As ongoing challenges continue to affect the food and beverage sector in South Africa, many employers are fighting to keep their doors open and staff in their jobs. It’s estimated that 30% of restaurants were forced to close during the height of the lockdown – and 2021 continues to test the resilience of restaurant owners country-wide.

There’s now a heightened need to revaluate and streamline business operations without sacrificing staff or cash flow. In the face of adversity, the Roubler team understands how difficult it is to manage a workforce, with the persistent pressure of uncertainty for the future.

That’s why we’re here to help you find ways to reduce wage costs without lowering headcount, rethink employee health and safety practices, help lift your employees’ morale and reflect on your business’s insights.

1.    Reduce labour costs

Reducing labour expenses and increasing cash flow will always be a focus for business owners. With fewer customers to serve and heightened restrictions, many employers are searching for ways to cut costs without losing staff altogether.

Consider lowering your labour costs by examining your rostering processes to ensure you’re not paying overtime unnecessarily, and by keeping track of the exact hours employees are working to mitigate the risk of time theft.

2.    Rethink workforce health policies

The pandemic has added another layer to the challenge of health and safety in the food and beverage industry. Your focus should be on reducing staff contact points, monitoring employee health and communicating the latest policies.

You can help keep your team safe by ensuring staff are not clocking in using the same keypad or device. Ensure you keep a log of who worked, when, to assist with any tracing efforts, and conduct health questionnaires before they enter the workplace to check for signs of illness. 

3.    Remedy employee morale

Your team’s confidence in your business – and their jobs – may be wavering in the face of yet another lockdown. Instil trust and lead with transparency when communicating with your employees and ensure they have all the tools they need to receive updates as they come.

Keep your team up-to-date by sending rosters, payslips, company processes and HR policies to their phones. Using digital platforms to share information and keep the lines of communication open will help your staff stay on top of the latest news and ensure they feel connected to you, their employer.

4.    Reflect on business insights

Leverage business intelligence to understand exactly how your business is tracking. Keep a record of labour costs, sales data, and time and attendance information, so you’re better equipped to create actionable insights that help build resilience.

With clarity over your data, you can spot new trends as they arise and make changes in your business accordingly. For example, if you know you’re 25% quieter on a certain day, you can ensure you are not overstaffed.

5.    Reconnect with real people

Roubler’s workforce management software is backed by a team of real people with real-world experience. We are here to guide you every step of the way, from helping with best practice workforce management to training and ongoing support.

Our team is core to our all-in-one solution to workforce management solution. They readily provide guidance and support to our customers, and are here 24 hours a day, five days a week, to provide support when you need it.