Attracting and Retaining Young Employees

Attracting and Retaining Young Employees

4-minute read ---

In the last several decades, the majority of high school students have found summer employment at entry-level, minimum wage level jobs. Whether teenagers are working to contribute to their family, gain practical experience, or simply have summer spending money, the food service industry in particular has relied on young employees during busy summer months. In fact, 1 in 3 of Americans’ first job was in a restaurant.*

This number started to change, however, in the mid 2000’s. Since then, only 30% of teens have spent their summers working in restaurants. With increased competition and pressure on college-minded students, young people prefer volunteer and internship opportunities over employment. As a result, restaurants struggle to hire high schoolers willing to commit to serving, dish washing, or hosting over a summer.

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