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Hiring Right When It Counts Most
The statistics would make any hiring manager pause for reflection. The National Restaurant Association projects that the almost one million restaurant and foodservice locations will add almost half a million jobs during the summer season. With historic lows in unemployment and unprecedented competition for good talent, what is a hiring manager to do?
Batrus Hollweg International (BHI), a noted talent management consulting firm specializing in helping restaurant organizations hire, develop and retain the best talent through its Talent Gauging systems, provides these practical solutions to help hiring managers hire the right talent when it counts the most:
Develop a workforce plan. In simple terms, it's important to develop a game plan for your summer hiring that includes targeted staffing numbers, identified recruiting sources, and internal resources, such as trainers and schedulers. Be proactive by planning ahead to avoid getting caught by surprise.
Create a profile for success. A critical component to hiring right is knowing the specific characteristics of success for the jobs in which you are hiring. BHI helps restaurant companies create these profiles of success, often known as competency models, to help identify the most important behaviors and characteristics that define successful performance in a given job or set of jobs. The competency models then structure your recruiting, hiring, development, training, performance management and career pathing initiatives.
Drive recruiting. Ramping up for your summer hiring will require everyone to become great recruiters. Be creative in how you look for talent and in how you motivate your staff to look for talent. Find ways to promote your company as the employer of choice and don't be shy in telling applicants why your company is the best opportunity going. The companies that recruit the best will have a leg up on summer staffing.
Stick to your guns when making hiring decisions. Be disciplined in executing your hiring process day in and day out. The consistency by which you execute your hiring tools and process will ultimately increase the accuracy and quality in your hiring decisions. This is especially important when the frequency of hiring is increased during the summer rush. In addition, being consistent in executing your hiring process will keep your company out of trouble from a legal defensibility standpoint.
Focus on your team. In the midst of the hiring frenzy, don't forget about the employees who have been with you throughout the year. They are the glue that holds your restaurant together and you would not want to neglect those dedicated employees who have helped you be successful leading up to the summer hiring rush. Moreover, on-boarding your new summer hires and assimilating them into the team will create a harmonious staff that will ultimately provide the best guest experience possible.
Navigating the challenge of summer hiring while at the same time running a successful and profitable business is no small task. There is no silver bullet. However, implementing the five strategies above better positions companies to successfully hire the right talent when it counts the most.
