Labor shortages: The answer lies in the power of technology – Food Safety News

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By ComplianceMate

As the COVID-19 crisis drags on, it has become clear that its aftereffects will be felt in the business world for years to come. Many businesses permanently closed their doors due to COVID-related shutdowns, and many others were forced to dramatically realign their operations. 

For professionals in the restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice sectors, these trends have had particularly far-reaching consequences. It may even be fairly said that this industry has been hit harder by COVID than any other. Nationwide, the foodservice industry lost two million workers between February 2020 and May 2021. 

The problem cannot be entirely explained by widespread restaurant closures. There are numerous opportunities out there for skilled foodservice workers. “Help Wanted” signs can be found in a wide range of restaurants, grocery stores, and foodservice businesses across the land. It’s just that these open positions are attracting few applicants. 

This labor shortage can be traced back to multiple causes. 

• Many experienced restaurant and foodservice workers are reluctant to resume employment in crowded facilities where the risk of COVID infection is high. 
• Workers in some areas have found that they can collect more in unemployment compensation than they could expect to earn on the job. 
• It has also been speculated that a significant proportion of foodservice employees have been inspired to seek opportunities in other industries, as part of a broader social phenomenon termed “The Great Resignation.” 

How can businesses cope with this lingering labor shortage? Automation technology is the key.

Automated Tools

When we refer to automation technology, we’re talking about a variety of devices, software, and systems that can control one or more food-management processes with little or no human intervention. This type of technology tends to be associated with the widely proposed implementation of automated kiosks at fast-food restaurants, but it is really much more diverse than that.

Automation technology currently available to foodservice businesses includes the following:

• Digital checklists – Traditional paper-based checklists are time-consuming, prone to error and falsification, and bothersome to keep properly filed. Using digital devices to manage these tasks speeds up the process and ensures it is performed properly.
• Remote temperature sensors – These can continuously track the temperature of food storage units, so businesses aren’t dependent on manual checks from employees. Automating the process ensures that …….

  Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2021/12/labor-shortages-the-answer-lies-in-the-power-of-technology/

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