With COVID vaccines rolling out across the country and the promise of restrictions being lifted, hospitality employers are poised to start expanding their workforce once again.
With the excitement of restaurants opening up and events like the Calgary Stampede getting the approval to go ahead, the hospitality industry is looking forward to the possibility of growing its operations once again.
Millions of people have been longing to travel. Being prepared to welcome the influx of guests to your hospitality business will be crucial as you enter back into the regular flow of accommodating so many individuals.
Did you know that over 225 million jobs were lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Now that hospitality services are opening up once again, the sheer size of the talent pool to choose from to fill these positions can be a daunting task. Increasing staffing levels requires a strategy that is agile enough to allow for shifts in business and economic demand during these uncertain times.
The challenge around staffing has been compounded by a structural displacement of labour. This displacement has translated into negative perception around job security, apprehension around health and safety practices, and finding a permanent opportunity at an organization with surging demand. With clearer regulations around health and safety protocols and a newfound appreciation in the industry for a “safe” guest experience, businesses are in a much better position to inform hiring needs than they have ever been in the last 6 months.
Evaluate Your Current Staff
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began a year ago, many hospitality workers have been out of a job. Some have used their downtime to increase their hospitality skills and are eager to get back to work, while others may have entirely forgotten how to properly execute their roles within your business. Before beginning a whole new hiring process, you must evaluate your current employees and assess if they are willing and capable of coming back to work.
Address Staff Anxieties
Implementing a clear strategy to address and resolve employee concerns regarding job security and health and safety in the workplace is paramount. Letting your employees know that their anxieties are being addressed can encourage them to stay working for you.
Don’t Simply Focus On Soft-Skill Hiring
Yes, communication, teamwork, and multitasking are all essential skills required for hospitality services. However, technical skills like housekeeping operations and sales are also indispensable. When hiring new employees, make sure to focus on their technical capabilities as some individuals may have lost touch with them during the pandemic. This will help eliminate the need to re-hire any positions in the near future.
Take A Tech-Forward Approach
Do more with less. Every business must find deeper levels of scale and efficiency processes—especially in staffing. Building predictable labour models against unprecedented selling environments has made labour decision-making quite difficult.
COVID-19 has been a catalyst for the development of new technologies to help digitize guest experience, which minimizes breaches in health and safety protocols. Businesses must look into leaning on new technologies to help alleviate workloads off of the HR team. This will help scale your business and allow you to focus more time and effort into accommodating and providing your guests with a safe experience.
Hire A Staffing Agency
Another option to ease your workload and alleviate your stress when it comes to hiring new employees is to hire a staffing agency. Your HR team is already responsible for administration work that goes into your company, so conducting a hiring process for many candidates can take up much of their valuable time.
A staffing agency guarantees that only qualified candidates will fill your open positions. Moreover, the agency does all the paperwork for you so you can focus on the hiring process proper.
5 Benefits Of Using A Staffing Agency
Although the hospitality industry has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an opportunity to adopt new processes that allow employers to more effectively manage ongoing employment challenges as well as assure workers that their health and wellbeing are a top priority. With millions out of work looking for jobs, business owners have the opportunity to make new, intelligent, and strategic hiring decisions.
If you’re looking to decrease your workload and ensure your business is receiving only the best candidates for your job openings, working with a staffing agency can fit the bill. To find out how Matrix Labour Leasing can help you find top hospitality talent, contact us by calling 1-866-666-9520 or by filling out our online contact form.
What industries use staffing agencies?
Nearly all industries use staffing agencies, including hospitality, construction, health care, and any other businesses that need clerical or general staff. Staffing agencies can also be used to fill high-level managerial roles and specialized employees.
Do staffing agencies take a part of the employees' pay?
No. Reputable staffing agencies should not take a portion of the employees' pay. Instead, they charge the company using their services.
Can outsourcing my company’s hiring needs really save me money?
Yes. By hiring professionals who have already invested in getting to know quality candidates, you can save significant resources and get straight to the more qualified candidates for your roles.
In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we work on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut'ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.
