Optimizing the hiring process in the quick-service restaurant industry.
Hiring suitable candidates can be a make-or-break factor for success in the restaurant industry. In today’s click-to-apply culture, restaurant operators may receive hundreds of applications in minutes, and many of them would not be good hires. Sorting through applications takes time and energy, not to mention the interview process applicants have prepared answers for, making it hard to tell if they will fit in with the existing crew.
Michell Enterprises, LLC, a franchisee with 28 McDonald’s locations in the Northeast U.S., faced a handful of challenges regarding the hiring process. Their primary concerns were high turnover rates and finding candidates who seamlessly fit the culture at each location.
Jim Kennedy, director of operations at Michell Enterprises, turned to Sprockets, an innovative hiring solution that has transformed their recruitment process.
Addressing hiring challenges head-on, Sprockets automatically evaluates applicants based on their responses to three quick questions. The platform uses natural language processing to identify shared personality traits with each location’s top performers and scores them from zero to ten. This simple scoring system makes it easy for managers to see which applicants are most likely to succeed and stay long-term.
Using Sprockets, operators can find and hire employees who will fit in with the existing staff, resulting in a more engaged employee who feels comfortable at work. Gallup research found employees who are “engaged and thriving” are 59 percent less likely to look for a job with a different organization in the next 12 months.
One of the standout features of Sprockets is the real-time alerts. Managers get instant notifications via text message or email as soon as an ideal candidate fills out an application. This feature significantly reduces the time between application submission and initial contact. “A big plus is the alerts that the general and hiring managers get so they can contact applicants quickly. The feature has reduced the apply-to-contact and apply-to-hire times while allowing us to contact a candidate faster than the competitors they’ve applied to, giving us a better chance of hiring a great individual,” says Kennedy.
After initially implementing the platform across six locations, Michell Enterprises saw a substantial decrease in 90-day turnover rates. “We reduced 90-day turnover to 34 percent and shift leader 90-day turnover to zero. We finally achieved and maintained optimal staffing levels,” says Kennedy. “With positive feedback from the GMs and hiring managers, we rolled it out in the entire organization.”
In an industry where turnover rates often present a persistent challenge, Michell Enterprises, LLC has showcased that optimal staffing and employee retention are achievable with the right tools and strategies. Starting with the right candidate is of great importance. Sprockets has become the foundation of their recruitment strategy, setting the standard for assembling high-performing and cohesive teams.
Michell Enterprises’ story serves as an example of the transformative power of technology in recruitment. As restaurants strive to attract and retain top talent, solutions like Sprockets offer a promising path toward achieving their goals.
By Olivia Schuster
