The current employee shortage is very real and a major topic of conversation amongst coffee shop and restaurant owners. With the Sunshine Coast growing at a rapid rate the key focus for business owners is how to attract and retain staff. With no end in sight it really is time to embrace the employee shortage and make your business a work place of choice that stands out from the competition.
We are already seeing many business owners reducing the hours and days that they trade due to their inability to find staff. We are openly hearing conversations about how hard it is to find staff and how expensive staff are, to the extent staff are being talked about as a liability rather than an asset of the business.
Here is the opportunity and why you need to become an employer of choice. With other businesses reducing hours due to not having enough staff, there are customers trying to find businesses that are open, fully staffed and providing great service and high quality products.
We are already seeing some businesses flourish and others deteriorate based on their ability or inability to recruit staff and maintain or even extend their trading hours. People are still buying as much coffee and food as ever before and when their local reduces their trading hours, customers are looking elsewhere for their coffee and food fix.
How do you become an employer of choice? Start with your existing team. Are they being looked after, appreciated and paid correctly? Is the working environment enjoyable, safe and rewarding? Are your team happy? If you get this right you are well on your way to beating the employee shortage battle. Become a great recruiter, trainer and employee manager.
A happy, well looked after team is essential. Less staff turnover and also a team of people who talk positively about your business, a team that are raving fans. Everyone one of your team will know people working in the hospitality industry and when you need a new recruit your existing team is your first recruitment tool. Who do they know that is unhappy in their current job and wants a positive change?
Don't reduce your hours, all it will do is send the customers you worked so hard to attract elsewhere. Don't complain about your staff or treat them badly, that will just send them elsewhere, they have so much choice. Be a great recruiter, trainer and employee manager and the Employee Shortage will become a great opportunity to grow the profitability of your business.