Let’s get back to our ongoing battle with restaurant churn. Remember? That nasty problem that’s decimating talent retention, resources, and the general feeling of ease we want to feel when thinking about staffing? Unfortunately, with a problem of this magnitude, there is no magic bullet. Instead, we’re discovering a collection of smaller bullets that can be implemented on a manager’s own authority. And with a beast like restaurant churn, every little blow counts:
Culture Counts
Yeah yeah yeah, another buzzword to mindlessly throw at the problem. When we say culture, we mean virtually everything about the work atmosphere you are providing your employees. Maybe you manage with positive reinforcement, or you actually utilize input from your employees, or your restaurant stands for something larger than just filling bellies, even the music you play during shifts can get the people going. All of these factors can lead to a culture that employees take pride in, thus attracting the kind of talent that’s in it for the long run. Why? Because you’re giving them something to buy into.
Communication is Key
Another notion that seems obvious—so consider this your gentle reminder. Keeping the communication open across the board doesn’t just make employees happy, it keeps employees happy. This is about keeping quality talent around, remember? Little things like replacing “just in time” scheduling with firm, monthly deadlines for workers stating their availabilities might seem excessive, but avoiding last minute changes and respecting commitments outside of work do wonders for an employee’s sanity (while avoiding overtime costs). If someone’s doing a good job, let them know. If they’re doing a fantastic job, slap a “great shift” on social media. In fact, 81% of workers would rather join a company that values open communication over one with a laundry list of fun perks or benefits.
But Also, Perks
It’s the thought that counts, and in the often thankless and sometimes brutal service industry, it goes the distance. Any extra something-something you’re willing to give an employee as a token of your appreciation for their hard work let’s them know you see them. You see them working their ass off. You see them making the restaurant look better. You see them as someone who would be hard as hell to replace. So pick up their lunch tab, add an extra drink on your tab after their shift, toss a cash gift card their way and let them know that your restaurant wouldn’t create as many satisfied customers without them.
Invest In Your Youth
Stay with us while we go outside the box a bit, because studies are showing that “kids these days” are more responsive to tuition assistance programs than earlier generations. Giants like McDonalds, Taco Bell, Chipotle, KFC, and Starbucks are increasing their tuition assistance programs, and report longer-term employee retention for those enrolled. If you’re working for a smaller operation, it just might be worth calling up your local institution of higher learning to see if there are some already-established programs that you can jump in on. And in this labor market, if you can stretch a talented worker’s employment from a few weeks to a few months or more, it’s probably worth looking into.
That’s the thing about these smaller bullets, they start to add up to create meaningful change. Because at the end of the day, progress is progress.