The culinary world hasn't fully recovered from pre-pandemic turnover levels yet
The food service sector, encompassing establishments like pubs, is still grappling with lower-than-preferred employment turnover rates. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, sector turnover next September was 12.6% lower compared to September 2019, following an adjustment for prices. The workforce shrank by 6.7% in this same span - there was an especially noticeable decline of 12% in the beverage-serving sector.
September saw particularly poor sales for pubs, reporting a turnover drop of 34.5% when compared to the same period in 2019. Even when compared to September 2021, it still showed a decrease of 6.2%.
The statistics office offered an explanation, stating that job prospects play a significant role in the staffing struggle. Early October 2022, revealed that half of workers in the sector earned wages below the country's low wage threshold. This proportion is doubly low in other markets.
Turnover in the food service sector in September was marginally closer to pre-crisis levels when compared to the same month in 2019. However, before the pandemic, the sector consistently maintained a higher turnover rate.
Challenges in the food service sector persist, including:
- Low wages and insufficient benefits
- Volatile and unpredictable work hours
- Poor management and inadequate leadership
- Limited opportunities for career advancement
- High-stress environments
- Lack of training and development
These factors contribute to an ongoing brain drain in the industry, making it challenging for businesses to maintain a stable workforce. Despite reasonable wages offered by some businesses and exceptional compensation and benefits packages in specific companies, such as Gordon Food Service, these issues remain widespread challenges in the food service sector.
