The Unlikely Perk One Pizza Company Offers Its Employees

Per The New York Times, 40 million people left their jobs in 2021 in search of better working conditions and fair pay. The industries most affected by what has now been dubbed "The Great Resignation" were retail and hospitality, forcing employers to reformulate their plans to keep workers happy and business booming. The reason for the large turnover rates? Employees started to recognize, especially during the pandemic, that they were worth more than minimum wage and disrespectful customers.

Despite the "now hiring" signs at every turn, American citizens were still working. They simply changed what they would tolerate. "People have seen this as a rejection of work, but I've seen it as people capitalizing on an abundance of job opportunities," Indeed's director of economic research Nick Bunker said. "People do need to pay the bills." In order to prevent restaurant workers from leaving the industry, businesses have to offer clear and regular incentives, which is exactly what one Dallas-Fort Worth pizza shop is doing.

Since opening its Dallas-Fort Worth location in 2015, ZaLat Pizza has had a reputation for putting employees at the forefront, according to QSR. Colored bracelets reminiscent of karate belts are rewarded each year an employee stays, and employee buy-in is not only possible but encouraged. One of the most interesting and unlikely incentives the company offers is free tattoos to their employees. After working at the company for a year, it rewards workers who wish to partake with some fresh ink, courtesy of its on-retention tattoo artist.

Founder Khanh Nguyen wants his employees to have a fulfilling life that differs from typical restaurant jobs and has prioritized his employees since opening the chain of pizzerias in 2015 (via PMQ). To ensure optimal success, ZaLat Pizza uses a mobile training platform, Opus, to help workers learn the ins-and-outs of their position. "We don't view our employees as a necessary evil," Nguyen told QSR. "They are the most crucial part of the business, because the care and attention to detail they put into our food is what we are selling."

ZaLat Pizza has plans to expand to 30 locations between Houston and Dallas, Texas. If you don't have one in your area, no worries, you can always go on a search for the best pizza place in your state.