Some employers are finding the traditional process of hiring employees ineffective. Digital hiring platforms have made it easy to find employees and fulfill the need for more staff.
The conventional way of hiring used to happen through HR and hiring managers after reviewing the stacks of resumes. Managers would look through piles of resumes and go through many interviews just to find their perfect candidate. Thanks to digital hiring platforms and social media networks, it is easier for hiring managers to discover who they need.
Digital hiring platforms now give employers the option to search for potential candidates worldwide through their list of connections on LinkedIn. Employers can reach out to their potential candidates instead of waiting for workers to apply to the job postings.
Virtual hiring helped save restaurant owners
After the pandemic, many employers were desperate for more workers, especially those in the hospitality industry, such as food and beverage, restaurants, hotels, bars, and more. The labor shortage is still in play, and restaurant owners are experimenting with various virtual hiring platforms.
According to Beef O’ Brady’s CEO Chris Elliot, “Beef O’ Brady’s entire system has been impacted by the tight labor market, with about 25% of its restaurants seriously impacted and 5% critically impacted.”2
As reported by Julie Littman, a reporter from Restaurant Dive, 40% of restaurants were understaffed and were short of, on average, a dozen employees.3 Quick-service restaurants are also struggling to fill in their staffing gaps.
LinkedIn, Indeed, and more
Thanks to digital hiring platforms such as LinkedIn, Workstream, Harri, and Indeed, it has helped with the staffing issues restaurants have been having since the pandemic. Although the labor shortage is still in full swing, restaurant owners have found it easier to fill in some spots.
Virtual interviews and digital training platforms have made the recruitment and hiring process quicker and easier. Hiring managers can post about a job posting on its social media page or personally reach out to a potential employee.
Once the employees are hired, digital training platforms have shortened the time restaurant owners need to spend on onboarding and training. Afterward, hiring managers can gather their top picks for group interviews via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, or schedule meetings with them separately. Our digital training blog has more information on this topic.
Social media
Social media platforms have helped fast-food chains like Sonic be fully staffed in its 3,500 locations. Eddie Saroch, Sonic’s chief operating officer, said, “Sonic’s human resources team is using social media recruitment campaigns, referral bonus programs, and other digital tools to increase awareness of open roles.”4
Sonic has also been offering mobile-friendly applications and open interview hours. Open interviews help them get a surge of potential employees to walk in with their resumes while going through the interview process. This helps cut down scheduled interview times.
Why open interviews? Eddie Saroch believes that the fewer time candidates spend doing paperwork and answering generic application questions, they can use that time to learn about the Sonic brand to become the ideal candidate and employees.5
Other brands, such as H&M, have recently posted that it is having a national hiring day on their social media pages. Posting this is to announce to people who follow the brand’s social media pages to apply for available positions.
Because social media can reach millions of people within seconds, brands should utilize social media platforms more when looking to fix their staffing problems during the labor shortage.
Building a solid digital recruitment strategy
According to Beth Hudson, a writer for Recruitee Blog, Hudson states that digital recruitment helps increase worker productivity, decrease absenteeism, reduce burnout, reduce turnover, explore more expansive talent pools, and have better employer branding. With these benefits, it is essential to have a solid digital recruitment strategy.6
Consistency
Consistency is key to building a solid digital recruitment strategy. Being consistent with posting, interacting with followers, and having consistent content is essential. This helps build your business’s voice and image.
Therefore, pick the medium of where you want to post and when. Be sure to follow the demand of your followers and understand what they would like to look for. Once you have decided which option is best for your business, keep doing it.
Strong social media presence
Building a solid social media presence is essential for posting job listings on your business’s social media pages. Social media has become a crucial part of creating the success of many companies worldwide.
Popular social media platforms used most for job postings include Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. On the rise, TikTok is also being used as a digital recruiting platform. Some brands encourage their candidates to post 15-second and 60-second videos of candidates explaining their resumes and why they want to work for the business.
Goliath Consulting Group is a restaurant consultancy group based in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information on our services, visit http://www.goliathconsulting.com or email us at getresults@goliathconsulting.com