Has the recent economy handed you a bunch of lemons?

Penguin Staff can help you make some lemonade.

Let’s face it – whether business is up or down, you still have work to do.  And during tough economic times like these, temporary hospitality staffing solutions are a great tool to help you:

• contain labor costs;
• convert fixed expenses to variable;
• capitalize on short-notice business opportunities;
• accurately match labor levels to workloads, to avoid over-staffing.

Bottom line, temporary staffing makes sense in this economy.  So if you need extra help – from banquet servers to grill cooks to stewards – to keep work flowing during these tough times, Penguin is ready to sweeten the deal!  From February 6 through February 24, 2012, enjoy these special Sweetheart Rates (use the reference code SWEETHEART when placing your order):

Banquet Server

Sweetheart Rate:  $16.95 (Regular Rate:  $24.00)

Penguin Staff banquet servers serve food and beverage, provide table maintenance, room set up/tear down; orders may be taken depending on the menu selection for your event.

Bartender

Sweetheart Rate:  $18.95 (Regular Rate:  $25.00)

Penguin Staff bartenders mix and pour alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for guests in bars, lounges, nightclubs, restaurants, on cruise ships and at your special events.

Busser

Sweetheart Rate:  $13.95 (Regular Rate:  $17.90)

Penguin Staff bussers clean and clothe tables; set decorations, condiments, candles, napkins, service plates, utensils, etc.

Grill Cook

Sweetheart Rate:  $15.95 (Regular Rate:  $19.90)

Penguin Staff grill cooks prepare and cook a wide variety of food and may be responsible for basic food preparation or more complex tasks in restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, etc.

Prep Cook

Sweetheart Rate:  $12.95 (Regular Rate:  $17.90)

Penguin Staff prep cooks assist in preparing meals by chopping vegetables, making salads, putting together entrees, etc.

Houseman

Sweetheart Rate:  $13.95 (Regular Rate:  $18.89)

Penguin Staff housemen set up and break down for meetings/events, maintain inventory of banquet supplies, maintain clean work areas, and ensure prompt and courteous service to guests (following all safety procedures).

Steward

Sweetheart Rate:  $12.95 (Regular Rate:  $16.90)

Penguin Staff stewards fill ice machines, polish silverware, transfer food items, wash dishes, clean, remove recyclable materials and trash, etc.

Rest assured, Penguin’s skilled hospitality staff are highly trained and ready to perform for you.  So if you have work to be done, give Penguin a call – and save big on your labor costs!

How safe is your hospitality work environment?  Consider these statistics, courtesy of workers-comp-news.com:

• more than 4.1 million people in the United States suffer a workplace injury or occupational illness;
• 18 people die each day from a work-related injury;
• workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries cost society $155.5 billion annually.

Unfortunately, the fast-paced environment that characterizes the hospitality industry often places it near the top of annual lists for employee injuries and accidents per capita.

While substantial progress has been made toward establishing safe work practices in hospitality, there is still room for improvement.  If you’re just learning about workplace safety, or would like to refresh your knowledge, take a few minutes to read this brief but valuable post outlining tips to create a safer hospitality work environment.

1. Keep the work space as clean as possible.  Poor housekeeping can cause frequent workplace accidents.  As such, cleaning should be an ongoing effort by all employees – especially in environments where food is prepared or served.
2. Properly plan/staff orders, jobs and events.  When expectations, time schedules and requirements are clearly communicated, each team member knows how to complete his job safely and on time.  As part of your planning, identify potential safety hazards and process bottlenecks, so you can avoid them.  All too often, poor planning leads to rushing, which then results in shortcuts, accidents and injuries.
3. Remind employees to:  lift with their legs and knees; never twist while lifting something heavy; use the right tools for the job.  Post these reminders in areas where your employees will frequently see them.
4. Encourage staff to report dangerous conditions.  You can’t be everywhere at once, so train your employees to proactively identify situations which could be potentially dangerous.  Evenly a seemingly innocuous burned-out light bulb or beverage spill could lead to a slip, trip or fall.  Make sure everyone on your staff knows to whom dangers should be reported.
5. Remember that maintenance isn’t just for equipment.  Keeping your equipment in tip-top shape is a major part of keeping your workplace safe, but your staff needs regular “maintenance,” too.  Make sure employees receive ongoing training in the latest safety practices.  And since a culture of safety depends on your employees’ fresh eyes, make sure they get plenty of rest between shifts.
6. Establish and enforce formal workplace safety policies and procedures.  Your company’s management team should create and carry out an accident prevention program that encourages employees to take safety measures seriously and to report any dangerous situations.  Make resources available to your staff with contacts and phone numbers in case of an emergency.

Creating a safe work environment should be a top priority for every hospitality employer.  Not only can a culture of safety reduce injuries and workers’ compensation claims; it can also improve morale and increase productivity.  So make workplace safety everyone’s responsibility.  Work with your staff in implementing these common-sense tips and everybody will benefit.

At Penguin Staffing, we work diligently with our clients to ensure workplace safety.   We thoroughly orient and train our on-call and temporary hospitality and banquet workers, to make sure they stay productive and efficient on the job.