The best ways to deal with restaurant staffing shortages

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If there’s one thing life (and pandemics) has taught us, it’s that unpredictable things happen. Suddenly finding your restaurant short-staffed definitely happens. Restaurateurs don’t just have profits to worry about. There’s a potential for a loss in reputation when disappointed diners share their bad experiences with restaurant workers on social media.

Every sector suffers from staff taking time off unexpectedly, and the hospitality industry is no different. Restaurant owners should prepare for potential labor shortages so that they can manage an understaffed work environment, even on busy days. And thankfully, there are solutions to put in place that can keep customer retention high while decreasing turnover rates.

In this article, restaurant operators can learn how to deal with sudden staffing issues. Find out what you can do to prepare for a shortage, especially during times when they’re common. We’ll share incentives that can reduce the likelihood of restaurant employees taking time off at inconvenient times. Then we’ll close on how restaurant tech can further safeguard your operations against a restaurant staffing shortage.

How can you prepare for a restaurant staffing shortage?

A sudden lack of staff members sucks for both you and your customers. Preparing for an inevitable restaurant labor shortage is key to making the situation less painful.

All restaurateurs know that menu items sometimes need to be scrapped because of inventory management issues. The same solution applies to restaurant staffing shortages. If you’re struggling in the kitchen because you’re down on line cooks, simplify your menu. Make sure front-of-house staff explains the reason for limited selections and maybe offer a free item to disgruntled diners.

Find yourself a service industry-specific staffing agency for those times when the worst comes to worst. If so many of your staff are absent that you need to shut down for the day, you can call on temporary waitstaff to fill in who are trained to work in service restaurants.

If you have your staffing agency on speed dial, though, try making new hires. Regular restaurant staffing shortages could threaten the reputation of your business, so you may need an extra hand or two. A new employee could be cheaper than the higher wages an agency charges to cover their costs.

When should you expect a restaurant staffing shortage?

The food service industry is full of jobs that lend themselves to odd hours and side hustles, such as dishwashers, kitchen porters, and barbacks. Many people take on these roles who may want flexibility. For some, it’s a job to help get them through college, for others, it may be a second (or third) job.

In other words, you may have staff who may not prioritize the role. They may not worry about the repercussions of taking off days or turning up late.

Restaurant staff have families too. Wise schedulers should expect to be short-staffed around traditional times when families gather, like graduations and holidays. And like many businesses, you should anticipate last-minute sickness on days following popular drinking celebrations in your area. These often coincide with the holiday rush, like Thanksgiving Eve, New Year’s Eve, and St. Partick’s Day, so it’s best to prepare for a one-two punch.

If you plan your shifts well in advance, try to get your most reliable staff to work these days and provide incentives such as double pay, bonuses, or after-work parties.

How can you incentivize restaurant staff?

‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ definitely applies to overcoming restaurant staffing shortages. Finding ways to incentivize staff to attend work regularly is much more effective than having to make alterations last minute when you find yourself short-staffed.

The most obvious thing you have to tackle may be the large elephant in the room. Are you paying your employees enough? The labor market is huge, and there are plenty of job openings in the restaurant industry that may offer better pay than you. If you’re offering minimum wage, beyond having an amazingly positive work environment, you’re not offering much incentive to your employees.

Consider increasing hourly wages to attract new staff who are more likely to stick it out and reward existing staff for their efforts. If restaurant jobs in your area are extremely competitive and you have the capital, you could offer a healthcare plan.

If you’re losing staff despite great pay, consider whether there’s something wrong with the workplace you have created. Things may have slowly become toxic without you realizing it. Some restaurant owners focus on the kitchen and forget about their FOH workers or vice versa. You could start holding regular meetings to motivate your employees and uncover any issues. Create SOPs that explain how to deal with complex and uncomfortable issues regarding staff and diners. A well-defined process can help alleviate stress for back-of-house and front-of-house workers alike.

Can automation help prevent a restaurant staffing shortage?

Restaurant technology can be a major asset in preventing a restaurant staffing shortage. There are software and hardware solutions that take the strain off your staff and can even free up positions.

Kiosk from Yelp is a tablet-based system that acts as the first point of contact for visitors to your restaurant. This software integrates with Yelp’s waitlist management software, allowing them to check in themselves once they arrive at your restaurant. Kiosk can replace enough host duties, you can instantly gain another member of staff on your FOH team.

Bonus: Unless your current maître d’ or host is a polyglot, Kiosk has another great trick up its sleeve. Multicultural areas will benefit as guests can select their preferred language before they check in.

Cure restaurant staffing shortages with an ounce of prevention

It’s hard to plan for the next big unexpected event like lockdowns due to a pandemic. And some days, managing a restaurant is tough no matter what we do. But planning for a restaurant staffing shortage could make life a lot easier when those days come.

Remember that a simplified menu can make things much less stressful for your cooks and FOH staff when you get left in the lurch. New hires or reliable temps will make things easier when you plan your schedules and fill in the gaps. Watch for busy times when requests for time-off coincide with increased foot traffic, like the holidays. And incentivize your staff to embrace reliability.

Finally, don’t forget that you can use restaurant tech, such as Kiosk, to support your staff. Take charge of your front-of-house management and improve your customer’s experience with Yelp Guest Manager. This software supports your team by handling reservations and waitlists, allowing customers to check themselves in, and much more.

Reach out to us and get a demo. Restaurants that start using Guest Manager experience up to 2X the traffic on their Yelp Business Page.* So, it’s an ace in the hole whether you’re short staffed or not.