I hate to beat the drum here and jump on the proverbial bandwagon, but GP's article in todays Sunday Tas, combined with Natalie Jacksons population research also in todays Merc both combine to reinforce that message - it is imperative that local employers heed the warnings being issued NOW, about creating a better workplace for their current and future employees. They need to seriously look at the wage component, their current and future recruitment needs and their workforce turnover, and then think about exactly what it is they want out of their business.
If they seriously want to be in business in Hobart, trading at something like a profit, in a few years time they need to plan for it now. First and foremost, they need to raise the wages paid to all their employees as a matter of urgency. I don't know how, but if you're a business owner in Hobart today - that's what you should seriously sit down and thoroughly and honestly examine now.
You need to find one or two reasons as to exactly why young people would want to work for YOU.
Our local hospitality wages have always been traditionally low, the workers having been, on the whole, transient, on their way to something else and just needing a bit of cash for the time being.
The hospitality industry provides for such a large proportion of our community needs. Whatever level or scale you're looking at, be it Maccas or Marque IV, all of us like to eat food we haven't had to think about and prepare ourselves.
I can see smaller takeaways going under a lot more frequently in the next few years, as the owners try to promulgate todays traditional sloppy attitude to hiring and caring for their workers. I can also see larger restaurants, with their eye sheerly on the dollars made at the end of the day, going to the wall as well. If you ain't got the staff, you ain't in the race - simple as that.
I'd better get off my hobby horse now - but please, owners of businesses, think about it?
Sunday, 22 July 2007
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6 comments:
The $5 coffee Rita, in frugal Tasmania? This is a complex question. I too read those articles, fact, well err maybe not.
What is factual however is this. The theory of boom and bust. I know you have seen recessions, hell I was one of Thatchers children.
Put simply, wage rises cause the cost of goods and services to rise as industry offsets the losses, cost of raw materials rise. To combat this, interest rates are risen by the banks. Higher wages are again requested. Economists call this the spirally rising inflationary effect. It causes recession, as people go to the wall trying to outsmart the inevitable.
Now look, this is a snapshot, I could go on forever here, but lets not.
Recently, Mildura had a problem finding people to pick its fruit crops. Shitty accommodation and wages led to many growers unable to attract seasonal workers. Wages were no better at some of the farms but conditions were. People had voted with there feet. The shortfall in workers was made up by some several thousand grateful Asian migrants on temporary visas. You may remember this row. But you were happy that oranges did not rise in price. They have now, thanks to a 30% rise in fuel costs, now factor in, a wage rise etc.
So perhaps, what we shall see is an explosion of Asian cuisine as they fill the shortfall in the labour market. Should make HRB happy at least.
Who knows, your right its a serious issue.
G'day Rita. I agree, wages are important, & yes they should be at least the same rate as on the mainland for the similarly experienced staff BUT I beleive the customer should pay MORE for food also, as they do on the mainland
I dont think we are paying enough now & this is refected in the wages.
I know this is a touchy subject BUT the margins in food are not all that great as you know.
Perhaps one solution would be to limit the number of restaurants & cafes? This way those who were good enough could trade on & make a good living & thus pay their staff well, train them etc. The rest can find something else to do!
But the way things are done here it would only be a matter of time before the wheels were greased enough for those who were suitably cashed up to get the tenders to operate. So we'd end up with shit places anyway?
Anon above. The limiting of businesses has been tried before, most noted by U.K local authorities. In a given area they only allow a certain percentage business mix. For example three newsagents two butchers two cafes 5 shoe stores etc. You get the picture.
The most popular request to council when a vacant shop come s to lease is that of fast food -takeaway or cafe. They are seen as licences to print money by would be operators. Why? Well simply, in retail areas where choice is limited and their are few cafes, punters will go there because they are there. Ever been to the UK? If you have you will know that it is for the reason that they are limited that they are shit.
I'm afraid I have to differ, competition is good, keeps everyone on their toes, survival of the fittest. As for cashed up wannabe's bring them on, read Gobblers points on "How to write a menu for the non hospitality professional', its back a few blogs but worth a read.
I have to agree with Cartouche that most of the takeaways and cafes in the UK are shit.
But the reason is that they do have the territory AND pay shit wages.
That equal NO incentive. Take it or leave it people.
Rita is spot on, staff need to be paid more and we the guzzling publice need to ante up (a bit).
I'm sure there is room for a business that is doing well to reward staff rather than just taking ALL the profit.
What good is it for a minion (not a filet) at a cafe to work their guts out at a successful place, when freddie at the shitty place next door does nothing and still gets the same pay?
And yes, the cost of food, etc etc. and inflation are all hovering.
But I do think there is room to pay more and do more for staff.
Sir Grumpy
what makes you think wages are higher on the mainland? i receive $2.50/hr more here in hobart, but the crucial difference is tips. i get close to $200 per week in syd i got $700 - $900 for the same amount of hours.
with a smaller pool of workers to draw from you have less chance of finding the right worker to fill the appropriate position at the appropriate wage bracket.
let's face it, hobart is a big country town, a very nice one! but you can't compare yourselves with bigger cities which have the economies of scale to
extract skilled workers and pay accordingly. for every well paid, skilled hospitality worker in syd, 100 are overworked, underpaid and abused. i've lived it for 10 years. the reality dictates that for the amount of work and rate of pay hobartians are subjected to, they fair much better than mainland cousins. just look around the restaurants in town and see if anyone is dining later than 10pm. my second sitting would commence at 10.30 and the kitchen would be packed down at 12 - 1 before cleaning!
you've got it pretty good here, so all that is required is a little more experience and tasmania will be set to offer a great culinary experience.
You're right, plate jockey. We've got (and always have had) a problem with getting enough people wanting to eat later at night to make it not really viable for your poor, honest restaurateur ready, willing and able to cater to that clientele.
But does that mean we shouldn't be prepared to offer better/great working conditions for hospitality workers?
Hobart IS just a big country town and we DO have it pretty good here. I'm curious about what more experience you think we need?
How much in tips do you get here in Hobart, by the way? I'll bet it's not much.
I understand that if we raise the wages, everything else goes up, but it will anyway. Things escalate in proportion.
In 1969 I paid rent of $14.50 per week for a one br flat in Patrick St, West Hobart, and I was earning $22 per week at the Hydro. After you finish laughing at those amounts, look at how little difference there is comparatively to today.
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