How to Handle a Restaurant Staffing Shortage? 

Restaurant staff are the core of any successful restaurant business – from servers to ushers and chefs. A restaurant staffing shortage can cause a chain reaction of poor customer service and long wait times. This leads to unsatisfied customers and burnt-out employees, resulting in their leaving. 

You start the hiring cycle, but in the meantime, you are understaffed. Skilled workers are hard to find in all sectors. In 2023, 82% of US restaurants were understaffed. 

So, how do you deal with it? Follow our expert tips to handle a restaurant staffing shortage.  

5 Ways to Address Staffing Shortage 

Here are 5 tips to handle restaurant staff shortage and keep your business running: 

1.Identifying Staffing Needs 

Staffing needs are identified during peak and off-peak hours. The maximum and minimum staff required during these times can be observed.  

Identify critical positions, such as servers, bartenders, and line cooks, to ensure efficient operations. A restaurant POS machine can easily extract data about peak and off-peak hours. It tracks sales patterns and customer flow to provide insights that help during staffing crises.  

2.Hire Temporary Workers 

When facing a restaurant staffing shortage, hiring temporary workers can be a much-needed solution. Try partnering with reputable staffing agencies who can provide candidates to fill immediate gaps. 

You can train the temp workers in the restaurant using data from your POS system. Ease their confusion regarding billing and transactions by training them on a restaurant billing machine. 

3.Cross-Train Your Staff 

A restaurant staffing shortage means one employee may need to wear multiple hats. Try equipping your employees with multiple skill sets. This gives you a flexible and versatile workforce. 

Provide clear training resources and hands-on practice. Compensate them fairly if they fill two roles. 

4.Optimise Scheduling 

Efficient scheduling is crucial to maximising the use of your available staff. Scheduling and task allocation can be easily done with your restaurant POS machine.  

It can help create a staff roster by allotting fair shifts to everyone. Still, communicate with your staff to know their availability and shift preferences.  

5.Streamline Operations with a POS 

A modern restaurant POS machine can be your ally during staffing shortages. The restaurant billing machine automates tasks like order-taking, payment processing, and inventory management, reducing the manual workload. 

Using self-service kiosks and scannable air menus eliminates the need for a server to collect orders and act as the usher. If you want to shift some of your business online, POS software can integrate with different third-party apps.  

How to Retain Employees During Staffing Shortage?

Let us look at the methods to retain employees in a restaurant business: 

• Offer competitive compensation packages and benefits. 
• Promote a positive work culture by rewarding good performers. 
• Encourage open communication and consider their grievances. 
• Give them opportunities to upskill. 

Bottom Line 

Combating staff shortages in a thriving business requires a multifaceted approach. By taking the right measures, you can keep running a successful business.  

To streamline your staffing strategies, consider a restaurant billing machine that will help with scheduling, order taking, menu management, and more. Invest in QPOS, one of the best solutions restaurants in India adopt.