According to Ibef, the travel and tourism sector in India accounted for 8 percent of the total employment opportunities generated in the country in 2017. The number is expected to rise by 2 percent annum to 52.3 million jobs by 2028.
Moreover, international hotel chains are increasing their presence in the country, as it will account for around 50 percent by 2022.
These industry-specific factors do not highlight the common issues that businesses in the hospitality industry face. A case in point is that of restaurants. During the peak season, many of the restaurants of different scales struggle with maintaining the quality of their services and giving their guests a satisfactory experience. An incredible staff is what it takes to help restaurants maintain their service. The same industry is also known for staffing challenges, all the time due to high employee turnover.
Sounds like a problem that you, as a restaurant owner or manager, are also familiar with during the temporary spike and drops at various times in a year? Here are some of the best hiring practices that will come to your rescue.
- Zero-In on the Personality Traits – The first things first, you need to know that to work in the hospitality industry, people need to have a certain personality. Restaurants have odd, long, and often irregular working hours. Not to mention, the demanding customers and intense nature of the job. These are excruciating situations, and not everyone can deal with these and shine bright as an outstanding employee. When you are set to hire the employees during the peak season, make it a point to look for traits such as good listening skills, excellent communication skills, people skills, strong work ethics, ability to handle stress, and multitasking.
- Keep Job Descriptions Up-To-Date – The next point is to ensure that your job descriptions are to the point and updated. Because you will be posting the jobs around the time of the season, make sure that it contains the complete list of roles and responsibilities that they will need to take after they join.
- Start Early – More often than not, it can take a lot of time to find the ideal employees. This is the reason why you need to start early and start the hunt for the restaurant employees before the season starts. Let’s not forget the fact that you will also need time to train them for the job. This takes us to the next point.
- Training is a Must – Whether you hire freshers or experienced candidates as your seasonal hires, do train them before they start the job. By the time the season approaches, they will be best prepped to take on their responsibilities like a pro. For instance, you might need to make people aware of the specific culture at your restaurant or your peculiar policies. This way, even if your guests are recurring, they will feel no difference in hospitality. You can opt for several large group-training sessions or even web-based training sessions for this purpose. This will help you get most of the seasonal employees right away. Also, if some of them turn into possible permanent employees, it is this training that will come to their rescue.
- Look Beyond Students and Interns – One of the easiest ways to get seasonal employees is college freshers, students, and interns. They are always looking out for part-time or even full-time jobs. But then, you will not be able to retain them throughout the year. There is no guarantee that they will be interested in the job after the peak season. This is why hire individuals who can stay even after the season is over. Some of them may be even interested in retaining their jobs. Another option is to hire retired professionals from the hospitality industry itself. They will need minimal supervision and will be hardworking. Moreover, they will help the new recruits learn a thing or two about the industry.
- Use a Tool – There is no limit to what technology can do. There are several tools and apps that can help you find the best talent out there. These apps make it easier for you to hire the best talent without any hassle – right from your smartphone.
Is Your Restaurant Hire Ready?
These are some of the key takeaways when it comes to seasonal hiring best practices for restaurants. So, the next time it is peak season, remember these pointers and implement them to find the best employees. InstaHire bridges the gap between restaurants and the best candidates. Know more about our app by getting in touch with us.