Recruitment in hospitality: A checklist

Recruiting for staff to fill vacancies in the hospitality sector can be particularly challenging. There’s the high competition for staff, and the sometimes unpredictable nature of workers requiring flexible working hours to fit around things like education can pose challenges.

In order to recruit the best staff for your business, you need to have a clear plan. This not only helps make the process quicker and more efficient but can also make your business more appealing to talent in the hospitality industry.

For industry leading software that can help manage staff as well as advice on how to ensure your workplace is up to date with the latest ACAS Code-based practices, contact Croner today on 0808 501 6651.

Know where to recruit staff

Knowing where to post your job adverts is potentially the first port of call, as you can tailor your listing for the various different platforms you will be using. 

Advertising job roles via websites and print media.

The standard and usual way to advertise your role will be via popular job websites. Traditional print advertisements still hold place in publications or fliers posted around venues etc. 

Job sites can be beneficial, bringing in a significant volume of applicants, however this can also mean the quality of candidates is diluted. This can result in you having to trawl through a large list of unsuitable applicants to get to those who are desirable. The large volume also means that potentially suitable applicants can be overlooked if you are having to skim read through applications to keep on top of them.

There are also advertising costs associated with print (and online publications) this means that your business could end up mounting up costs during the hiring process, particularly if it lasts longer than expected. 

Advertising on company social media channels

Social media can be a great way to get a job listing out amongst your network, current employees can also reshare this amongst their individual networks. One of the advantages of this is that this method is free and can potentially reach an extensive audience, especially if you have a large number of followers and connections on your company social accounts.

The disadvantage with this method comes if your accounts do not have a large following, as well as the fact that your posts can become lost in followers’ feeds. There’s also the disadvantage that you automatically exclude a whole plethora of suitable candidates because they might not follow your accounts. 

Take part in recruitment workshops, events and open days

Events such as workshops and open days can showcase more than the job, they can promote your company culture. They are more personal and are a great way for your company to earmark potential candidates as a personality fit as well as their professional skill set.

The downside of this is that you might not get suitable candidates in attendance, which can be a gamble after spending budget on marketing collateral such as displays and handouts. 

Define your job description clearly

Attracting the right people for the role is key to employers and the job description is vital in doing this. A job description not only outlines the role, the necessary skills and the responsibilities that the job entails, it can also be a way to measure the performance of new employees in the role to determine whether they are suited to the job during their probation period. 

Specifics you should include in your job description include:

• Job title
• Salary
• Benefits
• Hours of work
• Location
• Role summary
• Responsibilities
• Experience needed
• Qualifications needed
• About the company

When reviewing or writing up a job description, to ensure that all the above points are correctly covered, you should ensure that you follow the steps below:

Ensure the accuracy of the job description

Does it reflect the job role accurately? Are all the responsibilities outlined? Have you specified whether the role is part-time or full-time? Is it engaging to the right candidates? 

Ensure the salary and benefits are specified

Have you researched market rates? Is the salary on offer correct and appealing? Have you included all the additional benefits as part of the employee package?

State the key details of the job

Are the terms and conditions of employment up to date? Have you included the location of the workplace, the hours of work, probation period and any other important information that employees would need to know? 

Outline the required key skills and qualifications

Have you included the required skills and qualifications that the successful applicant should have? 

Showcase the job role in the overall business

Would potential candidates understand from reading the job description, how the job fits into the overall company structure? Would they understand who they would report to and have you included any scope for career progression? 

Review the language used in the job description

Have you used any language that could be considered exclusionary? Are there any unintentional biases?

Once you have reviewed the above, you're now ready to put your job advert out across your chosen channels and review applications.

Shortlisting and hiring best practice

Hiring the right staff for your hospitality business is essential for your customers' experience, which is the backbone of your business’s success. If your staff deliver a great customer experience, then chances are your reputation, and your customer base is more likely to grow.

Personality fit

Employees who reflect your company's values and offer guests an overall positive experience are as valuable as employees who maybe tick all the boxes in terms of experience and qualifications. 

Check the legalities 

Any new hire should have their eligibility to work checked. You should also ask for references from previous employers. Once you are happy with the credentials, then provide the new hire with an employment contract.

Use software to onboard hires more efficiently

You can use HR software such as BrightHR to onboard new employees, quickly and effectively, providing them with a one stop to review documentation, request annual leave, update their personal information and more.

Contact Croner for HR advice

Ensure your documentation and contracts are up to date and compliant with the latest legislation.

Call the HR advisory team at Croner today on 0808 501 6651.