Staffing

Restaurant employees satisfied but not with wages

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December 14, 2021

Restaurant employees, overall, are satisfied with their jobs but not with their wages. That is a prime finding of a study from 7shifts, a team management software for restaurants. The company surveyed over 3,700 restaurant employees at the end of 2021 to see exactly what they want and look for in an engaging restaurant work environment, according to a press release.

Employees ranked their happiness on a 1-10 scale, with an average of 7.8. Co-workers, managers and communication all rank high on the list of importance when it comes to employee satisfaction with their jobs and 72% of employees ranked team communication as important to their work satisfaction.

Yet, restaurant employees continue to leave their jobs, with 60% of employees surveyed reporting they left a restaurant job in their careers before, and some are planning to make moves sooner rather than later. Nearly one-third of employees don't see themselves working in the same place this time next year.

Nearly half of all restaurant employees are hovering in the range of $11 to $15/hour (45.8%). It's the main factor behind why restaurant employees quit their jobs, with 34.6% citing wages as a reason for leaving a job, or a reason for why they are planning to, according to the findings.

Also, 56% of employees said flexible scheduling would greatly affect their happiness at work. Schooling and manager recognition also ranked high in importance.