Case studies:

The client

In operation for over 30 years, In House Catering is a gourmet catering business, offering services across events and functions of all sizes.

In House Catering brings a touch of freshness and simplicity – mixing and matching a broad range of ingredients to tempt and indulge guests – from delicate canapés to accompany drinks, seated dining and buffets through to tailor-made menus.

Hiring casual hospitality staff such as wait staff and kitchen hands in Wellington, in September 2017 the executive team at In House realised that staffing had become their biggest barrier to success.

The challenges

Keeping casuals engaged

The wide range of hours and the seasonal nature of the business meant that they were always in need of staff, but couldn’t provide the regularity of work to keep a team of casuals engaged.

Admin heavy recruitment

Trying to source and manage quality staff proved manual, time-consuming and stressful. Managing Director Beth George, had had enough of bulk student interviews, chasing staff through personal networks and paying a premium to traditional hospitality recruitment agencies that rarely delivered the right staff.

"We were in a situation where we just weren’t getting what we needed. I would pay through the nose for a barista and get someone who had only ever made instant coffee. It was infuriating."

The solution

Easy staffing platform

After realising that her time and money could be better spent growing the business rather than constantly chasing staff, Beth turned to.  

Impressed by the ease with which she was able to request and connect with the exact style of candidate she needed, Beth quickly installed Sidekicker as their go-to hospitality staffing agency.

The results

Since utilising Sidekicker, In House Catering have:

• Saved 20% on yearly staffing costs
• Gained 1 full day a week of time back, previously spent on repetitive low-value HR tasks

"I love that I can post a specific description of what I need, go away and focus on something else. When I have the time, I can return and get a full understanding of who the applicants had worked for, and from that know which Sidekicks could deliver the level of service our business relies on."