Much like it’s easier and less expensive for restaurants to retain existing customers than attract new ones, operators are in a much stronger position if they can retain and develop their existing staff – not have to constantly look for new people. A study from the Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University found that the average cost of employee turnover is nearly $5,900 per person – funds that could go a lot farther in developing the kinds of resources that would encourage existing staff to stay on. According to a Restaurant Dive report about commentary shared during a panel of labor experts at the recent Restaurant Finance & Development Conference, restaurants need retention and development strategies that work at scale. Getting new employees to stay past the 90-day mark is especially important because these employees account for 12-15 percent of labor costs at casual restaurants and 22 percent of labor costs at limited-service restaurants, said panelist Luke Fryer, CEO of hospitality workforce management firm Harri. You can best identify your pain points – and improve upon them – by mapping out the average growth cycle of employees. At each stage of the employee journey, what are their biggest concerns? How might you address them with tech, tools, training or development opportunities? You also want to be able to identify your best talent early so you can provide what’s needed to retain those people. That means having frequent check-ins to see how things are going – and so they see that you want them to succeed. Let’s not sugarcoat it: Industries that demand long working hours and high quality from their employees can struggle with punishing cultures – and the restaurant industry is no exception. But in recent years, social justice movements have changed what kind of behavior employees will tolerate in their workplaces. Younger employees, often prime candidates for restaurant roles, are especially willing to demand that their employers provide a respectful culture – or they will leave for different jobs. At a time when employees have their choice of employers, it’s in the best interest of restaurants to take positive action with regard to culture – and not just because it’s the right thing to do. According to Gartner research cited in a report from US Foods, 75 percent of companies with inclusive cultures exceed their financial goals. Deloitte research found that 78 percent of workers believe that diversity and inclusion offer a competitive advantage. On the surface, it sounds like a no-brainer: Employees who feel included are happier in their jobs. They are more apt to reflect that positivity onto guests and stay in their roles for longer periods. Restaurants who employ people with diverse backgrounds and views are better able to understand the increasingly diverse population of guests they serve, which helps them forge better connections with (and sales from) their guests. But achieving a more sensitive culture requires a business to develop and follow clear policies about diversity and inclusion, as well as to commit to infusing the business with more inclusive values at every level. The US Foods report advises that operators start by ensuring they are complying with state and federal obligations to provide a workplace that’s free from harassment and hostility. Then consider how well the diversity of your staff relates to your guests and reflects their diversity. Ensure your policies are in writing and communicated through training so that people can be (and are) held accountable for poor behavior. Finally, conduct regular sensitivity checks to ensure you’re not missing tensions lurking under the surface. Give staff a safe space to voice concerns and then follow up to address them. You will set yourself on a course to build employee loyalty. The past few years have marked an uptick in the presence of the “quiet quitter” — the employee who reports to work but isn’t engaged in their responsibilities, does the minimum required, and is simply waiting for the moment when they can move on. Gallup says quiet quitters comprise half of the U.S. workforce. According to a recent report from Fortune magazine, there is even a difficult subset of quiet quitters known for “resenteeism” — yet another signal of the times that refers to quiet quitters who resent having to remain in their role and then spread that low morale on to other team members. You likely have some quiet quitters on your staff, and while they can pose problems across sectors, they are dangerous to keep on a restaurant team because their behaviors can result in illness to staff and guests, injury, food contamination, or simply a surprise skeleton crew because they miss a shift without providing sufficient notice. But most employees don’t tend to start their jobs with this mindset, so there are steps you can take to minimize the chances of losing responsible staff in this way (and cultivating some valuable talent on staff in the process). Provide regular training that meshes with agreed-upon job responsibilities. Offer structure to the role, opportunities to learn on the job, and recognition and rewards for good performance. Communicate openly and give staff a sounding board for telling you how things are going. Have a non-punitive culture where staff feel they can ask questions openly and won’t be punished for making a mistake. You won’t be able to keep everyone, but you may improve your chances of turning a quiet quitter into a motivated employee. |
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