Factors Affecting Turnover Rates in Entry Level Jobs:

If you've ever managed employees in an entry level market (foodservice, manufacturing, housekeeping, etc.) you can't help but notice the high turnover rates. As a foodservice professional with nearly 20 years of industry management experience, I have seen scores of people come and go. At times it feels like my kitchen should have a revolving door for an employee entrance. Whether it's foodservice workers, housekeepers, or machine operators, I've come to find there are a select group of individuals who do the bulk of the work, the rest act more as facility ornaments; hanging around until you can decide what to do with them.

I come to think of myself as part manager, part psychologist. In fact, I've joked over the years that if I could gain credits for my life experience as a foodservice manager, I'd have my PhD by now. After spending countless hours training new staff only to have them leave in just a few sort weeks (or less sometimes) I've begun to classify people into groups based on (1) life experience/age, and (2) skills/competency. This system is partially based on facts, but is mostly subjective.

Class A: Life Experience - Based on fact of age (time spend on earth). Inherently, certain skills are simply obtained through the process of aging. It's a simple fact that if you've never done something before, you simply have no experience. The longer you have lived, the more experience in basic life skills you have.

(A1) Green - (16-26 year olds)

(A2) Experienced (27-55 year olds)

(A3) Well Seasoned (55+)

Nothing prejudice about this classification, it is simply based on facts.

Class B: Skills/Competency - Purely Subjective. Unfortunately, you often have to actually hire someone to determine this ranking. Resumes are a sales tool and often don't accurately represent the product you are buying.

(B1) No skills or experience and no desire to learn

(B2) No skills or experience, but potential to learn

(B3) Average skills, but an under achiever

(B4) Average skills, above-average achiever