Why Are Restaurants Struggling to Retain Staff? — An Interview With a Hospitality Training Expert from Leo Academy

Interviewer: We keep hearing that restaurants across India are finding it difficult to retain staff. From your experience, is this really a serious industry-wide crisis?
Leo Academy Expert: Absolutely. It’s no longer just a hiring problem — it’s a retention crisis. Even top restaurants are seeing high attrition within 3 to 6 months of joining. And this impacts service consistency, guest experience and financial stability.

Interviewer: What are the top reasons hospitality staff are quitting so quickly?
Leo Academy Expert:

• Long, physically exhausting shifts — especially evenings, weekends and festivals.
• High cost of living in metros vs limited entry-level salaries.
• No clear sense of growth or career path — many feel stuck in a “job”, not a “profession”.
• Post-pandemic mindset shift — young talent wants better work culture, training and dignity.
• Lack of proper onboarding or mentorship, which leads to anxiety and burnout very early.

Interviewer: Most people assume salary is the main issue. True or overrated?
Leo Academy Expert: Salary matters — but it’s not the only reason. A well-trained employee who feels valued, guided and growing is far more likely to stay even at the same pay parity. Culture and clarity now matter as much as compensation.

Interviewer: So where exactly are restaurants going wrong?
Leo Academy Expert: Many treat staffing as a transaction, not a relationship. They focus on hiring fast — but not on onboarding, training and retention systems. No structured induction, no role clarity, no skill roadmap. That’s dangerous in hospitality.

Interviewer: And that’s where Leo Academy steps in?
Leo Academy Expert: Precisely. We help restaurants and hospitality brands in 3 critical retention areas:
Structured Induction: Day-1 confidence instead of chaos.
Skill Growth Path: Server → Senior → Supervisor → Manager.
Soft-Skill & Service Mindset Training: Communication, guest delight, handling rush hours.

When staff see a future — they stay.

Interviewer: Do you have proof that training actually improves retention?
Leo Academy Expert: 100%. One of our partner cafés reduced its 4-month attrition by nearly 50% after we designed a custom onboarding + skill progression program. Staff stayed because they felt prepared, mentored and respected.

Interviewer: Final word — what would you tell every restaurant owner in India right now?
Leo Academy Expert: If you think training is expensive, try repeated re-hiring. In hospitality, your people are your brand experience. Train them, grow them — and they’ll stay with you.

Want Leo Academy to help you build a high-retention team?
Visit leoacademy.in — let’s turn your workforce into your greatest advantage.