Yes — using staffing companies to hire restaurant workers can be advisable, but whether it’s the right choice for your business depends on your goals, timing, and budget. Here’s a clear breakdown of the pros, cons, and practical tips so you can decide what’s best for your operation. When Using Staffing Companies Makes Sense 1. You Need People Fast Restaurants often face urgent short-staffing — whether for rush season, a sudden resignation, or peak service shifts. Staffing agencies can deliver candidates quickly, sometimes within days. Great for: line cooks, dishwashers, servers, hosts, bussers, prep cooks. You Don’t Have HR Bandwidth If hiring isn’t something you want to own end-to- end, staffing companies can: Screen applicants Handle initial interviews Do background checks Manage payroll or temp payroll This saves time — especially valuable if your leadership team wears many hats. Seasonal / Temporary Needs Restaurants in seasonal markets (e.g., summer tourism in Long Island, Hamptons) benefit from flexible staffing. You can scale up for peak and scale down without long-term commitment. HIRING RESTAURANT STAFF THROUGH AGENCIES: What Owners Need to Know
❌ Common Downsides to Staffing Agencies 1. Higher Cost Agencies charge fees — often a percentage of the worker’s wage, or markup on how much you pay the employee. This can make labor more expensive than hiring directly. 2. Less Control Over Hiring Since the agency manages the hiring funnel: You may get workers with less alignment to your culture. Skill levels can vary. Agency workers sometimes rotate frequently.
Page 26 | HOSPITALITY NEWS JAN
Powered by FlippingBook