What are you doing to keep your workers in this tight labor market?

Companies are getting creative when it comes to keeping their workers.  In the “old days” of recruiting everyone worked 6 days a week, 60 – 70 hours and often didn’t have benefits.  I’ve seen the trends change to attract workers but not like we are seeing now.

Yum! Brands, for example, recently expanded its parental leave policy for birth mothers to 18 weeks at full pay, including six weeks of “baby bonding time.” The new policy also allows birth fathers, partners, adoptive and foster parents to take six weeks at full pay. Noodles & Company also offers parental leave, adoption assistance and breast milk shipment during business travel. In 2019, Noodles plans to roll out a phase-out/phase-in maternity plan for expecting and postpartum mothers.

Mentorship is the focus of McDonald’s new career advising campaign called “Where You Want To Be.” The company is pairing restaurant employees with experts in their desired future career fields, as well as with owner/operators for shadowing experiences. Also, restaurant employees now have access to free career and academic advising services to create a plan to achieve their educational goals.

Jersey Mike’s is also banking on a mentorship program to help cultivate a strong company culture. The STAY (sweat, tears and years) program, started in 2016, provides an opportunity for franchisees to mentor managers with a goal of shared ownership in a Jersey Mike’s franchise.

Jersey Mike’s turnover rate is lower than the industry average because of its focus on mentorship and its culture overall.

“We’re not treating employees as a commodity. Once you have a great culture, people want to be a part of that,” he said. “We’re not trying to reinvent anything, we’re just continuing what we’ve always done.”

“We just try to keep our focus on recruiting the best of the best. Employees just want someone to respect them, compensate them, respect their time and try to teach them new things,” Hoyt said. “As long as we stick with the fundamentals, we’ll be successful. It’s not about a silver bullet. It’s just about creating a great culture – not only employees but also customers are attracted to that.”

It’s been pretty amazing to watch companies try to “top” each other with unique benefits and offerings.  It’s not just about money any longer.  Quality of life and “culture” seem to be the dominating important issues to employees.  With such low unemployment rates today, it’s a “candidate’s market” when it comes to job selection.  It’s no longer all about what a company WANTS in an employee, it’s now but about what a company OFFERS an employee to entice them to work for them.  The days of working long hours with no benefits, long interview processes and tight job requirements are gone.  In today’s market, companies that don’t realize what innovative programs their competitors are offering will never been able to compete for Top Talent.

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Duke Witte absolutely was amazing! 

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to Duke Witte for his assistance in finding me a new job in the hospitality industry. I was disgruntled with my previous job, and I was feeling very discouraged about my prospects. I had been working in the restaurant industry for many years, and I had a lot of experience and skills, but I was having a hard time finding a better opportunity.

I was contacted via LinkedIn by Duke, and thank goodness I was.  Mr. Witte was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand my skills and experience, and worked tirelessly to find me a job that was a good fit.

Duke was also very honest and upfront with me about the job market. He didn't sugarcoat things, but also didn't give up on me. He kept me motivated and encouraged, and never gave up on finding me a job that I would love.

I am so grateful to Duke Witte and his team for their help. I am now happily employed, and I am so happy that I was able to find a job that I love. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a job in the restaurant industry. He is a true professional, and is dedicated to helping his clients find the perfect job!

Thank you again for everything!

Nick Grubbs

Working with Chris Bovio made job searching so much easier! 

Not only was he available and involved in my search, but also knowledgeable regarding the position. Chris used his industry experience and recruiting network to find the best position for me and my skill set. My only regret is that my new job is so perfect for me that I won’t need to use Chris or Patrice & Associates later.

Thanks,

Nick Guarino

Michael Greig was absolutely fantastic in every way! 

He gave me options and suggestions & eventually found a great for me. Communication was easy and he went above & beyond. Also, he seems like an all around good dude. Thanks again Michael. Solid work out there. You’re hired :)

Nic Callahan

Bryan Curtis was fantastic to work with!

Bryan was very on top of things throughout my recruiting process to the engineering firm I accepted my position with.  I responded to his LinkedIn posting and heard back from him within 24 hours. He continually spoke with me throughout the process checking in regularly and answering all my questions. Bryan was instrumental in helping me find a great job.

Thanks!

Austin

Frank Rondeau was a really big help! 

When it came to helping me find my new job, he knocked it out of the park!  He was very honest and thorough throughout the entire process. We had multiple conversations along the way and he always checked in after interviews. Frank was amazing to work with, and I'm super excited to start my new journey thanks to him.       

Many Thanks,

Chyanne

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