Seasonal staffing in hospitality and retail can feel like speed-dating with a stopwatch. Just when you've trained someone, poof, they’re gone. But what if they stay?
With Gen Z making up the majority of today’s seasonal workers, brands must adapt fast. What worked five years ago won’t cut it today.
We spoke with Josipa Markanovic, Training & Improvement Coach at Belgian chicken hotspot Poule & Poulette. She’s built a seasonal team full of Gen Z’ers across multiple locations who stick around. Not for a few shifts. Sometimes for years.
So, how does she do it? Spoiler: it’s not by promising a slightly better hourly wage. It’s about meaning and belonging. And a healthy dose of TikTok.
Gen Z isn’t job hunting. They’re job shopping.
Gone are the days when people applied to whichever restaurant had a “HELP WANTED” sign in the window. Today’s Gen Z candidates are scrolling, swiping, and judging.
“Gen Z approaches job hunting the way they approach online shopping. They don’t just want a job; they want to belong to a brand. You have to be known for something and liked as a popular brand, so your branding is crucial when it comes to recruitment.”
Companies can’t rely on the job title or contract alone. At Poule & Poulette, that means leaning into who they are: fun-loving, people-first, and proud of it. Their employer brand isn’t just a tagline; it’s a vibe, one that lives on TikTok and Instagram.
If your brand doesn’t show up with some personality? You’re not even in the cart.
Stop interviewing. Start connecting.
Gen Z expects authenticity. That starts from the first point of contact. Josipa doesn’t do formal old-school interviews. Instead, she chats: “Who are you? What do you want? Why hospitality? Why Poule & Poulette?”
These are the kinds of questions she leads with. She then invites candidates to a trial shift instead of putting pressure on them to commit.
“Formality freaks them out. And asking someone to lock in their full summer availability before they’ve even seen your kitchen? That’s a fast track to ghosting. I give them the ball and let them decide.”
This respectful, two-way approach signals that the company values the individual, not just the hours they can offer.
“They want autonomy. They want to feel like they’re choosing you, not being chosen.”
How to make them stay? Make them care.
Despite the perception that Gen Z is flaky, Josipa sees the opposite when you meet them where they are. Poule & Poulette’s secret to strong student retention isn't free food (though that helps). It’s creating a genuine connection from day one.
“We have students who stay the entire school year. Some even become shift leaders. What keeps them? The culture. The family feeling.
The fact that they feel seen.”
Students are fully integrated from day one. They’re introduced to the full team, invited into the culture, paired with a buddy and involved in team events, WhatsApp groups, and internal competitions.
“They don’t want to feel like temp workers; they want to be part of something.
We treat them like full team members, not just extra hands.”
That sense of community often trumps salary. Josipa recalls students who left higher-paying jobs to return to Poule & Poulette because they liked it more at Poule & Poulette.
Make training fast. And actually fun.
When you’re onboarding seasonal staff, you don’t have weeks; you barely have days. You need to get them up to speed yesterday, but still deliver quality service. That’s where Josipa sees digital training as a game-changer.
“MobieTrain basically saved my life, haha. Before, every trainer had a different story and way of training. Now, all new hires get the same base, and we can spend our time coaching and focusing on the important details, not repeating basics.”
The training isn’t just functional. It’s personal and efficient. Josipa adds bloopers, real-life tips from staff, and short video quizzes because attention spans are short, and authenticity matters. It’s about creating a vibe.
“They don’t want to hear from a generic trainer. They want to hear from us, the people they work with every single day. No videos with stiff trainers. Just our team, being ourselves. And yes, the videos are short. Two minutes is already long.”
Want to keep Gen Z engaged? Give them a way to grow.
One of the most powerful ways to keep Gen Z engaged is by offering them a sense of progression, even if they’re only with you for a season.
“Everyone has a chance to grow. Some become student shift leaders. Others move into fixed roles. But even those who don’t stay long want to know: what can I learn here?”
Learning and development aren’t just buzzwords; they’re essential. And the company backs them up with clear growth paths. Through microlearning with MobieTrain, student workers are given milestones to unlock new roles, like bar service or hosting.
“You want to move from runner to bar staff? Do Level 3. Want to host? That’s Level 4.” In that way, MobieTrain doesn’t just cover the basics; it also becomes a ladder and a rite of passage that keeps them motivated.
“Our workers come to me and ask me to unlock the next level. It’s a goal for them.
They want to grow, and MobieTrain makes that concrete in a gamified way.”
That sense of progression, even in a seasonal role, is what turns a summer job into something more.
Gen Z Wants Feedback, Not Fluff
Forget vague encouragement like “good job!” or “do better!”. Gen Z wants meaningful, honest feedback and clear steps for improvement.
“They want to know exactly what to improve, and how. I sit down with them,
make a plan, and set targets. That’s what they expect.”
And don’t mistake honesty for harshness.
“If you try to sugarcoat things, they see right through it. They’d rather you just be honest. Straight talk builds trust. And trust builds commitment. Tell them how it is. They will appreciate it.”
Josipa has seen shy, 16-year-old introverts grow into confident shift leaders. Some students even go on to become full-time staff, managers, or—like Josipa herself—start as students and rise to lead entire teams.
“It’s not just about getting a job. It’s about learning, developing, and becoming more confident. Witnessing how young people really start to flourish is heartwarming.”
Keeping the Connection Alive
What happens when a period of seasonal work ends? At Poule & Poulette, the connection doesn’t stop.
Students stay in WhatsApp groups. They receive updates about menu changes and events. And many come back the next season, not just because of the job, but because of the relationships they’ve built.
“Some of our students say it feels like their second home.
That’s what we want and the best compliment we can receive.”
What it all comes down to
“You can’t just offer a job anymore. You have to offer a connection. Culture. Autonomy. Real opportunities to grow. If you do that? They’ll show up, they’ll stick around, and they’ll surprise you. It’s not just Gen Z who benefits. Your whole company grows.”
Want to empower your seasonal staff from day one?
From faster onboarding to gamified growth paths, MobieTrain helps companies like Poule & Poulette train, engage, and retain their Gen Z workforce. Not just a few shifts, but maybe a few years.