by Steven Doyle
We are deluged with messages about various venues needing hospitality workers. The Rustic is set to open soon and have requested at least 50 people to wait tables. Yesterday we spoke with Parigi owner Janice Provost who is looking for a few people to wait tables. If you are a host or hostess it is a seller’s market. There are numerous positions for chefs throughout the city. The need seems to be a growing concern for area restaurateurs. Where will they find the capable hands to open these new restaurants?
People Report, based in Dallas, measures personnel statistics for member companies. In a recent study they found that the average hourly-employee-turnover rate is at a gross 101 percent for casual dining, 83 percent for fine dining, and management positions have a turnover rate of 27 percent.
Finding capable workers in today’s market in Dallas where new build-outs for restaurants are on a fast increase. Couple this with slow population growth and poor immigration policies restaurant operators find themselves in the in this hiring quagmire. In larger markets the base pay for these skilled hospitality professionals enjoy a higher base pay, which can be devastating to the bottom line where margins are already in the single digits.
Some solutions restaurateurs have employed are better incentive programs such as higher pay, and in the case of Darden Restaurants (owners of Eddie V’s and many other concepts), they are offering fat bonuses.
It is not hard to attract and keep good employees.Pay a good salary and treat them with respect. Obviously, they don’t want to do that or they wouldn’t have a 101% turn over.