now the name of the game.

The uncertainties that the future holds should be perceived not as looming shadows, but as spotlights on opportunities waiting to be seized. As we guide you through this fascinating dance of change, remember to stay nimble, stay flexible, and keep your people at the core of your strategies. They are not just the challenge – they are the keys to the solution.

Breaking News: ICE Ends Form I-9 Virtual Remote Inspection

July 21, 2023

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made a significant announcement, putting an end to the Form I-9 virtual remote inspection. Initially introduced as a measure to help employers navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic, the flexibilities will cease to be in effect as of July 31, 2023. Employers now have until August 30, 2023, to comply with the in-person Form I-9 document inspection requirements.

The temporary COVID-19 flexibilities allowed employers to remotely inspect I-9 documents for employees working from home due to the pandemic. However, as the situation has improved, ICE is phasing out these virtual inspections. Employers who have been relying on this policy must act promptly to ensure all I-9 forms completed under this exception are physically inspected by August 30, 2023.

Understanding the Temporary COVID-19 Flexibilities

The Form I-9 is a vital component of the hiring process, serving to verify the identity and employment eligibility of new hires in the United States. Employers must complete the I-9 form within three days of hiring an employee and retain it for three years from the date of hire or one year from the date of termination.

To accommodate pandemic challenges, ICE introduced a temporary policy in March 2020, allowing for virtual inspections of I-9 documents. This policy was later expanded in April 2021, providing further flexibility to companies as they gradually brought back employees. However, it’s essential to note that these flexibilities were never meant to apply to permanent remote employees.

Ensuring Compliance and ZippyApp Onboarding as the Solution

With the expiration of the temporary COVID-19 flexibilities on July 31, employers must now prioritize accuracy and compliance in handling their I-9 forms. Any errors or omissions must be promptly corrected within ten days of discovery to avoid severe penalties and legal repercussions.

Enter ZippyApp Onboarding, the cost-effective and expedited solution for handling I-9 forms. As you transition back to in-person inspections by August 30, 2023, ZippyApp Onboarding offers a secure and user-friendly platform for employers to create, manage, and store I-9 forms with utmost accuracy and security. Its electronic I-9 system includes automatic error-checking and alerts, ensuring compliance and quick identification of any issues that may arise.

The Time to Act is Now

As an employer, it is crucial to be aware of these changes and take immediate action to ensure compliance with the updated Form I-9 requirements. Don’t let the deadline pass without proper verification of your employees’ I-9 forms. ZippyApp Onboarding is your reliable partner in this endeavor, making the process seamless and hassle-free.

Stay ahead of the game, make the switch to ZippyApp Onboarding, and ensure your Form I-9 compliance is airtight. Avoid potential risks and focus on your business’s growth and success with the help of this cutting-edge solution.

Remember, the deadline for in-person Form I-9 document inspections is fast approaching – August 30, 2023. Act now and embrace the efficiency and security offered by ZippyApp Onboarding. Ensure your company’s compliance and keep your workforce moving forward confidently.

Visit our website
www.zippyapp.com to learn how ZippyApp Onboarding can streamline your I-9 process and provide a secure, user-friendly platform for managing all your I-9 forms.

Inquire today here to get started and discover how our electronic I-9 system will make your Form I-9 compliance journey seamless and stress-free.

Don’t miss the August 30, 2023 deadline – Ensure your Form I-9 compliance with ZippyApp Onboarding now!


Navigating the Dynamic Landscape of Hourly, Service, and Hospitality Labor

Welcome to another exciting discussion on the ZippyApp blog, your go-to platform for all things related to the hourly, service, and hospitality labor markets. Today, we’re going to delve into some fascinating data trends that are shaping these sectors, courtesy of a recent study by Reuters. Let’s strap in for a journey filled with insights, trends, and useful tips that can transform your business landscape.

Understanding the Labor Market’s Shifting Currents

Jobs have always been the lifeblood of any economy, and this couldn’t be truer for the hourly, service, and hospitality sectors. The labor market can feel like a roller coaster ride at times, with factors such as technological advancements, economic fluctuations, and now, global pandemics, throwing in unexpected twists and turns. Knowing how to navigate this landscape effectively can help your business not just survive, but thrive.

In 2023, we’re seeing some fascinating trends emerge. The top professions, when analyzed on a state-by-state basis, present a mosaic of opportunities. For instance, in the hourly sector, many states such as New York, Texas, and California are witnessing a high demand for retail salespersons and cashiers. In the service industry, personal care aides, home health aides, and registered nurses are leading the pack, especially in densely populated regions like Florida. This data highlights the importance of tailoring your hiring strategies to match regional trends.

The Impact of Wage Growth on the Job Market

When it comes to wage growth, it’s a mixed bag. Many roles in the service industry are seeing a boost, which is great news for employees in this sector. But here’s a twist: while higher wages can attract more potential candidates, they can also cause a bit of a conundrum for businesses looking to balance their budgets. For businesses operating in states with high minimum wage rates, it’s essential to adopt innovative strategies to maintain profitability while still offering competitive wages.

Embracing the Rise of Flexible Work

One trend we can’t ignore is the growing popularity of flexible work. The rise of the gig economy is creating a seismic shift in the labor landscape, especially in the hospitality sector. In this fast-paced digital age, people are seeking the freedom to choose when and where they work. Businesses that adapt to this trend can tap into a pool of enthusiastic, flexible, and talented individuals ready to help your enterprise shine.

Making Smart Moves in a Dynamic Landscape

With the labor market in a constant state of flux, it’s crucial to stay one step ahead. By leveraging data-driven insights and following these key strategies, your business can effectively navigate the evolving trends of the hourly, service, and hospitality sectors.

  1. Monitor regional trends: Keep a close eye on job trends specific to your business location. Tailor your hiring strategies to match these trends and meet your staffing needs effectively.
  2. Balance wage and budget: Understand the implications of wage growth and its impact on your business. Ensure that you’re offering competitive wages while maintaining your budget.
  3. Adapt to flexible work: Embrace the gig economy and offer flexible work opportunities. This will help you attract a pool of enthusiastic workers, ready to take your business to new heights.

In this exciting and ever-changing world of work, your journey is just beginning. Stay tuned to the ZippyApp blog for more insights, tips, and trends on navigating the dynamic landscape of hourly, service, and hospitality labor. Remember, the key to thriving in these sectors lies in adaptability, innovation, and strategic foresight. Happy navigating!

ZippyApp Seizing the Day

By Michael Beck
By Michael Beck

Leading the Charge in a Booming Job Market

July 6, 2023

In a world where economies are swiftly adapting to post-pandemic realities, the American job market in May 2023 has delivered a pleasant surprise, outperforming expectations and painting a promising landscape for the future. And right in the middle of this exciting upswing stands ZippyApp, a rising tech star transforming the hiring landscape.

As reported by CNN, the May 2023 jobs report has defied the odds, indicating an addition of 559,000 jobs — a stark contrast to April’s discouraging numbers. This bounce-back has been embraced by a wide range of industries, but the most fascinating story is arguably that of ZippyApp’s role in this economic revival.

No alt text provided for this image

ZippyApp, an innovative mobile application and online hiring solution, is setting a new benchmark in the hiring ecosystem. Through its strategic approach to connect job seekers with employers in real-time, the platform has become a crucial player in the resurging job market, especially within the service and hospitality sectors.

The resilience of the American economy, which has rebounded despite the setbacks of 2022, and the optimism coursing through its veins, is commendably reflected in ZippyApp’s exponential growth. An increasing number of employers are turning to this revolutionary platform for its multifaceted benefits – speedy recruitment, effective applicant tracking, and superior match-making algorithms that link the right talent with the right job.

As the country witnesses a surprising uptick in the labor force participation rate, ZippyApp is successfully addressing one of the most critical challenges in the post-pandemic world – unemployment. But the work doesn’t stop here.

The company has amplified its commitment to being a reliable ally for job seekers and businesses alike. ZippyApp has crafted comprehensive resources for job seekers to enhance their skills, write compelling resumes, and ace interviews. For businesses, it offers an efficient hiring platform, reducing the time-to-hire while ensuring quality candidates come on board.

This wave of hiring hasn’t come without its set of hurdles, though. Companies are facing pressure to offer higher wages and better benefits to attract and retain workers in a competitive market. Here too, ZippyApp plays a pivotal role. By providing a transparent platform where employers can showcase their offerings and job seekers can easily compare them, it’s helping ensure that the benefits of the improving job market reach workers.

With the unemployment rate tumbling to 5.8%, its lowest since the pandemic began, ZippyApp’s influence on the economic resurgence is apparent. The platform is not just facilitating employment but is reshaping the landscape for a post-pandemic world.

As ZippyApp soars, it serves as a reminder of the boundless possibilities of technology in a recovering economy. The platform embodies resilience, innovation, and adaptability – the same qualities that are propelling the American job market forward. In the face of an evolving economic narrative, ZippyApp stands tall, committed to powering the nation’s recovery one job at a time.

The road to recovery may be long, but with ZippyApp leading the charge, it seems a little less daunting. As the job market continues to show signs of robust health, we can only expect ZippyApp’s star to shine brighter, illuminating the path for millions of job seekers and businesses. In a world that’s zipping towards recovery, ZippyApp is making sure nobody gets left behind.

As we approach a future ripe with opportunities, now is the time for both employers and job seekers to take the reins and capitalize on the momentum in the job market. Explore the dynamic world of ZippyApp today and let it be your navigator in this exciting journey.

No alt text provided for this image

If you’re an employer in need of the right talent, or a job seeker ready to take the leap, start your journey with ZippyApp. Experience a hiring solution designed with your success in mind, powered by innovation, and dedicated to connecting aspirations with opportunities. Visit ZippyApp.com to join us now and step into a brighter future. Remember, in a world that’s zipping towards recovery, with ZippyApp, you’re never left behind.

The Delicious Dance of Leadership and Culture in the Restaurant Industry

Leadership, as an ever-evolving subject, has had its fair share of ink spilled in recent times. You would think with the vast ocean of resources – a buffet of books, a banquet of articles – we would have the recipe to cook up effective leadership down pat. But that is far from the case. Leadership continues to be an enigma, a secret sauce that changes its flavor depending on the culture it marinates in.

Danny Meyer, the restaurateur extraordinaire and author of ‘Setting the Table’, serves us the perfect metaphor in the restaurant industry. Think of leadership as the head chef and culture as the kitchen. The chef can introduce new recipes, but if the kitchen isn’t well-stocked or the sous chefs are stuck in their ways, the new dishes may fail to taste as good as expected. So, is it the chef who shapes the kitchen, or the kitchen that influences the chef? A resounding “yes” would be the answer to both!

A Dash of Culture on Leadership

Meyer, in his storied career, would often come across long-serving managers saying, “I’ve been here longer than any chef, and I’ll outlast this one too.” This flavor of resistance is a common ingredient in large, established kitchens.

Negatively seasoned cultures can spoil even the most positive leadership recipes. However, good leadership, much like slow-cooking, can gradually turn the sour taste of negative culture sweet. All it needs are a few successful dishes and some patrons singing their praises.

In contrast, poor leadership can quickly ruin a deliciously positive culture. Meyer often recounts the tale of a previously successful eatery that plummeted under a profit-hungry owner. The man overworked his staff and underinvested in quality, eventually leading to a mass walkout of staff and, ultimately, shuttered doors.

Leadership as the Secret Recipe of Culture

A restaurant, much like any other company, mirrors the values of its leader. As we’ve seen in recent times, patrons and employees respond strongly to restaurants that neglect social issues or fail to address discrimination.

No alt text provided for this image

Leaders, like head chefs, need to ensure their kitchens are places of respect, safety, and equality. Danny Meyer himself exemplifies this principle, making sure his restaurants aren’t just diverse in their menus but also in their thinking and representation. His commitment to hospitality and service excellence shapes the culture of his entire restaurant empire.

Obstacles to Changing the Menu

The true roadblocks to changing a restaurant’s culture are internal – inflated egos, fear of the new, complacency, or rigid old beliefs. When a new recipe is introduced, there’s often pushback, even if the change improves the taste. Staff members might stick to the old recipe or gossip about the new one, actively resisting the change.

In a restaurant, just like in a remote work landscape, there’s less room for such negativity to brew. But as any experienced chef knows, if there’s even a tiny crack in the pot, the broth might leak. So, the question boils down to this – how can a head chef positively change the kitchen culture?

The Perfect Recipe for Positive Culture

People are drawn to a captivating vision, just like they are to a beautifully plated dish. They wish to follow a chef who values what they do. A good leader will extract 100% effort from their team, just like a good chef extracts 100% flavor from their ingredients. Here are some essential ingredients of a good leader:

Vision and Strategy: Just like a chef doesn’t merely instruct, a leader inspires. By setting a clear vision and strategic roadmap, leaders create a culture of engagement where everyone knows the restaurant’s direction and their role in its journey.

Ethics over empty words: Meyer always insists, “It’s not about what you say; it’s what you do.” Like the tantalizing aroma that wafts from a dish, the ethics of a leader permeate through their actions, laying the foundation for an ethical culture.

“It’s not about what you say; it’s what you do.”

Danny Meyer

Empowerment: Great leaders, like seasoned chefs, understand that the perfect recipe for empowerment involves three ingredients: responsibility, accountability, and authority. Leaders who encourage their team to make impactful decisions and shoulder the outcome of their choices inspire a culture of distributed leadership. Conversely, a kitchen with a micromanaging head chef is a kitchen where creativity is stifled and efficiency is bottlenecked, with all decisions waiting for approval from one person.

Lightening the mood, Meyer often shares a fun anecdote of his own. He once appointed a sous-chef to be in charge of creating the special for the night. Nervously, the young chef whipped up a dish that turned out to be a hit. The gleam in his eyes when Meyer complimented him was worth more than any praise or tip from a customer. It was a small yet significant step in transforming the culture of his kitchen – from micromanaged to empowered.

No alt text provided for this image

The dynamic dance between leadership and culture in the restaurant industry, as anywhere else, is an ongoing one. However, once leaders learn to create a harmonious rhythm between the two, they’ll find that they’re not just setting tables, they’re setting the stage for a culture of excellence, respect, and success.

The 8 Crucial Must Haves of Your Talent Acquisition Solution

In a world where mobile phones have completely taken over, there’s an app for everything. Even those aspects that have primarily been web or email-based are now thriving in the mobile world. One such area is that of recruitment. With talent shortage looming large across industries (42% of employers are worried they won’t be able to find the talent they need and 72.8% are struggling to find relevant candidates), a modern and innovative recruitment solution brings your hiring campaign across to people who are looking to join your company to hone skills, upgrade their knowledge, build a career and achieve growth. Whether you are hiring people from 1 establishment or 20, a good recruitment solution can enable you to seamlessly manage all your hiring needs in one place: from multiple business locations and positions to applications you receive for each one.

Here are 8 crucial elements your talent acquisition solution must have:

  1. Comprehensive: If recruiting candidates requires you to jump between spreadsheets, email, job portals and social media, it’s a clear indication that you need a comprehensive recruitment solution to streamline your hiring process. A good recruitment solution brings all candidate data in one place; it allows you to collate data from resumes and social media profiles, view well-organized candidate profiles, communicate with them and keep track of the process.
  2. Easy to set up and use: One of the primary requirements of any recruitment solution is that it should be easy to set up and use. An ideal recruitment solution makes the hiring process not just for you, but also for your job applicants. An intuitive and elegant solution is sure to accelerate adoption and enhance candidate experience.
  3. Mobile-enabled: With almost every candidate now owning a smartphone, it is imperative that your recruitment solution is mobile enabled; 56% of businesses are in the process of redesigning their HR programs to leverage digital and mobile tools. This allows applicants to apply for jobs from anywhere, at any time using the device of their choice. With many hiring signs now including a unique QR code, applicants can easily scan codes with their mobile device and submit their application with the touch of a button. Alerts and notifications can enable them to stay up-to-date with new job postings as well as help them track their submitted applications.
  4. Job Distribution: If you don’t have the right applicants in your pipeline, you can never hire the right people for the right jobs. Having the proper distribution can help in enriching your pipeline and hiring for hard-to-fill roles; when the job distribution functionality is far-reaching, optimized and accurate, you can be sure to combine information from multiple sources into one, unified system. You should be able to review applicants with ease, search for suitable candidates and contact them directly with just one quick click.
  5. Analytics: Analytics is an integral aspect of modern recruitment solutions. Through innovative, self-learning algorithms that improve with usage, you can match the perfect applicant to your job and significantly reduce application processing time. Modern management and tracking software can enable you to manage all of your applicants in one place; you can know what stage of the hiring process each of your candidates is. You also should be able to rate, tag, sort, filter and save applicants for future hiring needs.
  6. Flexibility: In today’s highly dynamic world, a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t work. Since every organization’s hiring needs are unique, your recruitment solution should offer flexibility to meet the distinct business needs: from custom career pages for each location to personalized plans for each business depending on their size or location. Customization can enable you to get the information you need to make informed hiring decisions; you can attract the perfect applicant for every position with a career page that is personalized for your company/location(s) and its needs.
  7. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): With millions of web pages and websites today, ensuring your recruitment solution meets ranking criteria and rises to the top of a search result page is important to get noticed. With the right SEO techniques in place, you will be able to witness a definite increase in application numbers and maximize recruitment efforts. The right techniques can also enable you to discover data about what jobs applicants are searching for the most and use appropriate keywords to your advantage.
  8. Integration: Integrating talent acquisition and recruitment management solution with other technology systems is essential to streamline the flow of information across the organization. In order to achieve extreme visibility, you need to enable robust integration mechanisms into your recruitment solution.

Streamline the Hiring Process

With a vacancy costing the average company $500 each day, having a modern recruitment solution in place to improve the recruitment process is more than essential. A recruitment solution offers quick information on candidates and helps notify them faster about new job postings and application status. From job advertising to candidate interviews, applicant tracking to smart search – modern recruitment solutions need be packed with features in order to make the hiring process more efficient. A modern recruitment solution allows you to streamline the process of searching suitable candidates and make it easier for candidates to apply for positions that they see and like – with a simple touch of a button.

The Top 7 Characteristics to Look for in the Next Restaurant Hire

With serious competition, high operating costs and an increasingly high turnover rate, the day-to-day running of a restaurant can be a long and complex process. Since restaurants are usually a challenge to run successfully, it is very important for restaurant workers to possess certain skills in order to achieve the intended outcomes. Therefore, having a good understanding of the key characteristics of the people you are looking for will help in improving the rate of your hiring success, and will also make the process more streamlined for everyone involved.

Here are the top 7 characteristics to look for in the next restaurant hire in order to run a profitable business:

  1. Flexibility: With restaurant food and drink sales in the US reaching $798.7 billion in 2017, restaurant employees often have to work unusually long hours as compared to a basic desk job in order to cater to the demand. Restaurant employees are expected to switch gears if unexpected situations arise: from answering the phone to managing staff, mingling with customers and more. For instance, if there is a sudden surge in patrons, the BOH team might be required to fill FOH positions and quickly get back into the kitchen to prepare the dish.
  2. Creativity: In an age where new restaurants are mushrooming at an extremely fast pace and old ones are closing shop just as easily, creativity is what distinguishes one from another. From beautifying the interiors to making marketing plans, designing menus to creating beautiful food – your employees need to be highly creative in order to offer unique and unmatched restaurant experiences to patrons. With its rustic interiors, concrete walls and hypnotic canvases, LA restaurant Majordomo is a perfect example of what modern American dining could look like.
  3. People-skills: Restaurants often operate with a huge number of guests, vendors and partners on a daily basis. With so many people working in the ecosystem, it is critical that your employees have great people skills. The ability to interact with vendors to ensure optimum inventory, with other employees for better functioning of the restaurant and with customers in a positive, friendly, and professional manner is important for proper functioning of the business.
  4. Precision: In situations of high guest traffic, employees must be able to handle multiple orders from multiple tables simultaneously. Accuracy then, becomes a major challenge. For example, during happy hours, employees might have to put in another round of drinks while fetching food for one table and cleaning the mess from another. Your employees must not get overwhelmed in such situations and must be able to handle multiple tasks with efficiency and poise.
  5. Customer service: Since restaurant success starts with a great customer experience, employees’ ability to make positive and lasting connections with guests is essential. Employing people who possess extraordinary customer service skills can ensure the guest experience is comfortable and high on service. The better the guest experience, the more repeat customers, higher the sales. In 2017, American fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A earned revenue of $5.7 billion and had a customer satisfaction score of 87!
  6. Cultural fit: When it comes to hiring new people, finding candidates that are a cultural fit is critical. Candidates who share the same attitudes, values, standards, and goals as your restaurant is extremely important. When you have people who believe in what you believe, your outcomes will always be favorable: better operations, better food, and happier guests.
  7. Team player: A good cultural fit also nurtures loyalty and encourages a spirit of teamwork. Since employees are a part of an environment that reflects their own belief system, the sense of shared values helps build robust teams that create stability and decrease turnover rates. It is only when the restaurant environment is stable, that employee engagement is high.

Achieve Higher Levels of Success

Whether you are a global chain operating multiple restaurants, or whether you are just embarking upon the journey, the combination of a robust concept, good food, a comfortable atmosphere and impeccable service style is what defines a profitable restaurant. With over 1.6 million new restaurant jobs to be created in the US by 2027, it is critical you have the right employees on board who know how to make the right business decisions. So, look for these characteristics on your next restaurant hire, cultivate them to reach higher levels of success, and set a good example.

5 Tips for Restaurants to Hire and Retain Millennials

Millennials are taking over the world – quite literally! Millennials will soon outsize the Baby Boom generation and will become the largest living generation. By 2030, the Millennial generation will have 78 million people whereas; the Boomer generation will only have 56 million people in the United States. However, ask any restaurant manager what their greatest challenge is, and the unanimous response will be hiring and retaining the millennial workforce! As the demands and expectations of millennials rise, and as they constantly search for something better and different, hiring and retaining millennials is challenging for any industry – especially in the restaurant industry where the annual turnover rate is a whopping 94% – much higher than any other industry.

So what can you, as a restaurant operations manager, do to hire and retain the best people from this lot?

Top Tips

Attrition is never good; not only does it affect your restaurant operations; but it is also costly when your most valuable people quit. Some of the main reasons why millennials quit their jobs are lack of opportunities, unsatisfactory compensation and benefits, mundane work, dull work environment and no recognition or appreciation. Since millennials are imperative to the success of your restaurant, understanding their needs and catering to them is vital. Here are 5 tips to hire and retain millennials:

  1. Offer flexibility: One of the first things you need to do to encourage and motivate Millennials to work for you is by offering flexibility in work hours. Millennials are always looking for flexibility and autonomy while pursuing job opportunities; they like to be in control of their own schedules, rather than be forced to adjust to a rigid schedule. Start by embedding flexibility into the core of your corporate culture and letting millennials set their own schedules. You can choose from a variety of scheduling software and offer an easy way to swap shifts or request schedule changes for a happier and more efficient workforce.
  2. Get smart: With millennials touching their smartphones 45 times a day, it becomes increasingly important for you to embrace and implement digital technology across your operation lifecycle: from using smart inventory management tools to digital training options, smart scheduling to quick ordering through tablets and smartphones. The millennial generation has no time or inclination to operate the traditional way and are more devoted to working smarter. Hence, implementing digital technology is critical to keep up with their pace and motivate them to do their jobs more efficiently.

In your hiring process as well, you need to engage with them through mobile devices – make it easy for them to find you while they are looking for a job and make it easier to apply for the job at a click of a button!

  1. Innovate your training: With 44% of millennials ready to leave a job because they didn’t have the skill development opportunities they wanted, using traditional methods of training can bore and demotivate them. If you want to cater to the technologically-savvy workforce, you need to make a dramatic shift from your conventional training methods and incorporate innovative techniques. Since training is no longer just about compliance or company-mandated policies, by using modern training programs such as micro-learning and AR-driven training, you can offer a multi-faceted learning experience that taps into millennial interests, appetites, and career goals.
  2. Create an appealing atmosphere: In order to alleviate the exhaustion and frustration of everyday work in the restaurant industry, you need to make your work environment interesting and appealing where millennials feel motivated to work and are appreciated for their contributions. Empower them by offering mentoring and professional development courses, give them opportunities to demonstrate their social responsibility, and encourage collaborative and creative efforts for improved morale and satisfaction.
  3. Make work fun: Millennials are always in search of something exciting, challenging and creative; therefore, in order to hire and retain them, you need to create a fun work environment to make every day more appealing, interesting and stimulating. Millennial attitudes are shaped through the several social media connections and by communicating with diverse people and cultures. Although these attitudes can be difficult to address, it’s important to understand that excitement and challenge is what drives them. So, make work a place where they can do their jobs while having fun, being creative and building relationships.

The Power of Now

With millennials making up nearly half of the US workforce, many restaurants are under the impression that millennials will shape the future of their business; the truth is, millennials aren’t the future, but the present. However, with millennials being more demanding and less inclined to follow conventional procedures, you need to develop innovative strategies for recruiting and hiring these seemingly hard-to-please workers. Since millennial turnover can impact your business profitability, making adjustments to your operations and bringing in technology is a great way to cater to their needs. In addition, offering flexible work hours, innovating your training methods, creating an appealing atmosphere and making work fun are equally important. Understanding millennials career aspirations and attitudes about work and doing what’s best to win their hearts, minds, and loyalty is what will define the success of your restaurant.

Creative Solutions for Dealing with Labor Shortage in the Restaurant Industry

If you happen to walk into a restaurant, don’t be too surprised to find the chef doing the dishes, or the manager setting up tables. The labor shortage in the restaurant industry is at an all-time high, and no; this problem is not new, but it has surely come to a point of extreme concern and fear. According to Dallas News, labor shortage is becoming a crisis that will only get worse. Managers filling in to perform tasks due to the lack of skilled (and unskilled) labor has become commonplace, but there are ways you can deal with it.

Reasons for Labor Shortage

The restaurant industry is portraying a very sorry figure. As more and more eateries, bistros and cafés mushroom in the most up-market of locations, striking a balance between high rent and labor wage is excruciatingly difficult. According to East Bay Times, upward of 60 restaurants in the Bay Area closed down between September 2016 and January 2017. Plus, the increasing prominence of celebrity chefs causes mistaken perception among aspiring chefs that success can be easily earned through fame. In an industry as dynamic as the restaurant, several factors contribute to labor shortage:

  • Dynamic restaurant growth is causing an unprecedented need for skilled workers at all levels
  • Historic low unemployment rate (Sub 4%) has translated into a significant shortage in the required demographics
  • Meager minimum wage ($7.25/hour in Texas) is making attracting and retaining labor extremely difficult
  • Diminishing skill-based learning programs is leading to a severe skills gap
  • Rising inflation and increased cost of living is causing an enormous demand for higher salaries
  • The onset of new dining options is making it difficult for restaurants to find and keep good employees
  • Increase in health insurance costs is putting immense pressure on restaurant owners
  • Growing anti-immigration laws is causing a massive dearth of entry-level skilled workers

Creative Solutions to Deal with Labor Shortage

Apart from delivering delectable food, recruiting and managing employees is one of the most pressing concerns for restaurants. According to the National Restaurant Association, labor recruitment is a top challenge for most restaurants. While some just close shop due to the dearth of labor, some others turn to creative solutions to deal with labor shortage:

  1. Create a fun work environment: Although restaurants usually operate on thin profit margins, in order to retain top talent (and attract more), operators need to create a fun work environment to make the whole experience more appealing. For instance, Ratatouille and Company holds mock cocktail parties to enable their servers to learn skills like pouring Champagne and answering queries about items on the menu. They also let their chefs prepare their favorite dish and identify ones that can be part of their menu.
  2. Empower workers: Worker dissatisfaction and frustration is common in the restaurant industry. Hence, it is essential you put the right people with the right skills on the right jobs. Give your workers the tools they need and empower them to work smarter and at a more professional level. Offer benefits to high performing employees and stipends for professional development to keep labor motivated, engaged and committed; Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s and Taco Bell are helping employees pay for college tuition.
  3. Be flexible: Since a majority of labor in the restaurant industry are students or chefs fresh out of culinary school, offering flexible hours that allow them to work longer (or fewer) hours can help in attracting more qualified workers. Instead of imposing strict, rigid schedules, enable flexibility in order to improve worker satisfaction, making the most of the limited labor and reducing turnover. In-N-Out Burger has been rated the number 1 fast food restaurant chain primarily due to its flexible scheduling.
  4. Upskill their capabilities: If restaurant owners screen and train their employees properly, there is sure to be a substantial impact on turnover. Training the workers using creative training methods and honing their skills for their jobs helps in increasing their productivity and efficiency, ensuring loyalty, and reducing the need and cost of hiring more people.
  5. Leverage technology: Using modern technology solutions, restaurant owners can systematize their hiring and training processes. Using mobile apps such as ZippyApp, restaurants can streamline their hiring process with easy application management and tracking, automated application matching, optimized hiring pages, and with access to a huge database of potential candidates.

Embrace Change

Gas prices or labor shortage – some things are just out of your control. Although the root causes of labor shortage are complex, there’s a lot you can do to minimize the impact: from creating a fun work environment, to training and educating your workforce, offering flexible work hours, and leveraging technology for boosting efficiency. Whether you’ve just begun your journey or whether you are an old player, take note of these solutions. You cannot help labor shortage from happening, but if you play your cards right, you can certainly embrace change and make sure your restaurant deals with it the right way.

3 Pillars of Successful Restaurant Staffing

Recruiting is as much a marketing practice as strategies you use to bring in customers. Just as you promote your brand and emphasize the delights of dining at your establishment, you need to delight candidates in order for them to become a part of your team.

You are utilizing latest technology to engage your patrons before, during, and after their dining experience. You are utilizing mobile technology because you have recognized that it is the device of choice for a significant majority of them. You’ve invested in managing your brand and you use every resource to engage your patrons.

Studies have also shown that many brands’ patrons actually make the best employees.

Well, let’s consider a few thoughts:

  • Are your recruiting efforts keeping up with today’s best practices – including mobile?
  • Are you still using reactive ad postings, praying to get applicants?
  • Are you measuring the effectiveness of your job postings by monitoring the click-to-apply ratio? Is it in low single digits?
  • Are you using the complex HRIS systems designed for the corporate world, which usually require dedicated recruiting staff?
  • Is your recruitment compliance process heavy, putting applicants through a long arduous process just to submit an application?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it might be time to reconsider your recruitment strategies.

Staffing your restaurants with qualified staff relies on three major pillars. Weakness in any one adversely impacts your recruitment success.

Job Description

The job description is often the first impression most job seekers get about working at your establishment. Even if they are familiar with your brand, the job description is the first communication, which tells them what it’s like to work at your place.

We recommend taking this first impression opportunity to tell the candidate why it is great to be a part of your organization. Share with them how rewarding it can be, the flexible hours, opportunity to grow, learning about the wonderful culinary world, etc.

I have seen many job descriptions and many feel like what I call “a prison sentence” – several pages long, riddled with all of the harsh conditions of working at a restaurant. It is perfectly fine to have a job description with duties, which discloses the working conditions and the expectation as a part of the hiring process, but not the recruitment.

The job description should cover more of why a person should be a part of your team and how they can grow within your organization.

Get them excited to apply for your jobs.

Job Distribution

Job seekers have varying habits when it comes to searching for a job. They go to various job boards, Google, your own website, employer review sites, etc. to learn about your business and apply for your jobs. A study recently found that jobseekers often visit as many as 15 sites before they apply to a job.

Let’s not forget the location itself. A restaurant’s location is often the best marketing tool, invoking the following thought in the mind of the best passive applicant “… how wonderful it would be to work at this place.” Can a job seeker apply for a job at your location with their mobile device, with just a few clicks?

Is your recruitment marketing consistent across all these channels?

A comprehensive and optimized job distribution network is of the essence in getting your jobs in front of the right applicants. Your job descriptions need to be exciting, ever-present, optimized for search engines, and distributed to as many job boards as possible for the most exposure.

Applicant Engagement

Applicant engagement is the third pillar of successful staffing. It is critical for every organization to fully understand their entire application process. Consider the mindset of a job seeker looking for a near minimum wage job. Consider the fact that we are in a very competitive and tight labor market. Would you expect someone seeking a line cook position or a wait staff position to take 45 minutes to complete an application?

Ease of applicant engagement is directly correlated to the click-to-apply ratio. A recent study by ERE Media demonstrated that if the application process is less than 5 minutes, a click-to-apply ratio of 12.8% can be expected. However, if the application process exceeds 15 minutes, then the click-to-apply ratio drops below 4%. This is a significant decrease; couple that with the fact that it is generally the best applicants who abandon long application processes (because they have options) and you can see why this is important to you. 

Going through the entire application process from the viewpoint of an applicant enables you to observe the bottlenecks and points of friction. Consider the fact that every decision or click is an opportunity for the job seeker to abandon the application process altogether. 

Conclusion

Many organizations react to their recruitment when in crisis.  Implementing a comprehensive recruitment strategy enables you to have a very proactive recruiting process. A system covering the 3 Pillars with 24/7/365 recruitment provides a constant flow of great candidates, which provides options to truly elevate the quality of your team.

The idea of three pillars implies that the three practices must be employed for the success in staffing. It is essential to address all three simultaneously to achieve the best results. We consider each one the pillars a major topic and worthy of its own comprehensive coverage.

Please look for our upcoming blogs covering each one in more depth.