Staff recruitment and retention is a challenge for many clubs, particularly for those of us in regional areas of the state. So, our Club decided to think outside the box when it came to attracting new staff and retaining those we already have.
To begin with, we purchased a four-bedroom unit which currently houses three of our staff members. The rent is about 20 per cent below the present market rate. We also introduced new employee benefits, including employee referral bonuses of $250, free gym memberships for staff, a 70 per cent discount on staff meals, and a split shift allowance of an extra $20.
We were struggling to attract apprentice chefs, so we now offer adult apprentice wages to junior apprentices. Once we introduced this, we went from having no first-year apprentices to having four in our kitchen!
Now that tourism in our region has virtually returned to pre-COVID levels, we need to make sure we have enough staff on deck to cope with the influx of trade, so continually investing in our employees has been key. At its peak, the town can host around 20,000 people — five times our population of 4000!
I would highly recommend other clubs take a similar approach to staff recruitment and retention. Based on our experience, it is well worth it.
