The subject comes up again and again in this column, the labor shortage is a real scourge in the restaurant industry. Lack of employees was already a popular topic before the pandemic, but believe it or not, the phenomenon has grown steadily since the start of the pandemic and despite the end of ECPs! But how can companies stand out from the crowd and continue to attract and, above all, keep them in their jobs for as long as possible?

Today we're going to show you some well-known examples that make restaurant owners no longer have to worry about this shortage. They found original solutions that allowed them to fill available positions and even ensure continuity.

First, the Roberval and Dolbeau-Mistassini branches of the A&W fast food chain found their employees ... in Cameroon! In total, the 15 foreign workers now working here full time and who, for the most part, have French as their mother tongue, have made it possible to regain full opening hours, from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday to Sunday. ! Soon, the owners even believe they will be able to open 24 hours a day, just like in the old days.

To achieve this, the owners worked with a direct seller specializing in recruiting abroad. Employees who arrive here are housed in 100% furnished accommodation and most want to become permanent residents and bring their families in in the near future.

Offering rent to employees seems to be becoming a new fad, whether it's free or not.
The owner of a restaurant in Mont-Tremblant has decided to buy a house and convert it into a rooming house, which will be available for rent to employees. These usually come from outside the province or from another region of Quebec. The house is strategically well located, close to the free shuttle and shops such as pharmacies and grocery stores.

This same owner has decided to pay all employee insurance, which is also becoming more and more common.

The proof is that a restaurateur in the greater Montreal area now offers social benefits tailored to the needs of employees rather than group insurance, thanks to the services of a Quebec start-up.

“My employees can now be reimbursed for a pair of shoes, their Netflix account or their gym membership. Instead of having insurance that they only use when they are sick, they can be reimbursed for what gives them well-being, ”Pierre-Luc Lavoie told TVA Nouvelles.

The Quebec company Tedy therefore allows employers to allocate an amount of money to their employees and select eligible expense categories, such as a gym or Netflix membership, sports equipment or food for their pet. .

For Lavoie, this is an investment that convinces some candidates to choose their company over the competitor.

At Benny & Co, which just opened its 71st branch earlier this month in Magog, the massive argument to convince the employee to stay is not the exorbitant salary, more weeks of vacation or outgoing benefits. of the ordinary.

There, we always focus on the family atmosphere, the quality of the jobs and the feeling of belonging.

And you, what would convince you to go and work for one restaurant rather than another?