How do we decrease employee turnover in our restaurant?
Our hiring decisions are really important because each member on our team has an impact on the guest experience. Lately, we've had a high employee turnover despite everything looking good on paper and in the interviews with potential candidates. This wastes a lot of time and resources training new employees that end up leaving shortly after. My industry is Hospitality and we get a lot of young applicants. Is age the cause to our turnover rate? What should I be looking for instead to find the right candidate?
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Dec 21, 2014
Look for his interest in your company or work. ask relevant questions to candidate then evaluate his ans. then think about whether he is perfect for your requirements hire him or send the message for Dropping In.
Dec 21, 2014
This usually happens with a lot of my clients. When hiring a candidate, more than his skills (which cannot be totally ignored), try to gauge his passion for your kind of business. Ask him about his long term goal and judge whether he shares the same values as you do in achieving your vision.
One other way is to hire interns and imbibe them with values and culture of your organization. If you deem them fit at the end of their internship, may be you could offer them full time positions!
This would help in reducing attrition. It cannot be completely eliminated.
Dec 20, 2014
While picking the right candidate for the job, we must focus on two attributes - attitude and skills. We must know what kind of attitude and set of skills we are looking for in a candidate. Once that is determined the job of selecting the right candidate becomes easier. Therefore what is most important is we ourselves being crystal clear regarding what we want in a candidate. Unfortunately, most of the employers have only a vague idea regarding that and that makes their job difficult. So, pick up a candidate who might be a bit short on your skills list but shows the attitude you require for the job he is being evaluated for.
Dec 20, 2014
I was a server for over fifteen years of my life, and I can say that turnover is the way things are. For most people working in the hospitality business is a stepping stone for the career people really want. Turnover could be caused by many things, lousy tips, the job itself being boring or unfullfilling, or simply people moving on to bigger and better things. Age, of course is also a factor. Young workers, especially these days are always looking for the better opportunity. This fast rate of turn over policy creates a lack of job loyalty, and also is a trend is the hospitality business in general. They also are trying to figure out what they really want to do for a living, which means they're not really serious about what they have. I suggest a staffing company, they take all the leg work out of hiring, and weed out the undesirables for you. During the hiring process, you might want to consider changing your line of questioning. Don't overlook social networking, like Linked In or Facebook. Its a good way to judge your candidate's background and better determine your candidates real focus.
Dec 20, 2014
One thing have notice when companies hire a lot of applicants is due to who know who. I think it should be based off experience and education. For example, I have a hard time for jobs I like because my education scares the companies away. Many people would rather start at bottom job and work themselves into a career. Sometimes you have to ask open ended questions that relate to the job and hoping they give honest reactions.
Dec 19, 2014
If they're younger employees, this is normal. To keep them around, they need a fun, collaborative, exciting environment and to feel connected to the management. If they are made to feel that their input and opinions are heard and valuable, they'll be more engaged. Be laid back, transparent, and flexible with them. Point out how skills they're learning on the job will translate in later careers. I was with my first job during college for 3 years and still have a relationship with my former boss because he made me like and trust him, which built a sense of loyalty.
Dec 19, 2014
I think that age does have a lot to do with high turnover. A young person has a different vision when it comes to work. Pressure might be also another factor as is working environment. Do you do an exit interview? What kind of reasons do employees give you when they leave? Is it another position for more money? different industry? Maybe a combination of more money and a little more mature candidates could resolve the issue.
Dec 19, 2014
Hi Jason In my experience one of the best ways to interview a candidate is to offer a 1 day work trial as part of the interview process, this way the possible employee gets to see what working for you is like and how busy your business is and you get to see how they cope in your working environment , it they are buddied with an long serving employee they will soon tell you if this prospective employee has the skills you require and if they will fit into the team . You can also find out if they are keen, eager and want to work if they ask lots of questions during their shift . If you do this over the course of a week you should be able to find the person that fits in with your culture and team and is then able to deliver the consistent customer experience you require . Trust this all makes sense - Philip
Dec 18, 2014
In my experience there are lots of different factors that could cause this problem. What's the age range? If you are talking college students and high school that might be a possibility. You could also try benchmarking and see what might give an employee and incentive to stay. Have you done exit interviews?
Dec 17, 2014
In addition to all the other advice you received, have you tried taking the candidate offsite? Our organization was plagued with high turnover as well. A little over a year ago, as part of the interview process, we started taking candidates out to dinner with the management team. Once offsite, we didn't talk much about the organization or the position (that was all done in the formal interviews) but rather looked at how well he or she interacted with the group. It helped us immensely when you removed the interview setting to see how a person really engaged with us.
This year, our turnover rate is at a record low and we plan on keeping it that way. For anyone that does leave, we conduct a full exit interview to learn more of the "whys" so we can improve and make adjustments. Good luck with your candidates!
Dec 14, 2014
Check his/her previous job performance, you may check out his/her degree of education. =)
Dec 13, 2014
1) Be sure to gather as much data as you can on the profiles of your previous successful hires. Understand their skills, attributes, background, personality types, communication styles, etc.
2) Conduct exit interviews and missed candidate interviews (why somebody decided to go with another company). Get transparent feedback as it this is a great way to understand what may be broken and causing higher turnover or what you need to change to attract and retain top talent.
3) Make sure you are hiring to your core values and company culture.
That is a good start, but a big undertaking, best of luck!
Dec 13, 2014
It is important that their goals and objectives fit your goals and objectives as a company...During the interview process trust your belly...Your head might say one thing, your heart another, but always trust your belly...And Make sure each new young person has a mentor and Gemini buddy in your organization...
Dec 13, 2014
Hi Jason,
It sounds like you don't know why your people are leaving. Why not?
At a minimum, do exit interviews and try to understand what is going on for the people who are leaving or have left. What jobs are they moving on to? What do they wish they had know about your company or the job before they had joined? Take your learnings into your new round of hiring.
Do you know what skills and competencies you are hiring for? Do you know the characteristics of someone who would _love_ this job and stay in it long term? Is there a match between these two concepts? If there is a match then interview more for the characteristics, i.e. interview for fit. To do this you interview with an honest intention to understand the person and their needs and hopes. If there is not a match, if there is a gap, then close the gap before hiring or you will simply repeat your past experience.
A gap analysis will help you understand how to change the job expectations or better understand the value proposition of the job to better define the characteristics of someone who would_love_ this job.
I hope this helps kick start your thinking about ways to improve your fit and lower your turn rates. :-)
Cheers, DJ
Dec 13, 2014
I find that young people leave because they want a steady career where you can move up. Does the position offer a chance for advancement? If it doesn't, don't look for young educated people. They want careers. Look for older adults that want that position because they have a passion for it and maybe a chance to advance.
Dec 13, 2014
Following are important points hiring:1-It's C.V...2-Reviews of their last companies. ..3-Social networks `updates on their page...4-Relation between above three points and his body language...after study these points draw apicture of his personality and try to fit your company in his character or fit his personality in your company. ..I think so you got your point...
Dec 13, 2014
If the candidate do not posses prior knowledge with the field of industry, do not have prior experience which can cater the job he/she is applying for, then he or she is just looking for month end salary. In other words, any job for survival and all 30 days he / she will beat around the bush doing so called task improperly. Probably everyday get too bored not knowing how to accomplish the task and go around creating grapevine. People who have no prior job field experience or rather have some relevance can't obviously understand the product of the industry which the organization is developing/promoting/ selling/ supporting/ servicing. Basic industry knowledge is a must. You can be a technician for air cond -but don't expect to be a good technician for transformers.
Dec 13, 2014
Reality is we all need to work, and will take positions to buy time until finding what we really want. I've heard this on exit interviews and said it. Whether they have learned it yet or not people tend to stay where they are happy. I've heard lip service played to the fact that interviewing is a two way process, you are interviewing the candidate but the candidate is also interviewing you. There is not much detail to go on, but having several children who are young professionals I hear feedback that is very real along with what I get professionally. In summary I would ask/suggest you focus your hiring process on finding a person who can fill the position well, but to also take the time to learn about them as people and what motivates them and feel passionate about what they do for a living. There is the financial aspect which once met is secondary. Then there is the more holistic aspect, that we spend most of our waking days at work and are happier, more satisfied, and stay longer where we are enjoying what we do and feeling like we make a difference and/or feel rewarded. This is difficult. Both parties have to be open and honest to a higher degree than normal and is an art I have yet to master. But there is a reason these people are leaving, the sooner you identify what it is and address it before hiring them the sooner you will retain people. There are also high turn over roles. You said you are in Hospitality, are we talking about professional positions or labor? It makes a big difference. Some roles are naturally high turnover roles. A little more detail would help a great deal as all positions are not created equal. Age can be a factor as many are looking for experience to position themselves for what they really want. I watched my children after getting their degrees go through this. They need any job to have experience because so many doors are closed without it. My Daughters are quite bright and excelled in school, yet getting positions in their field was difficult because of lack of experience. So they took positions to get experience to be able to get the positions they went to school to get. They didn't lie to get their first positions they simply were entry level and once experienced were ready for much more far before their employer was willing to give it. There were plenty who once experienced where ready to give it to them. So in that regard, it can be a part of the problem. Without more detail it is hard to be more specific and provide generalizations.
Dec 13, 2014
Lot's of good comments, and I think David represents mine the best.
As a small business, it becomes more important that you get the person with the right behavioral style, beliefs, and ethical standards than it is that they are highly experienced in what it is you want them to do. As business coach, I see that the vast majority of miss-hires (fired or leave) are NOT because they cannot do the work...it is because they do not do it the manner that you believe important.
If you are the owner, take the time, if you haven't, to define your core values (as the owner, they are the business's core values) and check the candidates out with respect to those as well as other things.
Simon Sinek, when he discusses the importance of "WHY", talks about the importance of hiring people who share your "why". In this context, the "why" is similar to core values, beliefs, etc. He used the example of the Wright brothers, who were actually in competition to be the first in flight against someone heavily funded. Because the Wright brothers had virtually no money, they had to find people to work with them who did so because they believed in the cause. And we all know the rest of the story...
Dec 12, 2014
Some great answers here. I found over the years in the hospitality industry that some positions have a high turnover. If the position is minimum wage, people will move for $1/2 dollars extra an hour. One solution an old boss of mine had was that if you had one position but two good people applied, hire them both as one would leave. Most people leave because of their treatment by a supervisor, so you need to look internally if that is the case. CV's don't often match when the person you hired starts working, what they said and what they can do are two different things. But as the old saying goes " hire slowly and fire quickly ".