Many restaurant operators agree that finding and retaining qualified, motivated workers is challenging. With today’s “click-to-apply” culture, individuals can submit applications to numerous job postings within seconds. Operators are left with hundreds of applications to sift through, even if most applicants will not end up being a good match for the job—not to mention the paperwork, callbacks, and interviews that take time and money to complete.
Thankfully, there is now a modernized and efficient approach to the hiring process that can raise restaurant retention rates and make operators’ jobs easier. A Dairy Queen franchise—who happens to also be the vice president of the Michigan chapter of the Dairy Queen Operators Association in Pontiac, Michigan—turned to Sprockets and raised its retention rate to 86 percent. “I struggled post-Covid to find mature help to work on days when the students couldn’t,” says Dairy Queen owner Ryan Ignasiak. “It was also a struggle to find motivated, qualified, and serious candidates.”
Sprockets is an intelligent hiring platform designed for restaurants to address and reduce employee turnover. It uses advanced analytics and data-driven insights to optimize the hiring process and make informed decisions when selecting potential employees. Operators can access all the applicants’ data on their smartphones or computer. “Having a dashboard with everything at your fingertips simplifies and keeps you organized,” says Ignasiak. “Online capabilities remove the need for paper applications. All of the employee’s information is right in front of me.”
Sprockets’ instant alerts feature enables managers to streamline the hiring process. Operators can reach out to high-scoring applicants as soon as Sprockets notifies them. “I get notifications of activity as it happens. I can respond quickly to candidates, take notes, and update status on the same platform,” says Ignasiak. By utilizing Sprockets’ automated tools, restaurant managers can optimize their hiring practices, ensuring a more efficient and effective recruitment process.
Sprockets can identify candidates who are not only qualified for the job but also aligned with the restaurant’s culture and values. Instead of traditional interview questions that many applicants have rehearsed the answers to, Sprockets asks a simple, three-question survey to determine whether they would be a good fit. Comparing their responses to the survey to the current top-performing employees, Sprockets categorizes and rates applicants into three tiers; poor, fair, or a good match. “The ratings have helped us reduce potential time wasted on those that may not fit our business approach/model,” says Ignasiak.
The calculated approach helps to improve the quality of hires and enhance employee satisfaction, ultimately reducing turnover rates. “I have hired 14 applicants that have come in through Sprockets and 12 of them are still with us,” says Ignasiak.
Sprockets’ platform is a beneficial resource for restaurant operators and hiring managers. It gives them the tools and insights to build a more stable and prosperous workforce.
Check out the Sprockets website to learn how to transform your hiring process.
By Olivia Schuster
