On 16 November 2024, Black Society hosted StaffAny’s second last HR Happy Hour (HHH) event of the year.
This event brought together HR leaders from Singapore’s food and beverage (F&B) industry for an engaging fireside chat filled with two F&B HR experts, live audience interaction with live Slido polls, and StaffAny’s 2024 F&B Salary Benchmark Report launch.
The fireside chat featured two experienced HR managers: Vivian Ng from Harry’s and Alston Ong from DreamUs.
Established in 1992, Harry’s is Singapore’s largest collection of everyday bars and kitchens where people from diverse backgrounds and cultures come together through food, drinks, and entertainment.
DreamUs is a leading provider of unique, innovative, and immersive interactive play experiences for children and adults with three parks across Singapore.
Most Singapore F&B Businesses Use Recruitment Platforms, With Many Using Three or More
Vivian and Alston shared their recruitment strategies, offering valuable lessons on navigating the challenges of hiring in the F&B sector.
Vivian explained that Harry’s uses a range of recruitment platforms tailored to different roles. For part-time staff, platforms like FastJobs and Staffie are the go-to, while management and office roles are filled through LinkedIn and JobStreet.
On the other hand, DreamUs relies heavily on FastJobs for most hiring needs, citing high costs and variable quality as reasons for limiting their use of recruitment agencies. Alston mentioned that, in his experience, he is able to find people to fit most of his staffing needs from FastJobs instead of using different platforms for different job positions.
The event also featured live audience participation, which revealed interesting HR trends in F&B recruitment. Most participants reported using two to three platforms for recruitment, with FastJobs standing out as the most popular for part-time roles. LinkedIn and JobStreet were identified as the preferred platforms for office management positions.
Recruitment Cost is a Concern, With Half of Respondents Budgeting S$1000 or More for Recruitment Platforms
Recruitment costs were a central theme. Half of our respondents said they budget more than S$1000 or more on recruitment platforms, with ‘Less than S$1000 but more than S$500’ being the second highest response. DreamUs spends their platform recruitment budget on FastJobs. Harry’s spends their platform recruitment budget on converting temporary hires into permanent roles to save costs over time.
Agencies were noted for their high fees, often charging 70% to 80% of a candidate’s monthly salary, making them a less preferred option. Both Harry’s and DreamUs rely on historical trends to budget for recruitment, ensuring they are prepared for seasonal hiring needs.
Employee referral programs were highlighted as a valuable tool for reducing turnover and finding candidates aligned with company culture. Trial periods offered by agencies, which come with a refund guarantee if hires don’t work out, were also discussed as a safety net for high-cost placements.
Quality Trumps Costs in Hiring for Singapore F&B, and On-the-Job Training is Popular
While cost is always a consideration, 70 percent of the audience prioritised the quality of candidates when choosing recruitment tools. Participants also discussed the concept of a “Skyscanner” for recruitment—a single platform to manage postings across multiple channels—which many agreed could revolutionise the hiring process.
Both HR leaders shared different techniques they used to maintain a steady flow of quality staff. For instance, Harry’s has successfully hired individuals with hearing impairments and aims to make their outlets more accessible for employees with mobility challenges in the coming years. Both Harry’s and DreamUs are open to hiring ex-convicts, also known as Yellow Ribbon staff. Both of them don’t have prejudice against ex-convicts but they will give them a fair chance to work.
DreamUs maintains high standards by requiring all part-timers to undergo on-the-job training (OJT) and pass a trial period before onboarding. Harry’s focuses more on on-the-job training. Part-timers will move to their assigned Harry’s outlet, where they will be trained in basic duties like cashiering, service, and running the bars until they can fill all the positions.
Introducing StaffAny’s 2024 F&B Salary Benchmark Report
A highlight of the event was the launch of StaffAny’s 2024 F&B Salary Benchmark Report. This comprehensive report benchmarks HR policies across ten brick-and-mortar companies in food and beverage, entertainment and food manufacturing.
StaffAny’s 2024 F&B Salary Benchmark Report aims to help HR practitioners benchmark and refine their HR policies by providing actionable insights into compensation structures, leave entitlements, and overtime practices. You can download the report on StaffAny’s website.
The event ended with a networking session, where attendees exchanged experiences and discussed innovative ideas like integrating Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) into their recruitment processes.
As the penultimate HHH event of the year, it set the stage for the final session in December, promising even more insights and collaboration among Singapore’s F&B HR leaders.
In closing, November’s HR Happy Hour offered Singapore’s F&B HR leaders practical strategies and tools to improve their recruitment processes while being able to benchmark themselves against others. With these takeaways, attendees left inspired to refine their recruitment practices and prepare for the challenges ahead.
The final HHH event of 2024 is set to close the year with more impactful discussions and opportunities for collaboration. Don’t miss it!
