Record Labour Shortages in Restaurant Industry

[PoplarSoul]

..immigration will destroy everyones wages and way of life in Canada....

How so?
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"How much money do you need to immigrate to Canada?

Generally speaking, as an individual applicant you would need approximately $15,000 CAD to immigrate to Canada. Couples would need around $20,000 CAD while families with children will require between $24,000 to $30,000 CAD."

"Can I immigrate to Canada without a job offer?

The best option for those seeking to immigrate to Canada but don't obtain a job offer is to apply for Express Entry Programs. Express Entry is a point-based system that manages applicants seeking permanent residency for those who can fill jobs where there is a lack of available skilled Canadian workers."

"What jobs are in demand in Canada for immigrants?

Sales Representative.
Accountant.
Engineering Project Manager.
Business Analyst.
IT Project Manager.
Accounts Manager.
Software Engineer.
Recruitment specialist.


"What skills are in high demand in Canada?

As you'll see, many of these are tied to jobs that are currently in high demand in Canada:

Nursing. There is already a demand for nurses in Canada, and that trend is expected to continue over the coming years.
Software development.
Project management.
Engineering.
Language skills.
Customer service.
Teamwork.
Communication.

[Even Steven]

Actually, a grocery store job was a decent "career" job for many, not exactly "big bucks" but a solid living wage that could lead to a comfortable middle class life-style for a family on a single income.

Well, if you worked for years and years at a grocery store and moved up the ladder into management, even right now you probably make decent money, once again not big bucks, but a living wage for sure (by the way, living wage means two people working, not one).

But you're comparing those positions to front-line employees who likely been in there for months, not years, and thus are not earning well.

[zookeeper]

Climbing the ladder, genuinely good customer service and care and quality of product or service have become a lost art.

[fluffy]

Well, if you worked for years and years at a grocery store and moved up the ladder into management, even right now you probably make decent money, once again not big bucks, but a living wage for sure (by the way, living wage means two people working, not one).

But you're comparing those positions to front-line employees who likely been in there for months, not years, and thus are not earning well.

Cashiers turned a good buck, but not any more, and yes, years of service made a difference. The real issue for the employer was likely the benefit package for full time union employees, which can easily run around five bucks an hour that the employer covers.

[rustled]

Actually, a grocery store job was a decent "career" job for many, not exactly "big bucks" but a solid living wage that could lead to a comfortable middle class life-style for a family on a single income.

Well, if you worked for years and years at a grocery store and moved up the ladder into management, even right now you probably make decent money, once again not big bucks, but a living wage for sure (by the way, living wage means two people working, not one).

But you're comparing those positions to front-line employees who likely been in there for months, not years, and thus are not earning well.

Cashiering was a lot more difficult in the days before computerized cash registers, when the price of each item had to be entered manually (along with the correct tax code if it wasn't on the tag/sticker), and most customers paid in cash or wrote a cheque.

When we think about how the wages on some jobs haven't kept up, it's easy to forget how much more difficult some of those jobs used to be.

[Even Steven]

That's a good point. Your income doesn't depend on how hard you work, it depends on hard it is to replace you.

If you were to walk away, and literally anybody who can count to 10 can replace you .... your pay won't be anything spectacular.

[kgcayenne]

When we think about how the wages on some jobs haven't kept up, it's easy to forget how much more difficult some of those jobs used to be.

People are more likely to be entitled, impatient holes now. So, I’m of the mind that it is difficult in a different way despite exacerbated by modern conveniences.

[the truth]

and that is exactly why the tfw program should not exist

[GordonH]

In my many years in workforce I have noticed a tend that is a bit concerning (first off not all).
Each new group of young workers into workforce, the thing I noticed is greater number each year. Have little to no hard work motivation in them (again not all, each year the number grows higher).

My time in workforce is coming to an end... unless something changes pdq the future isn’t looking very good. Finding hard working individuals, that are self motivated (not having stand over them every minute).

[the truth]

In my many years in workforce I have noticed a tend that is a bit concerning (first off not all).
Each new group of young workers into workforce, the thing I noticed is greater number each year. Have little to no hard work motivation in them (again not all, each year the number grows higher).

My time in workforce is coming to an end... unless something changes pdq the future isn’t looking very good. Finding hard working individuals, that are self motivated (not having stand over them every minute).

that is exactly what is going on in my workplace.

[rustled]

When we think about how the wages on some jobs haven't kept up, it's easy to forget how much more difficult some of those jobs used to be.

People are more likely to be entitled, impatient holes now. So, I’m of the mind that it is difficult in a different way despite exacerbated by modern conveniences.

Perhaps customers and clients are are more likely to behave that way - I'm not sure how we'd measure the change.

At the same time, though, it seems to me employees are more likely to refuse to deal with entitled, impatient customers and clients. Gone are the "the customer is always right" days, when most employees were expected to put up with whatever the customers threw at them.

And in some ways, I think, employees have also become more entitled and impatient. Not just in the restaurant industry. And not just with the customers and clients - also with their direct supervisors and employers.

Personally, I wasn't any good at waiting tables or at working a cash register in a grocery store. I knew at the time my employers shouldn't be expected to pay me more than they were already paying me - my lack of skill led to customer impatience, and they were entitled to better service than they were getting from me - and that it was in my own best interests to look for a different line of work that offered me better prospects financially, and for the personal satisfaction of doing a job I was better suited to doing.

It will be interesting to watch the restaurant industry weather this change - which ones survive, and how they do it.

[rustled]

That's a good point. Your income doesn't depend on how hard you work, it depends on hard it is to replace you.

If you were to walk away, and literally anybody who can count to 10 can replace you .... your pay won't be anything spectacular.

True.

I've always been in awe of restaurant staff who are truly good at what they do. Keeping track of several tables, carrying trays of food, memorizing daily specials and knowing what's in various dishes, etc. - I'm not any good at that kind of multitasking. On the other hand, a lot of fast-food restaurant jobs don't require that full skill set (or an extensive skill set in the kitchen), and it's not surprising to me they pay entry-level wages - those are entry-level jobs, and teenagers are able to fill even some of the supervisor and management positions.

So to me, "restaurant workers" is a pretty broad category.

Whereas while I was no good at putting groceries through a cash register in the days before computerized tills, these days I have no difficulty running my groceries across the barcode scanner, pulling up prices for the few that aren't barcoded, and using POS machine for payment - that job simply doesn't require the skill set it once did.

[rustled]

In my many years in workforce I have noticed a tend that is a bit concerning (first off not all).
Each new group of young workers into workforce, the thing I noticed is greater number each year. Have little to no hard work motivation in them (again not all, each year the number grows higher).

My time in workforce is coming to an end... unless something changes pdq the future isn’t looking very good. Finding hard working individuals, that are self motivated (not having stand over them every minute).

that is exactly what is going on in my workplace.

I think it's trending that way everywhere. Maybe we just notice it more, though, as time goes on?

[PoplarSoul]

Finding hard working individuals, that are self motivated (not having stand over them every minute).

I find work ethics and the satisfaction of a job well done are lacking in many now ( but not all, of course).

[Queen K]

I can't get into it for my workplace, BUT I notice that every independent living resort community is desparate for workers.