Author: Billy Giordano

Running a restaurant isn’t just about good food — it’s about people. Your staff shape every guest’s experience, drive service quality, and keep your business running smoothly. But when turnover is high, everything suffers: service slows down, morale drops, costs rise & reactive hiring kicks in. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, restaurant turnover rates hover between 70% and 80% each year. That means most restaurants replace nearly their entire staff annually — a huge hit to both profits and consistency.

Reducing turnover doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right hiring tools, training programs, and work culture, you can build a stable and motivated team. This guide breaks down real strategies to help you decrease turnover in restaurants and keep your best people for the long haul.

Why Turnover Is So High in Restaurants

Understanding why people leave is the first step toward fixing it. Restaurant jobs are demanding, fast-paced, and people-driven — which means when communication or support breaks down, burnout follows quickly.

Here are the top reasons restaurant employees quit:

Reason	Description	Example Impact
Low Pay or Unpredictable Schedules	Workers can’t rely on steady income or hours.	Employees find other jobs that feel more stable.
Limited Growth Opportunities	No clear path for advancement.	Great staff move to competitors offering management training.
Poor Culture or Management	Weak communication or negativity from leadership.	Team morale dips, and turnover spreads quickly.
Lack of Recognition	Employees feel unappreciated or ignored.	Motivation drops, and workers mentally check out.
Inconsistent Training	New hires feel unprepared for busy shifts.	Mistakes rise, frustration builds, and retention falls.

Each of these factors compounds over time. The good news: addressing them doesn’t require big budgets — just consistent effort and a thoughtful hiring process.

StaffedUp Tip: Start tracking turnover trends by role. Are servers leaving faster than kitchen staff? Identifying patterns helps you take focused action. Using StaffedUp Teams allows you to track how many of each role you really need to operate efficiently (but keep costs low). 

Hire with Retention in Mind

Turnover prevention starts before someone even joins your team. Smart hiring helps you avoid short-term hires who don’t fit your restaurant’s pace or values.

Here’s how to make better hiring decisions:

• Write clear, honest job descriptions. Don’t oversell. Let applicants know what to expect so they walk in prepared.
  
• Define your ideal hire. Look for traits like dependability, teamwork, and flexibility — these matter more than years of experience.
  
• Ask experience-based interview questions. Instead of “Can you handle stress?”, ask “Tell me about a time you handled a rush.”
  
• Use modern hiring tools. A restaurant applicant tracking system like StaffedUp automates job posts, messages, and scheduling — saving hours while improving hire quality.
  

Why it matters: rushed hiring often leads to short-term fits. By slowing down and focusing on culture alignment, you’ll build teams that last.

👉 Ready to hire smarter? Start your free StaffedUp trial and simplify your restaurant hiring process today.

Train and Support from Day One

Strong onboarding is one of the easiest ways to decrease turnover in restaurants. When employees feel prepared and supported early on, they’re more confident, more capable, and less likely to leave.

Simple ways to improve training:

1. Create a new-hire checklist. Include uniform expectations, customer interaction tips, and safety procedures.
   
2. Assign a mentor. Pair new hires with experienced team members who can show them the ropes.
   
3. Use short training sessions. Instead of long lectures, break training into 15-minute modules that fit into the workday.
   
4. Get feedback after 7 and 30 days. Ask what was clear, what wasn’t, and how you can improve onboarding.
   

Fact: According to the National Restaurant Association, employees who receive proper onboarding are 69% more likely to stay for at least six months.

👉 Simplify new-hire onboarding with StaffedUp.
The built-in communication tools and status tracking keep everyone on the same page from application to first shift. Try StaffedUp for free.

Foster a Positive and Respectful Culture

A strong culture is the best defense against turnover. When employees enjoy coming to work, they perform better — and they stick around longer.

Here’s what builds a healthy restaurant culture:

• Lead by example. Managers set the tone. A calm, fair, and consistent leader earns loyalty.
  
• Recognize good work. A quick “thanks” after a tough shift goes a long way.
  
• Encourage feedback. Let staff safely share opinions or suggest improvements.
  
• Celebrate milestones. Birthdays, work anniversaries, and achievements remind staff they’re valued.
  

Case Example:
A local café in Austin introduced “Shoutout Saturdays,” where managers publicly recognized standout team members. Turnover dropped 25% in six months because employees felt seen and appreciated.

👉 Build culture through communication.
With StaffedUp’s messaging and scheduling tools, you can keep everyone connected and informed — even across multiple locations. Explore how StaffedUp supports team engagement.

Offer Competitive Pay and Growth Paths

Fair pay alone won’t solve turnover, but it’s a big factor. Workers want to feel valued — both financially and professionally.

Ways to improve retention through compensation:

• Benchmark wages using local market data.
  
• Add performance-based bonuses for reliability and upselling.
  
• Offer free or discounted meals to help with cost of living.
  
• Create clear advancement paths — such as shift leader or trainer programs.
  

Growth matters just as much as pay. Many employees leave because they can’t see a future with the company. By promoting from within, you not only motivate your team — you reduce the time and cost of outside hiring.

“When employees believe they can grow within the company, loyalty follows naturally.” — Restaurant Success Journal, 2024

Use Smart Scheduling to Prevent Burnout

Burnout is one of the top causes of turnover in restaurants. Long hours, unpredictable shifts, and lack of work-life balance drive even good employees away.

Better scheduling practices can fix that.

• Post schedules early. Give staff at least 7–10 days’ notice.
  
• Rotate weekend shifts fairly. Avoid favoritism or overloading top performers.
  
• Allow shift swapping. With proper manager approval, flexibility builds trust.
  
• Monitor overtime. Too much overtime leads to exhaustion and resentment.
  

Data Insight: A 2023 Workforce Institute study found that restaurants using digital scheduling tools saw a 35% drop in voluntary turnover compared to manual scheduling.

👉 Simplify scheduling with StaffedUp.
StaffedUp integrates communication, shift tracking, and applicant management in one place — saving hours of manual work. See how it works.

Stay Connected with Your Team

Checking in with employees regularly helps catch problems before they lead to resignations. Sometimes, people just want to be heard.

Try these simple check-ins:

• Hold five-minute huddles before shifts to share goals and updates.
  
• Schedule monthly one-on-ones to discuss performance and career goals.
  
• Ask for anonymous feedback to gauge team morale.
  

Even small gestures show employees that management cares. Great management can be a main driver for while an employee stays. Consistent communication can turn potential frustrations into learning opportunities — and reduce avoidable resignations.

Case Study: How StaffedUp Helped a Multi-Unit Operator Reduce Turnover

Client: A 12-location regional restaurant group in St. Louis
Challenge: High turnover and inconsistent hiring practices across locations
Goal: Standardize the hiring process, improve candidate quality, and reduce time-to-hire

Before StaffedUp:
Each location posted jobs separately on social media (FaceBook predominantly) and job boards. Applications were lost in emails or unread DM’s, leading to poor communication and slow responses. Turnover was 78% annually, and managers spent an average of 15 hours per week on hiring.

After Implementing StaffedUp:

• Created a centralized careers page connecting all 12 restaurants that integrated with the company website.
  
• Used StaffedUp’s automated posting and text communication tools to reach more candidates quickly.
  
• Standardized interview questions and tracking through the applicant management dashboard.
  
• Reduced time-to-hire by 42%.
  
• Cut turnover to 49% within six months.
  

“Before StaffedUp, hiring was a mess. Now, every GM can see candidates in real time, schedule interviews, and stay organized. We’re saving time and keeping staff longer.”
— Regional Operations Director, St. Louis Restaurant Group

The ROI of Reducing Turnover

Decreasing turnover isn’t just about happier staff — it directly impacts profit.

Let’s break down the math:

Factor	Cost per Employee Lost	Annual Cost (30 Departures)
Recruiting + Training	$2,800	$84,000
Lost Productivity	$1,200	$36,000
Overtime for Replacements	$800	$24,000
Total Annual Cost		$144,000

Even small improvements in retention can mean huge savings — plus better guest experiences and stronger teams.

Conclusion: Building a Stable, Loyal Team

Reducing turnover takes commitment, but it starts with small steps: better hiring, consistent communication, fair pay, and a culture of respect. When you invest in your people (and their development as an employee), they invest back in your business.

A steady team doesn’t just make operations smoother — it makes your restaurant stronger, more profitable, and more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Introduction

The hospitality industry is all about people. Whether you run a restaurant, hotel, bar, or catering business, your employees shape every guest interaction. They are the ones greeting guests at the door, preparing meals, serving drinks, or handling problems when they arise. In short, your staff are your business.

That’s why hospitality staffing is one of the most important parts of running a successful operation. You could have the best menu, location, or marketing plan, but if you don’t have the right employees, everything else will fall apart. On the other hand, a strong team can turn even a small, local business into a place people love and remember.

This guide will explain how to hire the right employees for hospitality jobs, what traits to look for, and how to create a staffing process that reduces turnover. We’ll also cover tips for training, onboarding, and using tools like applicant tracking systems to make hiring easier.

By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to build and keep a great hospitality team.

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What Is Hospitality Staffing?

Hospitality staffing refers to the process of recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees in restaurants, hotels, bars, resorts, and other service-focused businesses. It covers every role in your operation, from front-of-house servers and bartenders to back-of-house cooks, cleaners, and managers.

Unlike other industries, hospitality depends heavily on personality traits. Skills like carrying plates or using a booking system can be taught. But qualities like patience, empathy, and sincerity are harder to train. That’s why hiring in hospitality is often less about resumes and more about finding people with the right temperament.

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Why Hospitality Staffing Matters

Hiring the right people does more than fill shifts. It directly impacts your reputation, profits, and ability to grow. Here’s why staffing is so important:

Guest Experience

Guests remember how they were treated. According to PwC research, 73% of customers say customer experience is an important factor in their buying decisions. Friendly, attentive employees can turn a casual visitor into a loyal customer.

Employee Retention

Hospitality is known for high turnover. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows turnover rates in hospitality are often double the average across industries. Strong staffing practices help reduce this by hiring people who fit your culture and by supporting them once they’re on the team.

Brand Reputation

Online reviews often mention staff directly. Comments like “The waiter was so kind” or “The bartender was rude” can make or break your business on platforms like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor. Many restaurants even ask for comments to include servers name. This doesn’t always end up positively through. 

Operational Stability

When staffing is unstable, managers scramble to cover shifts, and service quality suffers. A stable team saves time, cuts training costs, and improves consistency.

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Traits That Make a Great Hospitality Employee

When you’re reviewing applications, don’t just look for technical skills. Pay close attention to natural traits (aka soft skills). These qualities are hard to teach but vital in hospitality staffing:

• Empathy – Staff who can understand how guests feel and respond with care.
  
• Teamwork – Employees who work well with others, especially in high-pressure environments.
  
• Patience – Staying calm with upset guests or long lines.
  
• Sincerity – Genuine warmth and honesty in interactions.
  
• Adaptability – The ability to adjust when things don’t go as planned.
  
• Communication – Clear and respectful speaking and listening skills.
  

👉 Example: A server with no prior restaurant experience but a friendly personality and eagerness to learn may end up being more valuable than a veteran server with bad habits.

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Experience vs. Trainability

One of the biggest hiring decisions is whether to value experience or trainability more.

The Case for Experience

• Experienced hires may require less training.
  
• They can handle busy shifts faster.
  
• They bring industry knowledge you can tap into.
  

The Case for Trainability

• Experienced staff may bring habits that don’t match your standards.
  
• Newer workers can be trained to your system from scratch.
  
• Trainable employees often stay longer, since they feel invested in your business.
  

📌 Tip: During interviews, ask scenario-based questions like: “How would you handle a guest who says their food is wrong?” Their answers will show both their natural traits and how much training they may need.

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Building a Hiring Process That Works

To improve hospitality staffing, you need a clear process. A well-defined system helps you attract better candidates, save time, and reduce turnover.

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Candidate

Make a list of the traits and skills your best employees share. Use this as a benchmark for new hires.

Step 2: Write Clear Job Descriptions

A strong job descrition includes:

• Role and responsibilities.
  
• Pay and benefits.
  
• Schedule expectations.
  
• Key personality traits needed.
  

Step 3: Post Jobs Where Candidates Look

• Your website’s careers page.
  
• Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
  
• Local job boards and hospitality-focused sites like StaffedUp.
  

Step 4: Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

An ATS like StaffedUp helps you:

• Collect and organize applications.
  
• Filter by experience and keywords.
  
• Communicate with candidates faster.
  

Step 5: Improve the Interview Process

• Ask about past guest interactions.
  
• Use role-play exercises (like handling a complaint).
  
• Look beyond resumes for natural personality traits.
  

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Common Mistakes in Hospitality Staffing

Even experienced managers make errors during hiring. Avoid these common mistakes:

• Being too vague. If your rules and expectations aren’t clear, employees won’t know what to do.
  
• Relying only on experience. A resume doesn’t always predict performance. Real tested skills are needed to succeed.
  
• Skipping reference checks. Talking to past employers helps confirm traits.
  
• Failing to train managers. Managers need training to interview fairly and consistently.
  
• Not updating hiring processes. Staffing strategies should evolve as your business grows. This doesn’t mean complicating the process, keep it simple & streamlined.
  

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Learning From Your Best Employees

Your top performers are the best guide for future hiring. Analyze your team by asking:

1. Who are my strongest employees?
   
2. What traits do they share?
   
3. How much experience did they have when hired?
   
4. How quickly did they adapt to my business?
   

By creating a “success profile,” you’ll know what to prioritize when hiring new staff.

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Improving Retention After Hiring

Staffing doesn’t end with a job offer. To reduce turnover, you need a plan to keep employees engaged and satisfied.

Onboarding

• Provide a clear employee handbook with rules and expectations.
  
• Assign mentors or trainers to new hires.
  
• Offer orientation that explains your mission and culture.
  

Training

• Train for both skills (like taking orders) and soft skills (like communication).
  
• Offer ongoing training sessions to improve performance.
  

Work Culture

• Encourage open communication between staff and managers.
  
• Recognize top performers with rewards or praise.
  
• Schedule fairly to prevent burnout.
  

👉 Case Study: A small café in Chicago reduced turnover by 30% after introducing a mentorship program where new hires shadowed senior staff for their first two weeks.

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Technology in Hospitality Staffing

Modern hiring is no longer just paper applications. Digital tools can make staffing easier.

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Organize and review applications in one place.
  
• Scheduling Apps: Help staff see their shifts, request time off, and swap schedules. Companies we work with tend to use 7shifts.
  
• Online Training Platforms: Provide consistent onboarding and skills training.
  

Investing in technology may cost money upfront, but it saves time, reduces mistakes, and improves employee satisfaction.

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Future Trends in Hospitality Staffing

Hospitality hiring is changing quickly. Here are some trends to watch:

• More digital hiring tools like mobile job applications.
  
• Focus on diversity to build stronger teams.
  
• Flexible schedules as younger workers seek work-life balance.
  
• Increased training to reduce turnover and improve guest experiences.
  

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Resources for Hospitality Staffing

For more information, check these helpful resources:

• U.S. Department of Labor – Workplace laws and labor rights.
• StaffedUp – Best hiring software to help you build a qualified team, fast.
• National Restaurant Association – Industry insights and research.
• OSHA – Health and safety standards for food service businesses.
  

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Conclusion

Hospitality staffing is one of the most important parts of running a successful business. The employees you hire shape every guest interaction and directly impact your reputation and profits.

By focusing on traits like empathy, patience, and teamwork, weighing experience against trainability, and building a strong hiring process, you’ll attract better candidates and keep them longer. Pair this with onboarding, training, and modern tools, and you’ll have a team that supports your business goals.Hiring the right staff may take effort, but it’s one of the best investments you can make. A strong team not only keeps guests happy but also builds loyalty, reduces turnover, and creates long-term success for your restaurant or hospitality business.

Reactive or desperation hiring, which involves filling job vacancies as they arise, can have a significant impact on business productivity. When a position suddenly becomes vacant, the company is forced to divert resources and manpower to address the gap. This can disrupt workflow, decrease efficiency, and result in a decrease in overall productivity. The time and effort spent on reactive hiring can be better utilized in proactive planning and development of talent pipelines.

This type of hiring often leads to rushed decision-making. The pressure to quickly fill a position can lead to hiring someone who may not be the best fit for the role or the company culture. This can ultimately result in lower productivity and higher turnover rates as the wrong hire may require additional training or may not perform at the expected level. In contrast, proactive hiring allows employers to carefully assess candidates and select individuals who are more likely to contribute to the company’s productivity and success.

The hidden costs of reactive hiring

Reactive hiring comes with hidden costs that can negatively impact a company’s bottom line. When a position remains vacant for an extended period, the workload is often distributed among existing team members, leading to increased stress and burnout. This can result in decreased employee morale and job satisfaction, which in turn can lead to higher turnover rates.

Additionally, desperation hiring can lead to inflated recruitment costs. When a position needs to be filled urgently, companies may resort to external recruitment agencies or job boards, which often come with high fees. These costs can add up, especially if multiple positions need to be filled on short notice. In contrast, proactive hiring allows companies to build a talent pool and establish relationships with potential candidates, reducing the need for expensive external recruitment methods.

Reactive hiring can also result in lost opportunities. When a company is constantly reacting to vacancies, it may miss out on top talent who are already employed elsewhere. Proactive hiring, on the other hand, allows companies to identify and engage with potential candidates before positions become available, increasing the chances of attracting high-quality talent.

The importance of proactive hiring

Proactive hiring is crucial for companies looking to stay ahead in today’s competitive business landscape. By actively seeking out talent and building a pipeline of potential candidates, companies can reduce the time and resources spent on reactive hiring.

Proactive hiring allows companies to align their talent acquisition strategies with their long-term business goals. By identifying the skills and attributes needed for future success, companies can proactively recruit individuals who possess these qualities. This strategic approach to hiring ensures that the company has the right talent in place to drive growth and innovation.

Additionally, proactive hiring enables companies to foster a culture of continuous improvement. By constantly seeking out top talent, companies can bring in fresh perspectives and diverse skill sets, leading to increased innovation and adaptability. This proactive mindset also allows companies to be prepared for future challenges and changes in the market.

Overall, proactive hiring is essential for companies that want to be proactive, agile, and competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Benefits of proactive hiring

Proactive hiring offers numerous benefits for companies. One of the key advantages is reduced time-to-hire. By building a talent pipeline and establishing relationships with potential candidates in advance, companies can significantly shorten the time it takes to fill a position. This ensures that the company can quickly respond to vacancies and minimize disruptions to workflow.

Another benefit of proactive hiring is improved quality of hires. By carefully evaluating candidates and selecting individuals who align with the company’s values, culture, and requirements, companies can improve the overall quality of their workforce. This leads to higher productivity, lower turnover rates, and increased employee satisfaction.

Proactive hiring also allows companies to be more selective in their hiring process. Instead of settling for candidates who are available at the time of a vacancy, companies can take the time to find the best fit for the role. This results in a stronger and more skilled workforce, which in turn contributes to improved business performance.

By consistently engaging with potential candidates and showcasing the company’s values and culture, companies can attract top talent and position themselves as an employer of choice. This not only helps in attracting high-quality candidates but also in retaining existing employees who are more likely to be satisfied and engaged.

Strategies for implementing proactive hiring practices

Implementing proactive hiring practices requires a strategic approach. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Build a talent pipeline: Actively engage with potential candidates through networking events, social media platforms, and professional communities. Maintain relationships with these candidates and keep them updated about future opportunities.

2. Develop a strong employer brand: Showcase your company’s values, culture, and opportunities to attract top talent. Leverage social media platforms and employee testimonials to create a positive employer brand.

3. Invest in employee development: Nurture internal talent by providing training and development opportunities. This not only improves employee retention but also creates a pool of potential candidates for future positions.

4. Utilize data and analytics: Leverage data and analytics to identify talent trends, predict future hiring needs, and make informed decisions. This data-driven approach can help optimize the hiring process and improve the quality of hires.

By implementing these proactive hiring strategies, companies can position themselves for long-term success and overcome the limitations of reactive hiring.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reactive hiring may seem an attractive option when organizations are pressed for time or an urgent need. However, the long-term impact is costly, not just financially, but in terms of productivity, innovation, culture, and talent. To reduce the impact on the organization, proactive talent acquisition strategies should be in place. The benefits that accrue from proactive hiring are not only immediate but have lasting effects on organizations and their success.

The labor landscape in the hospitality industry has undergone significant shifts over the past year, with the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges playing a major role. As we move into 2024, it’s important for hospitality employers to keep a pulse on the latest hiring trends to navigate the labor landscape successfully. Here is a recap of some of the hiring trends from this past year to watch in the hospitality industry for 2024:

1. Technology Investment for Recruitment and Hiring

Technology will play a significant role in recruitment and hiring. Expect to see advancements in online job posting, social hiring, and candidate evaluation software. With a strong online presence, employers can connect with suitable candidates, assess skills and qualification likely to meet the requirements, and hire efficiently.

Embracing digital solutions for recruitment, onboarding, and training has been, and will continue to be a key trend. From AI-driven hiring platforms to virtual onboarding tools, technology is streamlining the hiring process.

2. Upskilling and Reskilling Employees

Upskilling and reskilling employees will become an essential part of hospitality hiring. As technology advances and the industry adapts to new norms, employees must possess new skills to keep up. Employers will prioritize training and development programs for their existing employees to grow their skill sets, resulting in their growth within the company and their contributions.

Beyond technical skills, employers are placing a high value on soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. These skills are considered essential for delivering exceptional customer service.

3. Increased Demand for Flexible Work Arrangements

The pandemic has transformed the remote work landscape, and hospitality is no exception. With workers adapting to the new norms of remote work and wanting more flexibilities, the demand for flexible work arrangements, like remote work, part-time work, and gig work, will continue to rise in 2024.

4. Inclusive Recruitment and Employee Experience

The demand for diversity and inclusion in the workforce has been amplified since the pandemic. Hospitality firms with inclusive recruitment and work cultures will attract top talents, enhance employee satisfaction, and build a positive industry reputation.

5. Increased Focus on Mental and Physical Well-being of Employees

The pandemic has led to an increased awareness of the importance of employee well-being. Hospitality employers are starting to focus on prioritizing employee mental and physical well-being. Offering health benefits, paid time off, flexible schedules, meditation sessions, and counseling services are some of the ways employers are taking steps to promote employee wellness.

6. Shortened Recruitment Timelines

2023 witnessed an increased interest in temporary and part-time work, contract work, and gig work. Employers are taking the initiative to offer short recruitment timelines for long-term hires, making it possible to get prospective candidates to fill open positions fast.

7. Higher Compensation

The hospitality industry has been underselling compensation, and it is high time compensation aligns with the value of the industry and people’s skills. Employers are offering more competitive compensation and benefits to attract and retain top talent to help bridge the talent gap.

In conclusion, hiring in the hospitality industry will go through further change in 2024. Employers must reflect on these hiring trends to navigate the labor landscape effectively. Developing innovative hiring processes and a worker-friendly work culture for employee experience and well-being is the key to success amidst the changing landscape in 2024.

Stay ahead of the game and keep refining your hiring process and employee culture to remain competitive in the hospitality industry. By keeping these hiring trends and practices at the forefront, hospitality employers will succeed in filling positions with qualified candidates and getting their business to operate seamlessly during trying times.

As a hiring manager, one of the challenging aspects of the recruitment process is turning down candidates who did not make the final cut. While it may be uncomfortable, it’s crucial to handle the rejection process with respect and professionalism. In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips to help you politely reject candidates while maintaining a positive and respectful candidate experience.

1. Be Prompt

Avoid leaving candidates waiting in limbo. Aim to send out rejection notifications as promptly as possible after making your final decision. This shows respect for their time and allows them to move forward with their job search.

2. Be Personal and Specific

Craft a personalized rejection message that acknowledges the candidate’s effort and specific qualifications. While it may be tempting to send a generic rejection template, taking the time to include specific details about their application shows that you genuinely considered their candidacy.

3. Use Empathetic Language

When communicating the rejection, use empathetic and compassioanate language to soften the impact. Express gratitude for their interest in the position and acknowledge their strengths, even if they were not the right fit for this particular role.

4. Offer Constructive Feedback (Optional)

If appropriate and if time allows, consider offering constructive feedback to aid candidates in their professional development. Highlight areas they excelled in and provide suggestions for improvement. However, be tactful and avoid criticism that may demotivate or negatively impact their confidence.

5. Keep the Door Open

End the rejection message on a positive note and convey the possibility of future opportunities. Let candidates know that although they were not selected for this specific role, you value their skills and encourage them to explore future positions within the company. This leaves the door open for potential future collaboration.

While rejecting candidates is never easy, it’s essential to handle the process with respect and professionalism. Being prompt, personal, and empathetic in your communication ensures a positive candidate experience and reflects well on your organization’s reputation. By offering constructive feedback and leaving the door open for future opportunities, you can turn a rejection into an opportunity for growth. Remember, treating candidates with respect even in rejection can have long-lasting positive impacts on your employer brand.

The following article was originally written and published to Voyage STL. Link to full article here. 

Today we’d like to introduce you to Billy Giordano.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
JP (Jeremy Phillips) and I have known each other for 25 years and started working together in the hospitality industry 20+ years ago. We respectively managed multiple locations until opening up Room 38 Restaurant & Lounge in 2008. We’ve both gone on to open and manage multiple businesses since, but StaffedUp was created out of a need for a better way to hire in our industry in 2016. We started the company with personal funds and began interviewing local developers we thought might have some information on how to start a tech company. One of these interviews led us to Startup Weekend Columbia, where we pitched, got in, worked through all hours of the night, and subsequently won the weekend. From there, we had a team, momentum, and some support in our venture. The company was founded to make hiring processes easier for restaurant owners and managers while focussing on ease of use for the applicant and employer. Our goal has always been to provide a service that our customers appreciate and enjoy using that’s affordable and helps people like ourselves run better operations. We still use StaffedUp to run our businesses to this day and will continue to improve our systems to make hiring the easiest part of running your business. We’re sincere when we say we appreciate the opportunity to help every single one of our customers. We’re tirelessly dedicated to their success just as much as we are ours.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Ha! Let’s start with the fact that we’re 2 past-time personal and athletic trainers, who loved bartending, evolved into managers, and then opened up their businesses, all of which had zero to do with tech. Our road has been uphill, mostly gravel, with massive potholes and collapsed bridges. We’ve raised capital, but that wasn’t exactly easy without much of a tech background. We did build a team, recruit a reputable board, and overcome that hurdle, but again, potholes in building our tool. It’s been a hard road with many expensive lessons learned. We’ve burned a lot of cash on bad development and trusted individuals and entire companies who didn’t deliver for us. However, we stayed focused and determined and crawled our way out of those dumpster fires. Today, we’re operating with trusted team members, contractors we’ve properly vetted and trained, and a solid direction for where we want to go as a company while staying true to our roots.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The cool thing about us is that we’re an HR service (an Applicant Tracking System) that isn’t built by your standard HR mind. We are our customers, and we build tools that our customers can relate to, enjoy using, and that work. We’re known for our customer service (we’re service industry professionals first) and for how easy it is to use our tools to get hires for your business and find work. Despite the doubt and criticism, I’m proud that we’ve stuck to our vision and let our sales, service, and product reflect who we are. Our competitors have always done things differently, so we’re doing well. Following the pack has never been our route in a highly competitive hiring market. StaffedUp is a simple tool that offers what a high-turnover employer needs to hire and onboard their team. We’re fully customizable for any employer, integrate into our customers’ brands, including their website and social media, and market your jobs for you. Our system is set up with pre-drafted job descriptions, custom message templates, and a ton of automation to make hiring easy. Our team creates hiring marketing around your brand, including social media images and printable “scan to apply” QR code hiring collateral. We even push your jobs out to local job groups and external job boards like Google Jobs and help you get those jobs ranked to get great traffic.

Aside from recruiting, we have awesome, simple digital onboarding tools to start that new hire quickly. We’re rolling out our newest release this month, which we’re excited about. For employers familiar with WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credits), and especially for those who might not be, we’re launching our pre-hire qualification and tax credit maximizing tools to help employers hire to put real cash back into their business and their stakeholder’s pockets. We do all the heavy lifting and make it easy for employers to capitalize on this incredible Federal tax program that most employers don’t participate in, leaving real money on the table. For companies already capturing tax credits like these, we’ve built tools to do it better and make it easier. Here’s a fun ROI calculator showing how we can help our customers do more than hire great staff: https://staffedup.outgrow.us/staffedup-roi-calculator

Before we go, can you talk to us about how people can work, collaborate, or support you?
Working with us is easy. We love like-minded employers and even companies in the same space. We’ve got multiple referral partners who love what we do and sell us a value add to their customers, including POS companies, advertisers, consultants, etc. In terms of support, they are keeping us top of mind and sharing our story with the massive list of employers who struggle to hire or are having issues with cash flow in their business.

Pricing:

• $29/month for our standard recruiting service / location
• $59/month for our standard recruiting service + onboarding / location
• Enterprise and multi unit services and pricing available

Contact Info:

• Website: Staffedup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staffedup/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staffedup
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10655425
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/getstaffedup
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@staffedup237