Foodservice turnover rates expected to rise

Turnover rates for restaurant managers and hourly workers may be on the rise again after appearing to bottom out following three years of steady decline, according to People Report, a human-resources firm here that recently released its 2004 Survey of Unit-Level Employment Practices for the Food Industry. Hourly workers, annual turnover was 111 percent in 2003, 124 percent in 2002 and 144 percent in 2001, said Joni Doolin, founder and chief executive of People Report. The turnover rate for that group is predicted to be 111 percent for 2004 as well. Manager turnover was 33 percent in 2003, 34 percent in 2002 and 37 percent in 2001. Figures for that group in 2004 also are predicted to be flat, Doolin said. The report was based on research conducted among more than 70 chain restaurants, representing a workforce of 589,000 hourly employees and 40,000 managers. -http://www.nrn.com