High staff turnover is a perennial issue for restaurants and other businesses in the food and hospitality industry.
For most businesses, a high staff turnover can seriously impact the overall operational efficiency. But for restaurants, a high staff turnover can also contribute to some serious risks, for both the business and its customers.
How High is Staff Turnover in Restaurants and the Food Industry?
Recent figures from CIPD suggest that restaurants and other hospitality businesses are facing a staff turnover rate of 52.2%. This means that more than half of all staff they recruit in a 12-month period will be gone within a year.
Separate studies suggest that the average restaurant employee will spend just 110 days in their role. True, this figure is based on a study of US restaurants. But this simply highlights that high staff turnover is a problem for restaurants across the world.
So, what is it about the restaurant environment that makes staff churn so likely?
Why is Staff Turnover So High in Restaurants and the Food Industry?
Whether you are working front of house or in the kitchens, and number of factors may be contributing to your high staff turnover:
- Stress, a restaurant can be a particularly stressful place to work. It is a high pressure environment in which you must be constantly on your feet.
- Low pay, meaning that any job that pays more will seem like a better alternative.
- Inconsistent scheduling. If employees cannot be sure as to exactly when their shifts will be, it can lead to a poor work/life balance while making it difficult for them to budget.
- A lack of training and support can make employees feel like they are isolated in their roles, and that things will never improve.
What Are The Risks of High Staff Turnover in Restaurants and the Food Industry?
High staff turnover in a restaurant means efficiency will suffer. The restaurant will face increased costs due to staffing gaps, overtime, and recruitment expenses. Customers may face longer waits and overall inferior experiences, and there will be increased pressure on all remaining employees.
This can lead to a vicious cycle, in which the issues created by a high staff turnover may force any existing employees to look for alternative work.
Yet there are other more serious risks associated with high staff turnover in a restaurant. Stressed or overworked employees may be more likely to make mistakes. This could lead to accidents or injuries, from dropped plates to cuts from knives and other sharp implements. And if someone in the kitchen is not paying attention to what they do, they may inadvertently give a customer food poisoning.
If something goes wrong as a result of a staffing issue, your restaurant could face a costly claim alongside the considerable expenses of dealing with your high employee turnover.
How Can Restaurants Reduce High Staff Turnover?
It is not enough to simply pay your employees more than other restaurants. You need to address your restaurant’s core culture, and work on creating an environment in which employees can feel supported, and in which they feel like they have a future.
This could include working towards:
- Predictable work rotas, with overtime opportunities for anyone who wants them.
- Lots of opportunities for advancement, and extensive training opportunities.
- Incentives tied to performance, or to the time the employee spends in the role.
- A culture of communication and support, in which managers and employees alike look out for, and respect, one another.
You could also review your recruitment processes, to ensure you are targeting people who will be a good fit for the job. This could include online questionnaires and assessments to help you determine whether candidates have the right traits for the role.
Finally, you should implement a structured onboarding process, so that any new starters get extensive support, training, and supervision throughout their first few months in the role. This will help them acclimatise to the restaurant’s culture, while also helping managers and other employees recognise and respond to any potential issues as early as possible.
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