finding and keeping good help

cant find good help for my carting.seems people will say they will show up but never do.How can i keep help and make sure they show.I pay well and make sure it is preasure free.Any ideas are welcome.

[cookM]

I work at a catering company, and people flake all the time. Even when you call and confirm with them. At a restaurant I work at occasionally, people say they'll show up for tryouts or the first day and not show up. No show, no call. Not sure what can be done; it seems to be human nature and the market (here in the Bay Area) now.

[Live_to_cook]

Just curious -- what are the requirements for catering help? You're just talking about people who can show up for a few hours on a week's notice and help you serve food, right? Or are the requirements more complicated?

[cookM]

They've usually given me at least 2 weeks notice, if possible. I have been called the day before, but not so often. The kitchen mgr. is very organized about those things.
I know the front of the house tries to line up staff asap when the event is confirmed. Still, even after confirming with the person, they flake. The catering company has a roster of regulars that they call on first. You know, tried and trues. For some reason, they are paying me the on site wage instead of the in-kitchen wage. The onsite wage is higher. Also, the co. uses nice ingredients, so there is more pride to go with the product. Hope this is helpful.

[cookM]

Forgot to tell you, a lot of us were known by the owners of the company. A bunch of us worked with them at various restaurants. Also, they seem to pick people who have worked in finer establishments, have been cooking for a while, and are very much interested in food.

Is it me or is the number of "flakes" on the rise? It seems there are more people in this industry that are not very committed to holding down a job with some sense of pride. I can't believe how many stories I've heard lately about people walking off the job or doing the "no-show, no-call" thing. I even had a co-worker show up drunk last month!!! What is wrong with today's society? (By the way, it's not just the restaurant industry...my husband works in a hospital and the work ethic there is terrible too.)