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Your 2025 Summer Hospitality Staffing Survival Playbook

Tues 9 Sep 2025

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By OMJ Team

Hospitality Staffing Tips
Seasonal Workforce Management
Summer Hospitality Playbook
Digital Staffing Solutions

Summer means long days, busy nights, and an influx of customers across hospitality. From cafes and bars to hotels and events, it's the season that can make or break your year. 

But heres the challenge. With higher demand, comes staffing headaches. Last minute call ins, patchy availability, and underprepared teams can create stress, turnover and poor customer experiences. 

That's why we've created this Summer Hospitality Survival playbook, a practical checking to keep your team reliable, flexible and ready all season long.

 

Step One: Plan Ahead (September - October 2025)

1. Forecast your busiest periods (public holidays, events, festivals, school breaks)
2. Identify core staff vs seasonal/temporary support roles
3. Create shift patterns and availability needs

Pro Tip: The earlier you forecast, the bigger your pool of reliable candidates. 

Waiter and waitress working behind the counter in caf?

Step 2: Build a Flexible Talent Pool

1. Use OMJ to line up pre-verified causal staff in advance.

2. Prioritise multi-skilled candidates (eg. Barista and floor service)

3. Maintain a shortlist of go to workers you can rely on through the favourites functionality.

Pro Tip: Reliability comes from building relationships with temps before peak days hit. 

 

 

Step 3: Strengthen Onboarding and Training

1.  Create quick reference guides (checklists, SOP's) for seasonal staff.

2.  Schedule short 'micro-trainings' before shifts. 

3.  Set clear expectations: punctuality, dress code, service standards. 

Pro Tip: The best seasonal staff hit the ground running and can save stress later on. Note, in the OMJ app, once a temp contractor has accepted the role, you can send them a message with links to trainings. 

Portrait of a pretty barista with hands on hips at the coffee shop

Step 4: Manage Wellbeing and Retention

1.  Balance rosters to avoid burnout.

2.  Recognise and reward staff who step up. 

3.  Keep communication open and check in regularly.

Pro Tip: A motivated and happy seasonal worker, is more likely to return next summer. Having a smart app, means you can quickly cover shifts to plug gaps. 

 

 

Step Five: Use technology for speed and control

1.  Post last minute shifts directly via OMJ

2.  Track availability, hours and ratings all in one place

3. Compare performance and reliability across your staffing pool

Pro-Tip: Digital staffing equates to fewer no-shows, more visibility and faster rostering. 

 

Waiter taking an order wearing a waistcoat in a fancy restaurant

The Bottom Line

With the right planning and the right platform, you can turn a stressful summer into your most profitable season yet. 

Using Tech to Simplify Staffing: 

Post roles and track applications in one system

Monitor clock ins, hours and attendance digitally

Review performance post event, rate and favourite so it's easier next time you need a temp contractor.

With OMJ: Digital Staffing means less admin, fewer no shows and more reliable events.