Where are all the employees anyway?

Show some flexibility

As is often the case with vexing problems, sometimes the answer are right under your nose. For instance, ShiftPixy CEO Scott Absher said many restaurateurs these days are grasping at all kinds of incentives to attract and retain staff. 

For instance, some brands are using everything from early pay and higher education cash, to team raffles for high-end vacations and other prizes. Still, Absher believes that for pizza restaurateurs, the offer of flexible scheduling can be among the biggest draws for great workers who need job that can work with their other life demands. Believe it or not, that is possible even for pizza employees.  

“In a recent survey, 76% of employees reported seeking jobs with more flexibility to maintain a healthy work-life balance,” Absher said. “Particularly for part-time workers who are often juggling multiple jobs or completing their education, flexible work schedules can be a huge draw.

“While restaurant operators might think it’s nearly impossible to offer their workforce the hours they want, technology should be leveraged to help make this a reality. Restaurants that use a workforce management app can often allow employees to pick up and drop shifts to accommodate other life needs.” 

Absher said the average restaurant employee tenure at any one brand now is set at a dismal period of under two months. The costs and consternation involved in rehiring, retraining and all the associated problems those issues create are nothing short of terrifying when you consider the average cost every time that happens is now about $2,000 per incident/worker.  

“There is a reason why many restaurants today tap third-party delivery services for their delivery needs,” he said. “For example, they allow operators to reduce labor costs (because) the couriers don’t require training or orientation and the platforms allow businesses to meet consumer demand in our tight labor market. 

“These systems are convenient and effective because they are powered by an employee-sharing business model. But, because the services enlist independent contractors versus direct employees, there are liability and brand issues that come with them. 

“Instead, operators should tap services on the market that hire employees away from the restaurants themselves, and then lease them back to those businesses — a best-of-both-worlds scenario. With the help of a tech-driven app, workers are welcome to pick up shifts when and where they desire.”

In the final analysis regarding solutions to this squeaky-tight labor market, these industry experts offer food … or maybe we should say pizza for thought. Everything is on the table, beginning with a ultra-exact job description that reaches out and grabs candidates with the closest brand fit, to the uncovering and accentuating of all possible perks and employment benefits, including those you may be overlooking. 

As every pizza operator knows, great employees are out there, these three experts’ ideas will just help brands find and keep them for what will hopefully be a long, long time.