The Bakery Project: How to Find and Retain the Right Staff for Your Business

Running a successful bakery business requires more than just the perfect premises, products, and equipment. The right staff is crucial to your success. Recruiting, training, and retaining employees can be challenging, but it’s one of the most important aspects of running your own business. Let’s explore how bakery owners navigate staffing challenges and build strong teams.

Why Is Staffing So Critical for Bakery Businesses?

Many bakery owners underestimate the importance of hiring the right staff. Mark Sheath of Jengers Bakery shares his experience: “As the business grew, we realized it was impossible to handle both baking and managing the business alone. We had to hire more team members to alleviate the pressure.”

Similarly, Lee Smith of Bexhill Farm Kitchen admits, “We didn’t anticipate the rapid increase in customers after taking over a run-down business. We quickly found ourselves understaffed.”

One famous bakery owner echoes this sentiment: “I underestimated how hard it is to find good staff who are willing to work long hours and commit to the business.”

Even experienced entrepreneurs face challenges. Other Modern Baker explains, “As a start-up in an unfamiliar industry, we didn’t know exactly what skills or roles we needed to build a wellness brand. It was a process of trial and error.”

What Happens When You Underestimate Staffing Needs?

Underestimating staffing requirements can lead to significant problems. We learned this the hard way. After acquiring a small bakery with existing staff, all the bakers left within a month. “we were in trouble,” . we had to recruit new bakers quickly and pay top-dollar to attract skilled professionals.”

On the other hand, hiring too many staff can also be problematic. Employment adviser Acas recommends carefully assessing whether a role is necessary, seasonal, or could be managed with flexible hours.

Should You Hire Staff with Bakery Experience?

The debate over whether to hire staff with bakery experience is ongoing. Chris explains, “In some cases, previous bakery experience is a plus, as candidates can hit the ground running. In others, it might mean they need to unlearn methods that don’t fit your business.”

Martin H prefer hiring staff with bakery experience. Hunt explains, “We’ve tried hiring chefs who wanted to transition to baking, but they struggled to adapt.”

Modern Baker, which specializes in clean-label and yeast-free products, seeks staff trained in natural fermentation, often from institutions like The School of Artisan Food.

How Can You Attract the Right Talent?

Recruitment methods have evolved over the years. Many bakery owners rely on local channels, such as social media, shop window notices, and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Lee Smith says, “We mostly get staff through walk-in enquiries.” Others say, “Word of mouth and recommendations from existing staff have been effective for us.”

Specialist media, such as British Baker and the Real Bread Campaign’s resources, can also help attract the right candidates.

How Do You Retain Employees in the Bakery Business?

Retaining staff is just as important as hiring them. Many bakery owners emphasize treating employees with respect and loyalty.

Foodhaven encourages staff loyalty by offering competitive pay, investing in training, and implementing bonus schemes. Linda Kianfar says, “We communicate regularly with staff, celebrate their successes, and host company social events.”

Martin H treats his staff as craftsmen rather than factory workers. “We allow them to work unsupervised while maintaining high product quality,” he explains.

What Are the Legal and Financial Considerations for Staffing?

Running a payroll can be complicated, but it’s essential for employee satisfaction. Many bakery owners outsource payroll processing to experts.

We explains, “We used to handle payroll ourselves, but it became too complex. Now, we send hours worked to a payroll bureau, which calculates salaries and deductions.”

Foodhaven also outsources payroll processing, while Jengers Bakery uses a bookkeeper and accountant. Mark Sheath says, “Surrounding ourselves with experts is worth every penny.”

What Are the Key Steps in Staff Recruitment?

Acas provides valuable guidance for recruiting staff:

1. Assess whether you truly need to hire someone.
2. Decide on the role’s duration and whether flexible hours could help.
3. Determine the pay rate and ensure it’s competitive.
4. Create a detailed job description and person specification.
5. Use multiple advertising methods, such as social media, job centers, and local schools.
6. Conduct interviews with open-ended questions and avoid discriminatory practices.
7. Send a job offer letter outlining terms, conditions, and start dates.

What Are the Legal Obligations for Employers?

Employers must comply with the Equality Act 2010, ensuring fair recruitment without discrimination. They must also provide employees with a written statement of employment terms within two months of starting.

Key obligations include:

• Paying the national minimum/living wage.
• Providing 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave.
• Offering statutory sick pay if applicable.
• Automatically enrolling eligible staff into a workplace pension scheme.

Why Is Outsourcing Payroll a Smart Move?

Payroll processing is time-consuming and complex. Outsourcing ensures accuracy and compliance while freeing up time for business owners. Nick Levine of ICAEW explains, “Payroll involves calculating salaries, deductions, and tax payments. Outsourcing is relatively cheap and minimizes the risk of errors.”

Final Thoughts: Building a Strong Bakery Team

Finding and retaining the right staff is essential for any bakery business. By treating employees with respect, offering competitive pay, and investing in their development, you can build a loyal and motivated team.

Note: At PMF, we specialize in providing high-quality pastry materials for wholesalers, food distributors, and food businesses. Whether you’re running a small bakery or a large-scale operation, our products are designed to help you succeed. Partner with PMF to elevate your bakery business today!