10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Hospitality Staffing Partner

Given the industry’s ongoing labor shortage, more and more staffing agencies are popping up. While this might mean more sources of workers for hospitality facilities, these agencies don’t necessarily have direct industry experience or a safety and compliance mindset. Instead, they are focused more on business opportunity versus consistency and longevity, and they are not investing in safety training among their staff.

If your hospitality business relies on staffing agencies to provide housekeeping, maintenance, landscaping, kitchen, front-of-house and other types of workers, here are a few questions to consider before choosing a vendor:

1. What industries does the staffing vendor specialize in? How well do they know Hospitality and understand the industry’s unique safety concerns?
2. Do they have experience recruiting workers for a wide range of Hospitality positions?
3. How extensive is their recruitment process, including sourcing, selection, and screening (background checks, drug testing, etc.)?
4. What is the safety record of your contract partner, or the staffing vendor in consideration?
5. Do they provide safety and compliance training? How comprehensive and frequent is the training? Do they offer in-person and online training opportunities? In what languages?
6. Does the staffing vendor stay up to date on all federal and state safety (OSHA) guidelines?
7. How does the staffing vendor handle safety incidents when they arise?
8. Does the agency take into consideration the safety of your permanent staff and guests?
9. What kind of liability protection do they offer?
10. What kind of risk mitigation policies, protocols, and management team do they have in place?

As in all things in life, choose carefully. Ask the right questions of any potential staffing partner to ensure your hotel or property is well-served by fellow industry professionals.