Staff shortages in the restaurant industry: an overview

Every year, as the summer season approaches, all eyes turn to the hotel and restaurant sector. An industry with a long tradition in France, it is a major player in tourism and one of the main drivers of the national economy; it is in fact the 6th-largest employer and the leading recruiter in our country. But this sector often faces a complex problem: a staff shortage affecting service quality, customer satisfaction and business profitability. And while demand for food service continues to grow, many establishments struggle to recruit and retain employees to meet this demand.

Exacerbated by various economic, social and health-related factors, this phenomenon raises major challenges for restaurateurs. That is why, in this new article, we will analyse the reasons for this labour shortage and the solutions to consider to address it.

Staff shortages in the restaurant industry in a few figures

The restaurant sector has always faced recruitment difficulties: these are illustrated by restaurateurs surveyed by KPMG, Gira and L’Addition, with 83% of them reporting recruitment difficulties since Covid-19. This has also led employers to rethink their strategies, notably by increasing salaries in 48% of cases and offering more flexible working hours in 54% of cases in order to attract and retain employees.

However, these measures do not appear to have borne fruit yet, as in this context, at the end of 2022, the Union of Hotel Trades and Industries (UMIH) estimated that there were between 200,000 and 300,000 job vacancies to fill in France. These recruitment difficulties are not new, but they have clearly intensified.

What are the causes of this labour shortage ?

Here are some of the reasons behind staff moving to other sectors and the shortage of staff in restaurants :

• Overly restrictive working hours : weekend work, night shifts, split shifts, time off at different times of the year... The sector's working hours are one of the least attractive aspects of the profession, as they make it difficult to balance professional and personal life.
• Changing employee expectations following the pandemic : the crisis prompted citizens to question their relationship with work, leading to changing mindsets and a desire to maintain a healthier balance between their professional and personal lives.
• Insufficient salaries : At the beginning of the year, in order to make this sector, which is struggling to recruit, more attractive again, employers' organisations and trade unions reached an agreement to revise minimum salary scales upwards. Applied since last April, this increase is nevertheless seen as insufficient by industry professionals because employees who were paid above the collectively agreed minimum did not see any difference. Sunday bonuses, a thirteenth-month salary, profit-sharing or incentive bonuses... other solutions must be considered so that workers in the sector receive appropriate remuneration.
• Lack of recognition from management: according to a study conducted by YOOBIC, a platform for digitising tasks, communication and training for frontline teams, 44% of employees in the sector do not feel valued by their management. 
• Limited career advancement opportunities: a lack of internal promotions and advancement prospects leads to a lack of long-term commitment and motivation among staff.
• A high rate of illnesses and workplace accidents : according to figures published in March 2024, France's Health Insurance records nearly 1,500,000 working days lost per year. In addition, professionals in the traditional restaurant and hotel sector are off work for an average of 76 days due to workplace accidents and 365 days due to occupational illnesses.

To retain workers and recruit qualified staff, seeking employee well-being by creating a supportive work environment is becoming non-negotiable. Successful onboarding, prevention of occupational risks, recognition, training and career advancement opportunities, more balanced working-time arrangements... are all effective levers for improving these working conditions, which are so widely criticised today.

Shoes For Crews, as a leader in slip-resistant work shoes, can support you in your risk prevention policy. Our professional shoes adapt to the stylistic needs of different uniforms while enabling businesses to protect their employees. We invite you to contact our team of experts, who will prepare a proposal tailored to your staff.