To Land the Best Food & Beverage Professionals, Send Them Packing

June 1, 2015 in HR Best Practices

 

 

Packing for vacation, that is!

Vacations are essential for hard-working professionals to recharge, refocus and renew their commitment to doing an exceptional job for you. But as a nation, we do a really poor job of offering adequate vacation time.

Unlike many other countries, the U.S. does not legislate or regulate minimum amounts of paid time off for its workers. As a result, many U.S. employers offer a week or two of paid vacation, while our European and Australian counterparts offer five or six!

That doesn’t sound right, does it?

But what is  the “right amount” of vacation time to offer a promising food & beverage candidate? The answer is: it depends. Here are a few factors to consider:

  • What kind of an employer brand do you want to have? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, workers with 1 year of service received 10 days of paid vacation in 2012. In today’s employment market, can you afford to characterize your food & beverage organization as “average”? A generous vacation offer says a ton about who you are as an employer – and how much you value your team. Make sure your offer sends the right message.
  • Is your “vacation time” really vacation time? Or are sick and personal days lumped into the mix? Although the way you break down vacation time is entirely up to your organization (traditional systems are still common, but PTO bank-type systems are becoming increasingly popular), rest assured that savvy job seekers will do their homework – and scrutinize how your package compares with other offers they’re receiving.
  • For what level role are you recruiting? Frankly, today’s top professionals value work/life satisfaction and want generous vacation benefits when making a job change. And the higher the role, the higher their expectations typically are. Just how high? In many cases, Kinsa clients offer three or four weeks when making an offer to experienced senior food & beverage executives.
  • What’s the ROI? Offering more vacation days may seem like an expensive proposition, but it also yields a host of benefits. It’s a great recruiting tool – helping you to attract higher caliber talent. And over the long-term, your vacation-taking employees will be more productive, focused and committed to stay working for you.

The moral of this story? To land the best food & beverage candidates, send them packing (for vacation, that is). Offer a generous package – including the benefits high performers want most – from day one, and then encourage your team to take the time away from work they really need.

Experts in executive food & beverage recruiting, Kinsa has developed a comprehensive search and assessment process to deliver exceptional food & beverage candidates who will thrive long-term in your organization. Contact us today to learn more.