New Headline: Rethinking Recruitment: Gut Thansen's Innovative Bonus Scheme
Gut Thansen, a serene getaway nestled in the heart of the Lüneburg Heath, is currently on a hiring spree for culinary talents and service personnel. The remote country hotel's homepage boasts an enticing offer, promising a recruitment bonus of up to 11,000 euros for chefs and late-night staff who commit to a three-year tenure. But why such an exceptional incentive?
"We want to ensure a stable workforce,” explains Philipp von Stumm, the hotel's managing director and former farmer-turned-educator. “We pay above market rate and also offer substantial referral bonuses when employees successfully recruit their colleagues.”
The core of Gut Thansen's hiring strategy lies in its "exceptional salaries at exceptional times" credo. Weekend hours are not just optional side work here; they come with fluctuations in the wage scale, with employees earning an additional two euros per hour and a 16-euro surcharge for late-night service.
This forward-thinking approach has born fruit. The farm has attracted two chefs and a waitress with their generous compensation package, employing the duo of recruitment strategies: financial incentives and competitive compensation plans. However, the German hospitality industry faces the challenge of labor shortages, as the demand for skilled staff outstrips supply.
But how can Gut Thansen stay a step ahead in this competitive landscape?
By embracing innovation, the hotel diversifies its workforce source, recruiting catering trainees from Indonesia and providing employee accommodation on its extensive grounds. In the advent of a housing crisis in the nearby areas, Gut Thansen prepares to expand its workforce accommodations.
“20 years ago, we used to receive around 30 applications for advertised positions. Today, we struggle to attract even a single applicant,” says von Stumm. His solution? Adopt adaptive strategies that meet the evolving needs of the workforce.
Von Stumm identifies a distinct shift in contemporary attitudes towards weekend work. Instead of prioritizing long hours, young professionals now opt for weekend leisure activities. Thus, Gut Thansen alters its corporate events and seminar schedules to cater to a more flexible workforce, shrinking the number of weddings yearly to accommodate the human resource constraints.
As the hospitality industry grapples with labor shortages, Gut Thansen illustrates how an imaginative pay structure can directly influence employee retention and satisfaction – by offering financial rewards that motivate and sustain a committed workforce.
