Industry Spotlight: How Pho and The Fulham Shore Are Winning the War for Talent with Harri
- By Harri Insider Team | January 5, 2026
In the fast-paced world of hospitality, the difference between success and stagnation often comes down to one thing: people.
In a recent industry spotlight, we heard from two powerhouse leaders in the UK hospitality sector: Jade Berry, Head of People at Pho Restaurants, and Nicki Sahota, People Director at The Fulham Shore (the parent company of Franco Manca and The Real Greek).
Both leaders face the same monumental challenge: managing large, distributed workforces in a sector notorious for high turnover. Their conversation reveals why they chose Harri as their workforce management partner and, more importantly, the tangible results they’ve achieved.
Here is an analysis of their discussion, featuring the strongest takeaways.
1. Speed is the New Currency in Hiring
For Jade Berry at Pho, the pre-Harri world was one of manual processes and lost time. In a market where candidates often apply to multiple jobs in a single afternoon, speed is critical. If you aren’t the first to respond, you lose the best talent.
Jade highlighted a critical metric that drove their decision to implement Harri: the Time to Hire.
“We’ve managed to reduce our time to hire from 10 days to 7 days. In this market, those three days are the difference between securing a great candidate or losing them to a competitor.” — Jade Berry
By streamlining the applicant tracking system (ATS) and automating communications, Pho didn’t just save administrative time; they fundamentally changed their competitive advantage in the labour market.
2. Retention Through Data, Not Just “Gut Feeling”
While hiring is the first hurdle, retention is the long game. Both Jade and Nicki discussed the importance of moving away from reactive management to proactive, data-driven decisions.
For Pho, the results of using Harri’s engagement and retention tools “speak for themselves.” Jade shared a statistic that every People Director dreams of:
“We have decreased our annual turnover by 5% over the last 12 months, and we are seeing even stronger retention in our newer locations.”
This reduction isn’t just a number—it represents massive savings in recruitment costs, training hours, and operational disruption.
3. The “Fulham Shore” Approach: Scaling Employee Experience
Nicki Sahota, representing the rapidly expanding portfolio of Franco Manca and The Real Greek, brought a perspective focused on scale and employee experience (EX).
Managing the workforce for The Fulham Shore requires a system that ensures compliance without sacrificing the human touch. Nicki’s insights focused on how technology should enable managers, not replace them. By automating the “heavy lifting” of compliance, rota management, and payroll, Harri allows her General Managers to get back on the floor—mentoring teams and delighting guests.
Key Takeaway from Nicki: Technology is the bridge between operational efficiency and culture. For a group as large as The Fulham Shore, Harri serves as the “single source of truth,” ensuring that whether an employee is at a Real Greek in London or a Franco Manca in Manchester, their experience is consistent, compliant, and engaging.
The Verdict: Why Harri?
The consensus from both Jade and Nicki is clear: Harri isn’t just software; it’s a strategic partner.
- For Pho, it was about Speed & Data: Cutting hiring time by 30% and reducing turnover.
- For Fulham Shore, it was about Scale & Compliance: Managing a complex multi-brand estate with ease.
As the hospitality industry continues to face labour challenges, the lesson from these two leaders is simple: investing in the right technology isn’t an optional extra—it’s the anatomy of a smart decision.
Find out more by visiting our Talent Acquisition page
