Article by Laura Darrell, Author of The Principles of Franchisee Success
If you’re waiting for the labor market to improve, you may be waiting a long time. Hiring and retaining entry-level workers has never been more challenging. Wages are up, turnover is relentless, and today’s workers expect more from their jobs than just a paycheck.
But the best franchise operators don’t struggle to find great people because they don’t wait around for great people to find them. They recruit 365 days a year.
Too many business owners treat hiring like an emergency. A key employee quits, and suddenly, there’s a scramble to post job ads and hope for the best. But top franchise operators take a different approach. They are always looking for great talent in their market, whether or not they have an immediate opening. They build hiring into their daily operations, like managing food costs, service standards, and guest experience. Recruiting isn’t something they do once in a while; it’s part of how they run their business.
A consistent, year-round hiring approach isn’t just about filling positions. It’s about building a workplace where people want to stay. And that starts with leadership.
People Don’t Quit Jobs—They Quit Managers
Before you can solve a hiring problem, you have to ask yourself why people are leaving. Research consistently shows that the number one reason employees quit is a poor workplace culture, followed closely by a bad relationship with their manager. In other words, people don’t leave jobs. They leave bad environments.
A revolving door of employees isn’t just a hiring issue; it’s a leadership issue. If your franchise location is losing people as fast as you can hire them, the first step is to take a hard look at your leadership style. The strongest leaders today adopt a coaching and appreciative leadership approach, which resonates particularly well with Gen Z. This means shifting from a command-and-control mindset to one where leaders guide, develop, and recognize their team members.
Ask yourself: Would you want to work for you? If the answer is no, that’s where the work begins.
Using Social Media (Yes, Even TikTok) to Recruit Gen Z and Millennials
If you’re still relying on job boards alone to find talent, you’re missing out on an enormous opportunity. Gen Z and Millennials spend their time on social media, and if you’re not there, you don’t exist to them.
The best franchise operators use social platforms to showcase their workplace culture and attract talent. Short-form video content is particularly effective. A behind-the-scenes clip on TikTok highlighting a fun, fast-paced work environment can do more to recruit a young employee than a generic job posting. Some franchisees even host Instagram Live Q&A sessions where potential employees can ask questions about the role before applying.
It’s about meeting people where they are. Job seekers today want more than a list of responsibilities and pay rates. They want to see what it’s really like to work at your business. They want to know what kind of team they’ll be joining. If you’re not actively showing up on social media, your competitors who are will have the hiring advantage.
The Power of Referrals: Your Best Source of New Hires
One of the best-kept secrets in hiring is that your current employees are your best recruiters. Studies consistently show that referred employees not only stay longer but tend to be more engaged and productive. They already have a connection to someone on the team and understand what they’re getting into before they start.
Yet many businesses fail to maximize this opportunity. If you don’t have a structured, incentivized referral program, you’re leaving one of your best hiring strategies on the table.
A strong referral program doesn’t have to be complicated. Offer an incentive, such as a cash bonus, a gift card, or an extra day off for any employee who refers a successful hire. Keep the process simple, communicate it regularly, and celebrate employees who bring in great team members. The more you talk about referrals, the more your team will engage with the process.
Always Be Hiring: How to Make Recruitment a Daily Habit
Recruiting doesn’t just happen online. Some of the best hires are people who are already walking through your doors, your customers.
One of the easiest ways to create a steady pipeline of candidates is to set up a weekly open interview hour. Choose a time each week when you or a manager are always available to meet with walk-ins; no appointment is needed. When job seekers know they can stop by and speak with someone directly, it lowers the barrier to applying and allows you to connect with potential hires in a way that’s more personal than a job application.
Another simple but powerful tactic is creating business card-sized hiring handouts. These should include a short message about the roles you’re hiring for, a QR code linking to an application, and a few compelling reasons why your business is a great place to work. Train your team to give these to friendly, service-oriented customers who might be a great fit. You never know when your next great hire will be someone who already loves your brand.
Leading in a Way That Makes People Want to Stay
Attracting talent is only half the battle. The best franchisees don’t just hire well; they create environments where employees want to stay. That means adopting a leadership approach that values, supports, and develops team members.
A coaching leadership style focuses on guiding employees rather than just directing them. An appreciative leadership style emphasizes recognizing and rewarding hard work. Together, these approaches create a workplace where employees feel valued and respected, two things that Gen Z workers, in particular, prioritize when choosing where to work.
Retention isn’t just about pay. It’s about how people feel at work. Employees who feel seen and heard stay longer, perform better, and contribute more to the business’s success.
The Bottom Line: Recruitment Is a Daily Discipline
The franchisees who are winning in today’s labor market aren’t waiting for great employees to apply. They are actively recruiting, constantly building a talent pipeline, and leading in a way that makes people want to be part of their team.
Hiring is no longer a reactive process; it’s a daily discipline. If you want to stay ahead, start implementing 365 Recruitment now. That means always looking for great talent, leveraging social media, maximizing referrals, and keeping hiring conversations open year-round.
Instead of scrambling to fill gaps, build a workplace where people want to work—and then tell the world about it. The best employees are out there. The question is, are you doing enough to find them?
