How can you reduce absenteeism in your restaurant?

Deploy a winning team and say goodbye to catering absences!

In the demanding foodservice sector, staff management is a constant battle. Every absence can leave your service reeling, and your guests hungry for more. But don't worry, we've got the recipe for you! 

In this article, we reveal our top tips for preventing absences and orchestrating unstoppable staff management. From commitment and motivation to ingenious strategies, discover how to forge a close-knit team that ensures your restaurant's success. 

What is absenteeism at work?

Absenteeism in the workplace, which can be found across the board in all professional sectors including the foodservice industry, is the scourge of unjustified absences, chronic lateness and surprise leave. It's as if your favorite employee's chair were inexplicably empty! Here's a look at the legal aspects of absenteeism in the workplace.

What does the law say? 

In France, legislation imposes several obligations and grants rights to both employers and employees when it comes to absenteeism. Here are a few essential points to bear in mind:

• Compulsory declaration of absences: the employer is entitled to demand proof of absence from work, even for a single day.

All absences must be justified, regardless of duration or reason.

• Salary compensation during sick leave: During a period of absence due to illness, the employee may receive daily social security benefits, which may be supplemented by the employer in accordance with the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
• Combating abusive absenteeism: Employers have the right to monitor abusive or repeated absences by their employees. Procedures can be put in place to prevent and manage such situations.
• Preventive measures: Employers are strongly encouraged to take preventive measures to reduce absenteeism. This can include implementing a policy of occupational risk prevention, promoting well-being at work and creating a supportive environment.

Calculating absenteeism rates

Wondering how to calculate the absenteeism rate? Here's the formula to apply: Absenteeism rate = 100 * (number of employees absent * number of days absent * number of daily hours worked) / (total number of employees in the department * number of monthly days worked * number of daily hours worked)

Here's an illustrated example to help you. Let's take the case of a restaurant with 15 employees over a one-month period. 

The employees work full-time, i.e. 7 hours a day, for a theoretical number of working days of 22 days a month. The employee in question is absent for 5 days over the period (22 days/month).

When calculating the absence rate for this employee, here's how to do it:

• Total hours of employee absence over the period: 7 hours x 5 days = 35 hours of absence
• Total theoretical presence of employees over the period: 7 hours x 22 days x 15 employees = 2,310 hours of theoretical presence
• Absenteeism rate: (35 / 2,310) x 100 = 1.51%.

Background to recruitment difficulties

Employee absenteeism in the foodservice sector represents a considerable challenge, amplified by a difficult recruitment context.

And with good reason: in an industry where working hours are often unusual and conditions demanding, frequent absences can quickly upset the balance of an establishment. And the staff shortages resulting from these absences have a direct impact on service quality and guest satisfaction.

Unfortunately, the foodservice industry is facing a shortage of skilled labor, which makes recruiting new employees even more difficult. Professionals in this field have to deal with a limited pool of potential candidates and a high rate of staff turnover.

Nevertheless, finding solutions to prevent and manage absenteeism is crucial to maintaining a constant level of performance. This means putting in place appropriate internal policies, such as incentives to motivate employees, ongoing training programs to enhance their skills, and transparent communication to encourage staff commitment and loyalty.

👉 Going further: 9 tips for finding restaurant staff

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What are the 7 reasons for absenteeism at work?

The reasons for an employee's absence from work can vary, from illness to stress, demotivation or personal problems.

1. Force majeure

Unforeseen and unavoidable events, such as the death of a loved one, can lead to an employee's absence.

2. Temporary health problems or disabilities

Health problems, whether physical or mental, can lead to prolonged absences from work. In addition, temporary incapacity due to injury or illness may also require periods of convalescence.

3. Accidents at work

Accidents in the workplace can also lead to absence during the recovery period.

4. Hard work

Difficult or arduous working conditions can increase the risk of absenteeism, as employees may experience excessive fatigue or be exposed to health risks. This can manifest itself in a variety of ways, such as long and irregular working hours, physically demanding tasks, excessive workloads or hazardous working environments.

5. Time constraints

Difficulties in reconciling professional and personal obligations can lead to absences. For example, problems related to childcare or family responsibilities may necessitate time off. This is particularly the case in the catering industry, with work on weekends, public holidays and evenings.

6. Compensation

Inadequate remuneration can have a significant impact on absenteeism from work. When employees feel that their pay is inadequate, or experience delays in payment, their motivation can suffer considerably, sometimes leading them to take time off work.

7. No HR strategy

The absence of sound HR strategies and effective management can lead to reduced motivation and increased absenteeism.

Poor management manifests itself in vague expectations, lack of support and recognition, and poor communication. These factors contribute to discouraging employees, leaving them feeling disconnected and unappreciated in their day-to-day tasks. What's more, the absence of well-defined HR policies creates an unstimulating work environment, not conducive to professional fulfillment.

It is therefore imperative for restaurant managers to adopt a proactive approach to human resources management. Competent management, based on open communication, autonomy and recognition, has a significant impact on employee motivation and reduces absenteeism.

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How to manage and prevent absenteeism in the foodservice industry?

Tackling absenteeism in the foodservice industry is a major challenge, but it's far from impossible! Here are some hard-hitting tips for managing and preventing absenteeism in your establishment.

Adjusting working hours

First of all, let's think about working hours. Imagine a 4-day week for your employees, with flexible working hours and well thought-out shift rotations. This will give them greater job satisfaction and reduce the number of reasons for absence. 

👉 Going further: the 4-day week in catering

Compensation policy

Secondly, don't underestimate the importance of an attractive remuneration policy in your restaurant. Offer competitive salaries, attractive benefits and career development opportunities. This will encourage your employees to remain loyal and feel valued, thus reducing the temptation to leave!

Paying attention to your team

Pay special attention to your employees, because they are at the heart of your business. By taking care of them, you' ll encourage their commitment to their work.

Make sure you regularly monitor their well-being. If one of your waiters seems to be depressed, take him aside and ask him what's wrong. Your employees will appreciate your concern for them.

Becoming a good restaurant manager requires learning skills such as listening, communicating and understanding your employees. In addition, it will also help you understand what can affect a waiter's performance. That way, you can anticipate the next shift and help them feel better as quickly as possible.

Supporting the team

To support your employees, it's essential to know each member of your team, their motivations and their objectives, so that you can best meet their needs.

For example, if one of your waiters aspires to become a room manager, offer them training opportunities to help them progress. Be there to encourage and support them, because they'll thank you for it.

All these aspects are crucial to creating a favorable and positive atmosphere within your establishment. This will help reduce staff turnover, which is often high in the foodservice industry. What's more, your employees will be motivated, smiling and giving their best. Customers will feel this positive energy, which will be beneficial for the long-term future of your establishment.

Digitizing the point of sale to help your employees

Digitizing your point of sale can make staff management a whole lot easier. And why? Because an optimized establishment saves time, and makes your teams' day-to-day work easier!

This modernization will simplify processes and improve organization, minimizing errors and delays. 

That's what Innovorder offers with its digital solutions for checkout, order-taking, kitchen preparation and control.

For example, have you thought about :

• Strengthen your order-taking team with an order terminal?
• Can you handle more orders simultaneously and save your teams time with a tabletop ordering system?
• Install a production screen in the kitchen to make life easier for your cooks?

For example, Ludovic is located near a cinema and has to serve his customers quickly. He has chosen to delegate the entire order-taking process to his customers, enabling him to manage rushes even with a small team.

👉 Find out more: How Bozzolo manages high volumes with low staffing levels

Reducing absenteeism in the catering industry is a crucial objective for restaurants, as it has a direct impact on operational efficiency, profitability and the ability to offer quality service to customers. By applying the above tips, it's a challenge that can be met! 

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Would you like solutions to strengthen your teams and support them in reducing absenteeism? Contact an Innovorder expert for personalized advice!