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'I am now the owner, the boss, cleaning tables': Central Georgia restaurants face worker shortage

Adriana Ivanus, the owner of the Greek Village Restaurant in Warner Robins, says being short-staffed is the new pandemic.

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The restaurant industry is one of many having problems hiring and keeping workers.

One Warner Robins business owner says she's facing the same issues in trying to employ people.

All around Central Georgia, you may have noticed a lot of "short-staffed" signs on the doors of many different types of businesses. 

Adriana Ivanus, the owner of the Greek Village Restaurant in Warner Robins, says being short-staffed is the new pandemic.

"It's been kind of a rough time for us looking for servers, cooks, anything back in the kitchen," Ivanus said. "When you think you have found someone, they don't stay too long."

The Greek Village Restaurant has been been open since 2008, but now because of the pandemic, the food and hospitality industries are taking a beating with trying to hire and keep workers. 

"I'm doing everything here -- I am now the owner, the boss, cleaning tables, seating people, cutting cakes," said Ivanus. "Since November 2019, I haven't taken a day off."

Right now, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce calls the job market "the Great Reshuffle." They say many workers are actually quitting jobs but getting hired elsewhere.  

Ivanus said, "Some of them, they come and stay for a week or three days and say, 'It's not what I want to do.'"

With remote work becoming more common, it is now a competitive hiring market.

"When I see people come out of business, it hurts me, too, because I am one of them," Ivanus lamented.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that in more stable and higher-paying industries, the number of employees quitting has been lower.

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