Knowledge base · Staff
Reduce staff turnover in hospitality.
Keep your people longer.
After the last table, one of your regulars says she is leaving. She has signed somewhere else, for the same hourly wage. You didn't see it coming. Next week the search, the onboarding and the gap in the rota start all over again. Here you read how high turnover is, why people leave and what you can do tomorrow to keep them.
In short. Reducing staff turnover in hospitality starts with the first weeks. In Dutch hospitality about 40 percent of staff leave every year. People leave because of uncertain arrangements, little guidance and no view of growth. Make sure of a good start, clear arrangements on rota and pay and room to learn.
Try it yourself
Do you know why people stay?
This is how your team trains with CuliQuiz: short questions on the phone, three minutes a day. Play five about staff turnover. At the end you see per topic where you stand.
Play it yourself on the phone on the rightPlay it yourself on the phone below
- 40%of staff in Dutch hospitality leave every year. In restaurants it is 44 percentABN AMRO, 2019
- 2.5 yearsis how long an employee stays with the same employer on averageABN AMRO, 2019
- 47%of hospitality graduates still work in hospitality six months after graduating. After 5.5 years it is 35 percentABN AMRO, 2019
01 · The figuresHow high is staff turnover in hospitality?
High. In Dutch hospitality about 40 percent of staff leave every year. In restaurants it is 44 percent, in hotels 39 percent. An employee stays with the same employer for 2.5 years on average.
Almost 60 percent of the hotel staff surveyed expected to stay no longer than two years with the same employer.
Every leaver costs hours you would rather spend on your guests. Writing a vacancy, holding interviews, onboarding someone again and covering a rota full of gaps.
Every colleague who stays is one you don't have to find and onboard again.
02 · The reasonsWhy do hospitality employees leave?
Some leaving can't be prevented. Students with a side job often stop after graduating. But many reasons lie with the employer.
Uncertain arrangements
Uncertain terms of employment, limited guidance and an unclear view of growth.
Errors and hassle
In conversations with hospitality employees commissioned by KHN, the Dutch hospitality association, young people mentioned errors in pay or hours, difficulty getting time off and an unfair tip split.
Workload and communication
All ages mentioned workload, staff shortages, poor internal communication and little chance to grow.
No appreciation
For students, little involvement and appreciation from the employer weighed more heavily than pay.
The conversations were held in 2019 in groups of six or seven employees. See them as a direction.
03 · The startWhy do the first weeks count so much?
Young employees stay loyal when they are well guided and taken seriously. A good start on the floor with guidance is therefore one of the recommendations for keeping staff.
Of people with a hospitality education, 47 percent still work in hospitality six months after graduating. After 5.5 years it is 35 percent.
How to set up those first weeks per role, you read in Onboarding schedule for new hospitality staff.
04 · Quick resultsWhere do you gain the fastest?
In the things people mention as irritations and that you control yourself.
- Rota on timePut the rota up well in advance and make asking for time off easy. Someone who knows where they stand plans their life around it.Example line: "Next week's rota is up on Friday."
- Pay and hours are rightCheck hours and payslip and fix an error the same week. Explain how tips are split.Example question: "Are your hours right this month?"
- Show that you see itAfter the shift, say what went well, to the person themselves. It costs nothing.Example line: "You handled that table of eight really well."
05 · StayingWhat makes hospitality employees stay?
Money counts, but it isn't the whole story. Younger employees want a good salary and clear expectations. They also stay for good guidance, learning something, a good atmosphere with colleagues and work they are proud of.
Clarity
Be open about pay, responsibilities and what someone can become. Say what you expect.
Learning and growing
Give room to learn more: a new station, the wine list, a first closing shift. An unclear view of growth is a reason to leave.
Having a say
Let people think along about the menu, the shift or part of the business. Involvement gives ownership and appreciation.
The team
Employees of all ages mentioned team spirit and atmosphere as a reason to enjoy the work. Make sure new people quickly belong.
Flexibility
Over a third of Dutch hospitality employees like working flexibly. Take that into account in the rota, without making it uncertain.
06 · MeasuringHow do you keep track of staff turnover?
Count it
Number of leavers in a year, divided by the average number of employees, times 100. That is your turnover in percent.
Look at the first three months
Track separately who leaves in the first months. Then you see whether it is the start.
Ask why
A short chat when someone leaves. Write down the reason. After a year you see a pattern.
Ask the people who stay too. A short chat after three months and after a year: what keeps you here? And what would make you leave? Then you hear it before someone hands in their notice after the last table.
Frequently asked questions
How high is staff turnover in hospitality?
High. In Dutch hospitality about 40 percent of staff leave every year. In restaurants it is 44 percent, in hotels 39 percent.
How long do hospitality staff stay with an employer?
On average 2.5 years. Of people with a hospitality education, 47 percent still work in hospitality six months after graduating. After 5.5 years it is 35 percent.
Why do hospitality employees leave?
Often mentioned: uncertain arrangements, little guidance and no view of growth. Younger employees also mention errors in pay or hours, difficulty getting time off and little appreciation. Students with a side job often stop after graduating.
How do you reduce staff turnover in hospitality?
Start with the first weeks: a good start with guidance. Be clear about rota, pay and growth. Show that you see what someone does and give room to learn.
How do you calculate staff turnover?
Count how many people leave in a year. Divide that by the average number of employees that year and multiply by 100. Look separately at who leaves in the first three months.
How CuliQuiz does it
Send us your menu. We turn it into questions about your dishes, wines, allergens and hygiene. You check them. A new colleague plays three minutes a day from day one. In the dashboard you see per topic how your team is doing. Try free for 30 days, no payment details.
Sources (4)
- ABN AMRO: Hospitality, looking for a sustainable workforce (May 2025, Dutch)
- ABN AMRO: report Staff turnover in hospitality (2019, Dutch)
- ABN AMRO: staff turnover costs hospitality 1.4 billion a year (2019, Dutch)
- Foodstep for KHN: Working in hospitality through the eyes of 4 generations (2019, Dutch)