Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) announced today that it is partnering with Paradox to introduce a new platform that will make hiring employees more efficient for its restaurant teams. Paradox’s conversational hiring system will enable the General Managers in Chipotle’s restaurants to spend less time on administrative tasks, including collecting basic information from candidates and scheduling interviews, and allow them to focus on their day-to-day operations and providing excellent hospitality for guests.
The technology, underpinned by Conversational AI, is expected to reduce the amount of time it takes to hire an employee for an in-restaurant position by as much as 75%.
Paradox is currently being introduced in a phased approach across more than 3,500 restaurant locations, with plans for completion this month. The recruiting system aims to decrease the time to hire, reduce job advertising costs, increase hiring for hard-to-fill roles, and improve candidate experience.
Introducing “Ava Cado”
Paradox’s experience is driven by a virtual team member that Chipotle named “Ava Cado.” Ava will provide a frictionless hiring experience by chatting with candidates, answering their questions about Chipotle, collecting basic information, scheduling interviews for hiring managers, and sending offers to candidates who are selected by managers. Ava is multilingual and can converse with candidates in English, Spanish, French, and German.
“As we continue to move toward our long-term goal of operating 7,000 restaurants in North America, we are empowering our teams to recruit and hire talent that are excited by our vision to Cultivate a Better World and want to grow with us,” said Ilene Eskenazi, Chief Human Resources Officer. “Paradox operates as if we’ve hired additional administrative support for all our restaurants, freeing up more time for managers to support team members and provide an exceptional guest experience. We’re excited about the early improvements we’re seeing.”
A Leading Workplace
In August, Chipotle ranked #1 on the American Opportunity Index’s first-of-a-kind ranking of the top 50 employers that offer recent high-school graduates with the best pathway to a sustaining career and increased compensation. Chipotle offers eligible workers industry-leading benefits such as debt-free degrees, tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per year, access to mental health care, financial planning tools, and the opportunity for quarterly bonuses for all employees, including hourly crew members, up to a month’s worth of pay per year. It also provides transparent career progression showing how crew members can advance to a Restaurateur, the highest General Manager position, in as little as three and a half years, with a total potential compensation package of approximately $100,000 while leading a multi-million-dollar growing business. Last year, Chipotle had 24,000 internal promotions including 90% of its restaurant management roles and 87% of Field Leader positions.
Those interested in joining Chipotle on its mission to Cultivate a Better World can apply here: https://jobs.chipotle.com/.