How to recruit – and keep – the best staff for your pub
It’s not just the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that’s to blame for the chronic staff shortage in hospitality. With over 164,000 industry vacancies in the first three months of 2022 alone, a reduced migrant workforce due to Brexit is making it harder to find skilled staff, let alone those who choose to stay long-term.
In this guide, we’ll outline a few things you can do to hire the right people during these challenging times.
- Fill only the most essential roles
It’s important to be selective during the hiring process to guarantee that you find the right people for each job level. For instance, if you’re looking for a new bartender, only consider an experienced, skilled individual with excellent communication skills.
You should expect to offer some training along the way, but seeking previous experience within roles will be invaluable to the smooth running of your daily service.
- Keep on top of admin
From payroll to specific licences for the products you serve, it’s crucial to keep up to date with all the administrative tasks involved in managing a team in any popular food venue.
Furthermore, obtaining specialist pub insurance will help protect you against unforeseen challenges and risks, ensuring the safety of your staff and customers and the maintenance of all the necessary internal processes.
- Ensure your staff feel valued
Many venues in hospitality are plagued by high turnovers. Even though the reasons for this vary according to individual circumstances, you can help make sure your staff contribute to the longevity of your business.
If small gifts aren’t your style, why not consider team-based competitions? With the incentive of a prize, you could challenge your staff to upsell the most desserts or earn the most reviews on Tripadvisor, for example. Get creative and reap the rewards!
- Prioritise fair wages
With the exponential rise in the cost of living, it’s more important than ever to make sure that you’re paying a good, fair wage to the staff working in your pub. Not only will they already be working long, unsociable hours, but they might need some extra cash to help them cope financially.
If you’re struggling with expenses, why not try refreshing your menu? You could take inspiration from restauranteur Stuart Gillies, who now uses cheaper ingredients and operates a zero-waste policy to keep his restaurant cost-effective.
- Make a proactive effort to retain staff
You’ve put time, energy and valuable resources into hiring and training them, so it’s crucial to maintain your efforts to develop and nurture your employees. Ultimately, it’s up to you to create a stable working environment and make sure your staff have a strong sense of security in their roles.
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