How can I find staff in hospitality as a small business?

Rely on several channels at once: your own careers page, social networks, referrals from your team and partnerships with vocational schools. Small businesses often score with a personal atmosphere and short decision-making paths, which you should emphasise in your outreach.

What matters most in hospitality recruiting?

Speed and honesty are decisive. Respond quickly to applications and describe the role realistically. This avoids disappointment after the start and keeps employees in the business for longer.

How do I retain employees for the long term?

Reliable rotas, appreciation, fair pay and development prospects are the most important levers. Well-organised, digitally supported workflows also reduce stress and contribute noticeably to satisfaction.

Is a dedicated careers page worthwhile for my restaurant?

Yes, a careers page gives you control over how you present yourself and lets applicants apply from mobile devices at any time. It looks professional and strengthens your employer brand in the long run.

Finding Staff in Hospitality: How to Hire and Retain People Despite the Skills Shortage

By the gastronomx editorial teamUpdated in June 2026Reading time approx. 5 min

Finding staff in hospitality is the single biggest challenge for many businesses. Open positions stay unfilled for weeks, while experienced workers move on to other industries. This guide shows you which channels reach applicants, how to build a strong employer brand and how to keep your team for the long term.

Why Finding Staff in Hospitality Is So Difficult

Hospitality no longer competes only with other restaurants for good employees but with the entire labour market. Industries with regular hours, remote-work options and predictable weekends seem more attractive to many applicants. Anyone who wants to find staff must understand that it is not only about pay but about the whole package of working hours, appreciation and prospects.

On top of that, many qualified workers moved into other fields over recent years and are not coming back. Seasonal swings, evening and weekend shifts and physically demanding work make the search even harder. Businesses that speak openly about this reality and offer targeted countermeasures stand out noticeably from the competition.

Channels for Reaching Employees

If you want to find staff in hospitality, you should use several channels at once rather than relying on a single job ad. Different target groups gather in different places, and younger applicants in particular respond more strongly to personal outreach than to classic listings.

Post job ads on industry-specific job boards and on general platforms so you reach both professionals and career changers.
Use social networks like Instagram and TikTok to draw authentic attention to open roles with short behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Activate your existing team through a referral programme, because employees often know suitable contacts in their own circles.
Address guests directly by discreetly pointing to career opportunities on the menu, at the entrance or on your website.
Cooperate with vocational schools, hospitality colleges and training institutions to meet young talent early on.
Maintain your own careers page on your website where applicants can apply easily and from any mobile device at any time.

Building an Attractive Employer Brand

A strong employer brand decides whether applicants reach out to you at all. It is not built on empty promises but on a working environment that employees are happy to recommend. Show honestly what your business stands for and make your advantages visible to the outside world.

What Makes a Good Employer Brand

Reliable, fairly planned rotas that offer enough lead time and take private commitments into account.
A culture of appreciation in which performance is recognised and feedback is given regularly.
Transparent opportunities for advancement and training that open real prospects beyond the current position.
Fair and comprehensible pay along with clearly communicated extras such as meals or employee discounts.
A modern, well-organised working environment in which processes run smoothly and frustration is avoided.
Respectful teamwork that is marked by mutual support even during stressful service periods.

It is essential that the picture you paint matches reality. When new employees experience in everyday work what they were promised, they stay longer and actively recommend your business. That way your employer brand becomes the most sustainable recruiting tool of all.

The Recruiting Process in Practice

A clearly structured recruiting process ensures that you do not lose suitable applicants through long waiting times. In hospitality, speed matters in particular, because good people often have several offers at once.

First define exactly which tasks, working hours and requirements the role involves before you draft an advertisement.
Write an honest, appealing job description that names benefits concretely and sets realistic expectations.
Respond to incoming applications within a few days to signal interest and stay in the running.
Hold a personal interview and ideally schedule a short trial shift so both sides can get to know each other.
Make a decision quickly and present a clear, written offer with all the important terms.
Design the onboarding in a structured way so new employees feel welcome and secure from day one.

How Digital, Relieving Workflows Retain the Team

Employees stay where the work is well organised and unnecessary stress is avoided. Digital tools relieve your team noticeably: when reservations, orders and menus are managed centrally and in several languages, misunderstandings decrease and staff can focus on the guest. With gastronomx you bundle a digital menu, your own website, online reservation, review management, online ordering as well as vouchers and loyalty programmes in one platform from a single source.

Smooth workflows have a double effect: they make daily life more pleasant for your team and at the same time strengthen your employer brand to the outside world. A modern, well-digitalised business signals to applicants that work here is professional and forward-looking. In this way gastronomx supports you not only in finding staff but also in retaining them for the long term.

Frequently asked questions

How can I find staff in hospitality as a small business?: Rely on several channels at once: your own careers page, social networks, referrals from your team and partnerships with vocational schools. Small businesses often score with a personal atmosphere and short decision-making paths, which you should emphasise in your outreach.
What matters most in hospitality recruiting?: Speed and honesty are decisive. Respond quickly to applications and describe the role realistically. This avoids disappointment after the start and keeps employees in the business for longer.
How do I retain employees for the long term?: Reliable rotas, appreciation, fair pay and development prospects are the most important levers. Well-organised, digitally supported workflows also reduce stress and contribute noticeably to satisfaction.
Is a dedicated careers page worthwhile for my restaurant?: Yes, a careers page gives you control over how you present yourself and lets applicants apply from mobile devices at any time. It looks professional and strengthens your employer brand in the long run.

Relieve Your Team with gastronomx

Digital menu, reservation, ordering and more from a single source: gastronomx simplifies your workflows and makes your business more attractive to employees and guests alike.

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