November 08, 2022
Restaurant owners know that an engaged staff means a better working experience and better customer service. With the ups and downs of staff numbers, it’s essential to support your current team to ensure their success, mitigate labor shortages, and reduce spending. Some statistics reveal that onboarding new employees can cost a company an average of $1,252 per employee. Keeping restaurant staff happy is crucial to a successful team and business. However, owners and managers also want to ensure the crew performs to the best of their ability while being held accountable for their work. If you want to strike a delicate balance between motivation and accountability, read on for our top tips.
Tips to Keep Your Staff Motivated and Satisfied
Looking for tips on how to hold your restaurant staff accountable while cultivating an engaging workplace? The key is to foster a constructive environment that focuses on training, positive reinforcement, and providing helpful tools:
Provide Comprehensive Checklists for All Employees
Keep staff on task by reminding them of daily duties. Frequently, important work falls to the wayside because establishments don’t have internal checks and balances. Daily team huddles to get everyone on the same page and share new information is a great way to check in with your team. Posting clear rules for everything from set-up and breakdown to food temperature monitoring can also motivate your crew to complete their tasks thoroughly. It also serves as a way to measure who is following through with their jobs and who might need a gentle reminder.
Incentive Programs
Boost staff morale and operations by offering employees incentives for a job well done. Treat them to gift cards, help them pay for an education, or even help invest in their skills to show how much you value their contributions to your business. Giving accolades to your star employees means they are likely to motivate other workers to give it their all.
Promote Strong Managers
To help your staff feel supported while ensuring your protocols are followed, you want the right managers by your side. Whether you promote from within or seek out qualified management, you should aim for someone who values the team and has a good work ethic so they can lead by example. A manager who works in tandem with the team and leverages their best qualities is worth their weight in gold! Plus, they can keep staff accountable for mishaps without having to wield an iron fist.
Provide the Necessary Tools Needed for Success
One of the keys to empowering your employees is to ensure they have the tools to do their job competently. Start with a manual that outlines each position's specific duties. If you provide a clear picture of what needs to be done and how to do it, staff can take the initiative to complete tasks correctly. If you want your team to succeed, take the time to train them properly on their duties.
Studies show that businesses with effective training programs can see a 24 percent higher profit margin. Plus, 94 percent of workers are more likely to stick with a company that took the time to focus on training.
Tools can also come in the form of technology and automation. Tablets, for example, can streamline orders and reduce the risk of server error. Self-serving kiosks can also remove some of the burden on employees allowing them to focus on more high-level tasks to boost operations. Kitchen tech, like food traceability software, can also keep chefs happy by monitoring crucial functions like inventory management and food safety.
How to Hold Your Staff Accountable Takeaways
Keeping staff engaged and happy isn’t the opposite of holding them accountable for their work. Making sure employees are productive and also motivated goes hand-in-hand. Remember your team wants to succeed, and as a restaurant owner, you have all the tools at your disposal to create a happy, profitable, and professional environment.
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