How foodservice can attract and retain talent in association with Nestlé Professional. Even before the ravages of Covid-19, the foodservice sector was facing a talent timebomb. Widespread negative perceptions of the industry, a shortage of incoming talent and the Brexit- related loss of EU workers have combined to create a worsening employment crisis.
Urgent action is needed. From developing a diverse talent pool from which to recruit, to communicating the full range of opportunities in the sector and creating environments that retain their people, work needs to be done to ensure that businesses and the industry remain viable. This report aims to provide a blueprint for responsible employment and improved talent management.
The sector has much to offer. It can provide fulfilling and varied opportunities. It is welcoming of a diverse workforce. It prizes soft skills over academic qualifications, and it is a true meritocracy: people who are willing to step up can quickly progress from an entry level role to develop a varied career that could take them all over the world.
There have been successful efforts to target young people and encourage them into the sector, to celebrate and develop diversity in the workforce, and to adapt recruitment, working practices and opportunities to have greater appeal to employees with families and caring commitments.
Meanwhile, responsible businesses which align with workers’ own values and concerns around issues such as food poverty, plastics and the climate crisis have been found to increase engagement, motivation and loyalty whilst reducing staff turnover and absenteeism.
In a Covid-19 world, some of the challenges around staffing maybe different, and the role of a responsible employer has shifted, but at its core, the need to value our workforce and shift perceptions of the industry to one that is flexible, fair and full of opportunity, remains.
Defusing the talent timebomb examines the sector’s employment challenges and offers a guide to being a responsible employer that will help tackle recruitment issues and reduce churn; providing tips and advice from industry thought-leaders to position foodservice as an exciting and rewarding industry that offers excellent career flexibility and longevity.