The Challenge
A large hospitality group managing multiple restaurants, function spaces, and a mid-sized hotel in Sydney was struggling with workforce instability. Like many in the hospitality sector, the group faced:
- Seasonal workforce gaps, particularly during the summer peak when demand was highest.
- High turnover among casual staff, with many leaving within three months due to unsociable hours and better-paying alternatives.
- Difficulty attracting qualified candidates, particularly chefs, baristas, and experienced waitstaff.
- Inconsistent service standards, with untrained staff stepping into customer-facing roles under pressure.
- Escalating recruitment costs, as internal teams spent heavily on job boards and agencies with limited return.
These issues were compounded by the post-pandemic hospitality labour shortage, where competition for skilled workers was at an all-time high. The group realised that without a smarter approach, they would continue to lose revenue and reputation during their busiest trading periods.
The Solution: Partnering with Ingenious People
The hospitality group partnered with Ingenious People to build a reliable, scalable recruitment framework tailored to the demands of the hospitality industry.
1. Industry-Specific Talent Campaigns
- Crafted job ads and campaigns that focused on the lifestyle and career benefits of hospitality, highlighting growth pathways into management.
- Leveraged social media, hospitality schools, and community networks to access fresh candidate pools beyond traditional job boards.
- Targeted backpackers and international students with valid working rights, creating a flexible pipeline for seasonal peaks.
2. Rapid Screening and Onboarding
- Developed a hospitality-specific assessment centre model, allowing multiple candidates to be screened in a single session.
- Tested for practical skills (plate carrying, barista speed tests, customer service role-plays) to ensure hires could perform from day one.
- Streamlined onboarding with online systems for compliance documentation, RSA verification, and uniform allocation.
3. Retention and Engagement Programs
- Introduced a shift allocation system giving staff more control over hours, reducing burnout and dissatisfaction.
- Created a staff perks program, including discounted meals and career mentoring from head chefs and managers.
- Designed career pathways to show casual staff how they could progress into supervisory or full-time roles within the group.
4. Workforce Planning for Seasonal Peaks
- Built a seasonal staffing calendar, mapping demand cycles around weddings, functions, and holiday periods.
- Pre-booked casual talent pools months ahead of peak demand, ensuring availability without last-minute scrambles.
- Implemented flexible rostering strategies to align staff availability with business needs.
The Results
The impact of Ingenious People’s partnership was immediate and measurable:
- 90 percent of seasonal vacancies filled on time, ensuring service continuity during the peak summer season.
- Turnover reduced by 35 percent, with many casuals choosing to stay beyond the high season due to improved engagement.
- Time-to-hire reduced by 60 percent, with most front-of-house staff screened, trained, and ready within one week.
- Recruitment spend decreased by 40 percent, as reliance on job boards and expensive agencies was replaced with proactive talent pools.
- Customer satisfaction scores improved significantly, with positive feedback tied to consistent service quality.
Client Feedback
The group’s General Manager of Operations shared:
“Seasonal recruitment used to be our biggest headache. We would spend weeks scrambling to fill roles and often ended up compromising on quality. Ingenious People completely changed that. They gave us a talent pool ready for peak periods, reduced our costs, and helped us keep staff for longer. Our customer reviews and repeat bookings have noticeably improved.”
The Ingenious People Advantage
This case highlights how Ingenious People solves the unique workforce challenges of hospitality in Australia:
- Speed and scalability: Assessment centres and talent pools mean staff can be hired and deployed quickly.
- Retention built-in: Engagement initiatives reduce churn in an industry known for turnover.
- Seasonal foresight: Strategic workforce planning avoids last-minute recruitment scrambles.
For hospitality businesses, Ingenious People provides more than just recruitment. It delivers a workforce strategy that keeps the focus on service excellence, profitability, and long-term staffing stability.
Ingenious People continues to work with the group to refine seasonal workforce planning, expand career pathway initiatives, and prepare for future expansion into new venues.