Local Perspective: Hiring in Hospitality

The hospitality industry is very important to the success of our North Fulton economy. Our cities depend on a vibrant local hotel/motel industry, coupled with success in the restaurant/bar and special event world. In order for this industry to flourish, owners need a reliable workforce to sustain their businesses.  The North Fulton Improvement Network recently sat down with RO Hospitality CEO, Ryan Pernice, to get his insight into how his restaurants have weathered the COVID storm while facing the challenge of retaining employees.

RP: Our industry has always pulled from a labor force that was maybe using restaurant work as a means to some other end. Maybe they were working in restaurants while they circled around their nursing degree, or they were really trying to make a go as an actor, or something like that, so there’s a large swath of people who said, “Maybe it’s time I really tried for that extra degree or go back to school" or what have you.

RP: There are many folks who are still hesitant working in these frontline, essential positions. We are more exposed typically than those who work from home. So there are still people who either themselves are worried about contracting any sort of illness or passing it onto their kids or parents. We went from a staff of 120 to about 40. We joked that it was like being hazed, but you come out of the end more tied together for having been through the battle. This is the worst hiring situation I've seen in my 25 years of doing this.

The RO Hospitality group has been very focused on retaining their staff by limiting their schedules to 40 hours, adding health insurance and profit-sharing plans, and even cutting restaurant hours to avoid burnout. Ryan and his team have stepped up in a big way to support families with prepared meals during the height of COVID when schools were closed, and he keeps his finger on the pulse of his staff to honor their loyalty.

Watch the full Fireside Chat here.