5. Easing the labor shortage
Filling jobs continues to be a huge challenge for noncommercial chefs, complicated by the application process and other criteria, says Matthew Cervay, system executive chef for Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania. A dishwasher wants to start working right away, but it takes over two months to get the background checks done, drug testing and other pre-employment tasks, he says. Cervay is working with HR to speed the process for certain BOH positions and creating more meaningful benefits packages. “Vacation time is not important to all employees; some just don’t understand the concept,” he says. But they do understand training to improve skill level, pay raises and other benefits.