The challenge to fill staff positions has hit top gear with Australian Venue Co offering sign-on bonuses of up to $1,000 in a bid to secure workers to operate the group’s 150 pubs around Australia.
The second wave of the pandemic in Victoria struck a second blow when operators began reopening to find a critical lack of skilled labour, largely due to the absence of backpackers and skilled visa holders, but also a result of poaching from states that opened again earlier.
David Canny, president of AHA Victoria says the shortage spans all skill levels and is preventing some venues from reopening, with others closing for days at a time as the staff they have desperately need a break.
Australian Venue Co (AVC) reports that before the pandemic around a quarter of its staff were visa-holders. The company kept paying over 60 of these workers, who were in eligible for JobKeeper, simply to keep them in the country.
It is now offering bonuses for new staff, ranging from $200 for starters to the industry up to $1,000 for experienced duty managers and chefs. The bonus is payable after 12 weeks of work. AVC suggests it is a “small price to pay” for being able to open venues and generate revenue.
While most of the job ads currently being seen in hospitality circles seek people with two-plus years’ experience, AVC determined help was needed across the board. Already the group has welcomed over 90 newcomers through this initiative and expects numbers will surpass 250.
“We thought as a large player we need to do more to train and develop new people to join our great industry,” explains CEO Paul Waterson. “I have been overwhelmed with the positivity and energy of the new members of the team.
“One of our venue managers, Bart Furst, always used the mantra ‘Hire for will, train for skill’. We have adopted that slogan across our venues with a week-long paid intensive training course for new hires. Following this the majority of the team can pour a beer much better than me.”
The widespread lack of suitable employees is affecting all hospitality, particularly pubs and restaurants, and pundits expect the desperation of employers will inevitably drive up wages, and subsequently food and drink prices.
AHA Vic is calling on the Federal Government to allow people on JobSeeker to work shifts in hospitality without their payments being reduced, in the hope of attracting more of the unemployed into the game.
AVC’s strategy of attract and train sees new hires buddied within a venue with a mentor, where they are guided into new skills essential for the roles, notably resilience, patience, understanding and great customer service.
“These are skills that will be of enduring use to them whether they remain in the industry long-term or leave to become lawyers or doctors in the future,” offers Waterson.
“Ultimately, even if they are with us for a short period we want to position our industry as a great place to work, meet lifelong mates and have a bit of fun. I am always surprised with how many senior executives I meet from outside our industry who started their working lives in one of our pubs.”
