Reducing staff turnover is simple - this is why

When we look at staff turnover from a non-hospitality perspective, we tend to think about how we can retain our staff.

What additional perks can we provide to make where they work awesome? How can we make this salary package the most desirable against our competitors? After all, the cost of going through a recruitment process is timely and costly once we calculate training and time learning the role itself.

Yet, the same perks and benefits are not offered to people in the hospitality industry, or in my opinion even given a second thought - unless you are in management.

People want a first class service when they dine out or pay top whack for a cocktail, and rightly so! However, in my personal experience, the service you receive is always reflective of the environment the server is in - most likely they are working back to back double shifts starting at 10 am and finishing in the small hours of the morning. They have no clue as to where there next day off is coming from because the weekly rota is posted on a Sunday evening, is never the same as the week previous and let's be honest you don't even know if you have been included on the rota (Thanks 0-hour contracts!). The mentality in hospitality is just to crack on, and it has been that way since.... well forever? Any signs of weakness and you're putting your 0-hour contract shifts in jeopardy, and then the bills don't get paid.

Communication is vital, and in most places, this is significantly lacking from head office level to the KP's and bar backs. The ''just get on with it'' mentality has to change - hardworking and great employees have in most cases been burnt out by a business, so they move on to the next one in the hopes it won't be the same.

However, on the flip side of this, the benefits it does provide for casual workers and employees is the flexibility which in turn creates a high staff turnover as there are minimal implications on the overall business operation and output.

It really is simple! Pay your staff accordingly, treat them with respect, give them a shift pattern that works for them, scrap 0-hour contracts and pay out tips accordingly!

If you are reading this and want your voice to be heard - check out Unite the Union and get involved.