How operators are handling today’s labour challenges

Post-pandemic labour shortages have plagued the industry, continuing to pose a challenge to restaurateurs. From hiring to retention, many operators are struggling to meet their targets while delivering on diner expectations. A recent study by 7Shifts reveals the costs and challenges that operators are facing in today’s marketplace, including food inflation (listed as the top […]

Building a strong restaurant workforce

Company culture and the evolution of employee management have been topical recently, as many industries have been plagued with labour shortages and absenteeism. In restaurants, 82 per cent of operators report being short at least one position in 2023, with many businesses reporting more significant shortages. What can restaurants do to build a strong, long-term […]

The hidden challenges of training restaurant staff

By Madan Kanala Maintaining food standards and regulatory compliance is paramount in the bustling world of restaurants. However, many establishments struggle to achieve consistency and effectiveness despite implementing staff training programs. This often boils down to three critical factors: variations in staffing levels, high employee turnover rates, and language barriers. Variations in staffing levels In […]

5 strategies to improve retention in your restaurant

By Matt Parkin Keeping top talent is essential for the success of any restaurant, so focusing on retention is key. High turnover can lead to reduced efficiency, lost productivity, and a negative impact on customer satisfaction. By implementing effective retention strategies, you can keep your best employees engaged and motivated, and improve the overall performance […]

How to put your employees first to fight ongoing labour shortages

The pandemic brought new, unimagined challenges to the restaurant industry, from closures and loss of business to supply chain delays. In the post-pandemic climate, while some of those obstacles still continue to plague the industry, a newly intensified challenge has dominated: labour shortages. During more than two years of unreliable work, many people quit the […]

There still simply aren’t enough restaurant workers

Foodservice operators have been doing all they can to attract more restaurant workers but, amid soaring inflation and food costs, measures like hiking wages, introducing benefits, increasing flexibility, and trimming menus just aren’t getting the job done. Canada’s restaurant industry was devastated by two years of shutdowns, repeated layoffs, and strict capacity limits, and about […]

Quebec restaurants want looser foreign worker rules to ease labour shortage

Quebec’s restaurant and hospitality industry is asking the federal government for help in easing its labour shortage, calling for the loosening of foreign worker rules in time for the summer season. This summer, with open restaurants and COVID-19-related restrictions at their lightest since the pandemic began, is expected to be the busiest season for foodservice […]

Solving the labour shortage is tough but, of course, can be done

The labour shortage — “The Great Resignation”, as some have termed it — is continuing at varying levels across North American foodservice. But why is is persisting, and what can be done? A new labour report from TouchBistro and 7shifts found that four in five restaurant operators say they are short at least one position. […]

Report finds wide dissatisfaction among foodservice workers

A new report from Nudge, a Toronto-based mobile platform for internal communications, that examined the state of the Canadian foodservice workforce found significant levels of dissatisfaction among hospitality and foodservice workers. The study found that 40 per cent of foodservice workers don’t feel heard by their organizations and nearly the same proportion (38 per cent) […]

How various operators are tackling staffing challenges

RestoBiz spoke to four owners and operators about the continued effect of the pandemic on labour 21 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and foodservice operators are far from out of the woods. Whereas the first year of the pandemic was characterized by panic, shutdowns, layoffs, and other evolving measures, staffing challenges have been a major […]