There’s no possible way to gloss over 2020 – it was well, awful for many of us. This was a year where we watched a global pandemic shut down an industry we not only have poured our lives into and fully depend on, but also love. We’re all living with the baggage of the many months as we try and move on following what many will remember as a catastrophic year.
As vaccine rollouts continue across the nation and restrictions begin to loosen a bit more, we’re seeing new trends shape our industry and some are certainly more welcomed than others. As we look ahead to all that this summer has to offer, here are just two industry trends we’re seeing that we want to break down and hear from you on in the comments below.
Hours of operation remain limited.
While many restaurants are certainly open for dine-in or carry out, their hours of operation continue to remain cut slim from a pre-covid world. Closing early, opening late… it’s certainly fewer hours for those who love this industry and enjoy sharing their passion and skills within it each day.
Some owners may simply elect to keep lobbies shut in favor of the many benefits of takeout, and curbside. In some spots, this may even be a preemptive, safety-first measure. But increasingly, it’s becoming a reflection of the sector’s mounting struggle to find workers.
The lack of talent for open jobs? It’s a combination of a few factors showing nationwide. One is the $300 weekly unemployment boost extended through the beginning of September in President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Additionally, restaurants are struggling to have adequate supplies needed to keep their doors open for pre-covid hours. Distribution companies are struggling to find drivers because of unfavorable hours and fears of illness on the road. Some suppliers raised prices in response.
Skilled candidates and not seeking to fill vacant jobs.
As COVID-19 arrived, millions of restaurant jobs were lost to the pandemic last year, and since, other industries have been hiring at an accelerated pace as bars, hotels, and the like have been some of the last businesses to reopen fully. The attraction for employees to move away from the restaurant industry is at an all-time high for many. Whether it be alternative benefits, better work/life balance of hours, or a whole variety of reasons, finding talent to fill each open role in the industry is today, challenging.
Recent students show a full 80 percent of employers are keeping at least one crew member role posted at all times. Economists predict that there could be as many as 10 million more jobs between now and year’s end to restore the labor market to its pre-pandemic level. But for employers, the fact remains that workers are hard to find.
With struggles in limited operation hours and a lack of talent eager to take open jobs, we’re choosing to forge ahead and work towards helping our clients pivot and make strong hires for positions they in fact, may have never dreamed of hiring before. Because tough times don’t last… we will welcome guests to dine in our restaurants and return to travel soon. With the increasing number of individuals receiving Covid-19 vaccines, we are growing more and more confident that this is just a season.
We invite you to join us in forging ahead. Are you needing assistance evaluating your current or future hiring needs? We’re here to help. After 30 years of restaurant management hiring, we have the passion, the know-how and the network to bring you the best, fast.
