The biggest problem food service business is facing is recruitment and retention. Many businesses are not able to operate at full capacity due to current staffing shortages. With more companies hiring and less available candidates comes more competition, and this is especially true in the food service space.
It might surprise you, but the answer to your hiring problems is already behind your food counter... your existing employees. Who knows better what your company culture is like and what type of person it takes to excel in your organization than your current employees? Besides, an employee that refers a candidate will want to make sure they only present the best possible person for the job because they’ll personally feel responsible for the success of their referral in the company. Since referrals are more likely to be a good culture fit, they’ll probably feel at home straight away. They’ll get along well with your other employees because they’ll know at least one person already who will introduce them to the rest of team and show them the ropes.
So how do you get your existing employees to refer someone for an open position? Through an Employee Referral Program!
Employee referral programs help increase attachment to the organization and make employees feel as though they have a stake in the future of the business. Employees want to grow, so having a hand in the company’s forward motion is exactly what they’re looking for. The right incentive for a referral can leave an employee feeling appreciated, which will in turn help raise motivation, another huge hurdle in engagement.
NEW for 2021: Use MDF funds to cover your Employee Referral Bonus, up to $250 per hire.
Reward your employees for referring a rock star hire to your business. When an employee-referred hire hits 90 days of employment, pay the referring employee an Employee Referral Bonus. We will reimburse you for up to $250 per hire out of MDF. Simply submit an MDF claim form with proof of payment to the employee!
Sample Program Outline
At _________________, we strive to find the best talent and we love when our employees refer qualified candidates to us! To reward our employee’s effort and interest in wanting to help us on this mission, we want to say thank you with our Employee Referral Program. Here is how it works:
Who can you refer?
- Friends
- Neighbors
- Anyone that embodies the qualities and characteristics that align with our company culture
- Anyone that has the experience related to our available open positions
How do you refer someone?
- Request that your referral indicates on their employment application that they heard about the position from you.
- Complete the Employee Referral Form and submit to __________________ prior to the candidate’s first day of employment.
What do you receive if you refer someone that is hired?
- $250!
When do you receive the referral bonus payment?
- If the candidate you referred is hired and you have submitted the Employee Referral Form, you will receive the applicable referral bonus on the payroll date that falls after the new employee has worked for 90 days.
Are there any special rules that apply?
- Employees involved in the hiring decision for a particular position are not eligible for a referral bonus.
- The employee must be actively employed at the time of the bonus payment.
Make it happen!
Don’t wait for referrals to just happen. Sit down with your current employees and instead of asking “Do you know anyone who’s looking for a job?”, ask “Who would you work with again? “Referrals don’t just have to be friends, family or former coworkers. In fact, they can be customers who are regulars or love your food. What better way to promote a great place to work!
Communicate!
Your organization must instill the value of referrals, employee involvement, and the benefits for employees and their company. Communication is key for an employee referral process to work and for a program to be highly engaged.
Make sure to keep your employees posted on the status of their referrals. Simply let them know if the candidate they put forward is moving forward in the hiring process or not. That is if you want them to keep referring candidates to you of course.
Need help with hiring? Contact our team of hiring experts!
askhr@pfsbrands.com | (573) 632-3370