By Peter Farrell
09/01/2022
The hospitality sector has taken a major hit following the pandemic and this has meant that restaurants are struggling to recruit staff. This is also where hospitality consultants are changing the game by turning their sights on international waters to fill the gaps.
With research suggesting that 10% of hospitality workers actually abandoned the industry in 2020, more venues are turning to international talent recruitment to fill integral roles in their kitchens, from “chef de partie” roles and above.
If you’re thinking about doing the same, it is important you follow the right steps to ensure you’re not only bringing in the right people – but that you’re bringing them in the right way. This means getting all the paperwork right, paying the appropriate fees and making sure your business can carry out the sponsorship duties required. This can be a bit of a handful, but it can also be very worthwhile.
Before taking the leap, we’ll help you make your decision by outlining some of the advantages and disadvantages of filling your posts with international talent.
The Advantages of International Talent Recruitment
Before you put out the “help wanted” ads, let’s look at some of the advantages of this option so you can decide if it’s right for you.
Lower Staff Turnover
At the moment, with more people exiting the industry due to concerns about job security and the impact of further, potential lockdowns, it can be hard to keep staff. High staff turnover can be a real challenge because it puts additional pressure on restaurants to continuously train staff who are more likely to make mistakes due to them not being in post for very long. Furthermore, with more venues booking up weeks in advance, restaurants are relying on being fully staffed to deal with the demand.
When hiring international candidates via hospitality consultants, you’re investing in staff with higher retention rates, which reduces that turnover. Dedicated workers stick around and become more skilled, which continues to benefit the business.
What is more, these professionals have chosen to uproot their lives to begin work in another country and this often means that they’re more loyal to the restaurant that they will eventually call home. What could be more appealing in this market than loyal staff?
Lower Costs
By decreasing the cost of training (due to high turnover) and ensuring that your business is being run by staff who want to work hard to improve their overall quality of life, you’re going to be benefiting from a cheaper overall workforce.
Diversity
Perhaps one of the most exciting advantages of dipping into the international pool with the help of hospitality consultants is the fact that you’re going to be adding a very diverse cultural base to your brigade.
Bigger Talent Pool
When you’re drawing talent from an international pool, as well as a local one, you’re increasing the chances of getting staff that are more talented, harder working and generally better for business.
The Disadvantages of International Talent Recruitment
Before you can bring over your international talent, you’ll need to make sure that you’re doing everything by the book – this means covering the cost of the visas and fees. Of course, hospitality consultants can take you through everything you need to know about the Sponsor License Application, Work Visa Application and the Certificate of Sponsorship, but you need to be prepared to fork out for the initial costs.
Filling the Gaps with Hospitality Consultants
Weighing the pros and cons of going international when it comes to filling your vacancies can be tricky because there’s a lot to navigate along the way, but it could also be the best decision your business has ever made. You don’t need to struggle to recruit the best of the best – you just need to make sure you’re looking in the right place and that is precisely where hospitality consultants can help. Get in touch today!