A majority of clubs revolve around providing members with excellent service and food in multiple areas of a club. However, in addition to increased food prices and supply chain challenges, clubs are also faced with the problem of labor shortages. In 2022, the hospitality industry is experiencing an unprecedented labor shortage that’s seeing worker resignations and job openings at an all-time high.
The biggest reason for the labor shortage appears to be the fact that many workers have simply left the hospitality industry for more stable jobs. The hospitality industry has a reputation for long hours, low wages and no benefits. Today’s culinary staff are motivated to pursue opportunities that offer competitive compensation, meaningful employee benefits, work perks and a safe, supportive working environment. If a club doesn’t meet the workforce’s expectations, it’s easy for staff to leave and immediately find another position. Health insurance, training, the flexibility to pick up shifts, year-end bonuses, and free shift meals are just a few ideas worth considering. People work harder when they feel valued, so come up with some new ways to show your appreciation for their hard work. The key is making your team feel valued, well compensated, and well taken care of.
Good people are hard to find and even harder to keep in today’s culinary labor market. Even prior to the pandemic, recruitment and retention have long been major challenges in the culinary industry. Recruiting and retaining quality employees is tough to do, but not impossible. Clubs can partner with local organizations, culinary programs, high schools, college job fairs, after-school programs, and other initiatives that have budding talent. Offer free training or skill-building workshops to people entering the labor force in exchange for a term of employment. Finding strong culinary talent and avoiding turnover is possible with quality recruitment strategies, taking the time to hire the right people, and providing a positive environment with opportunities for growth. With the right recruitment strategies and showing a club’s values, a club will attract better candidates that they can keep around for longer.
When working with a lean crew, it makes sense to cross-train a kitchen’s team to perform multiple functions. That way, if a team member has some downtime, they can pitch in to help someone at a different station. In many scenarios, cross-training employees can empower staff to both take on new responsibilities and learn new skills while being able to have fewer employees in the kitchen at one time. It also creates a sense of camaraderie when teams can assist one another throughout the shift. Kitchen staff are already working long hours, so make sure you aren’t piling non-essential responsibilities onto the plates of your skilled workers. Club’s should invest in technology that can automate some of the more time-consuming administrative tasks that employees are currently responsible for. Tasks such as inventory can be automated without a huge investment, but will save your skilled staff a ton of time. Freeing your skilled staff of these more menial tasks will let them focus on the work they’re really passionate about and trained for—plus, they’ll be happier for it, which leads to more productivity and higher retention.
Having a strong relationship with suppliers can help club chefs find creative solutions and products during uncertain times. To simplify kitchen operations and better manage member expectations, many dining establishments are streamlining their menus. The more menu items you offer, the more labor is required to receive, prep and cook ingredients. Creating a leaner menu can help to eliminate slow-moving items as well as those that are difficult to prepare. Chefs should also find opportunities for cross-functional ingredients in order to help reduce inventory costs and minimize labor. Adding pre-portioned, pre-cooked, or prepared foods to the menu can help save on labor as well. There are many high-quality items such as soups, sauces, appetizers and desserts that taste scratch-made and can reduce prep time for an understaffed kitchen. Turning to canned or frozen fruits and vegetables can also help skip any time-consuming prep. Supplier partners can make suggestions for the best products to reduce labor while still maintaining quality.
Excellent food and service are at the core of successful clubs. Both factors require skilled employees. Labor shortages aren’t impossible to navigate, but they do require some creative thinking, perseverance, patience, time and energy. Clubs must be prepared to shift their thinking to attract and hang on to quality employees.