Christine DeVita, Founder of DH Talent Partners, joined a panel of hospitality leaders this month to discuss the future of restaurant staffing at a national industry forum. The session explored how operators can adapt to shifting labor expectations while building durable teams.
Key Themes from the Panel
DeVita emphasized that the conversation around hospitality labor has moved well beyond wages alone.
- Retention over recruitment: the most successful operators invest in keeping people, not just hiring them.
- Leadership pipelines: promoting from within requires deliberate development, not luck.
- Flexibility as a differentiator: scheduling and career pathing increasingly determine where talent lands.
On the Record
"The restaurants winning the talent war aren’t always the ones paying the most — they’re the ones offering a reason to stay."
The panel drew operators, HR leaders, and investors from across the hospitality sector. DH Talent Partners regularly contributes to industry conversations on workforce strategy, drawing on a decade of placements and consulting engagements.
For media inquiries or speaking requests, contact the firm at christine@dhtalent.com