Written on 10-Mar-2017
With a rate of 62%, the hospitality industry has one of the highest turnover rates in the country. The high pressured kitchen environment can be a major factor in these high levels of staff churn – often coming at the worst time when the kitchen is at its busiest.
However, Director at CJUK, Michelle Mellor, explains how kitchens can ensure a more stable environment and achieve consistent quality from the kitchen.
Plan ahead of the seasons
The key to a stable kitchen environment is planning ahead. Most kitchens are seasonal to a certain degree. So we suggest looking back at your previous busy times and then plan recruitment ahead of time using a mixture of a permanent and interim staff.
A pre-planned approach is far better than waiting until the kitchen gets too busy and putting in an emergency call to a recruitment agent to fill the gap quickly.
Use interim talent properly
Interim Chefs are highly skilled. Working in a range of environments means they are highly adaptable and have a massive range of experience that can be put to good use. The most successful outcomes are achieved by respecting the skills an Interim Chef has to offer.
Avoid the split shift
Any Chef will tell you that one of the greatest enemies of work-life balance is the split shift. If you work closely with your recruitment partner, there are ways even the smallest teams can keep split shifts to a minimum. It all depends on the individual kitchen, but again it comes down to smart use of permanent and interim staff to achieve an even and sustainable working environment.
Develop a relationship
Chefs are in demand, so if the kitchen they are working in is putting them under too much pressure they often face a stark choice between burnout or walk out. Kitchens that seek to provide jobs with straight shifts, decent hours, flexibility to job share and two days off per week are more likely to be able to retain the talented Chefs they need.
Develop a relationship with your recruitment agents, they will then be better placed to provide the best-matched staff to your needs at short notice in emergencies.
If you would like to discuss chef recruitment further please contact Katie Mellor on 01254 355666 or katie@chefsjobsuk.co.uk
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