Looking to keep your new hires around for a while? We’ve got a few tips you might want to consider:
Create a voice for your staff. Sounds simple, but seems that one of the greatest challenges for restaurant owners is culturing a staff-management relationship communication line. If your employees don’t feel welcomed and able to speak up for help or to voice their concerns, chances are they will become frustrated and seek employment elsewhere. Give them a voice and let their opinions and frustrations about the work be heard, they won’t be so quick to quit.
Develop careers. Most servers don’t plan for restaurant service as a career path- often it’s just seen as a temporary position. Work towards creating a bonus system and ways for increasing passion for service and the industry with each employee. If your staff is making money and begins to see the good in the industry and their potential for advancement within your restaurant, they’ll stick around.
Schedule in advance and kindly. One of the main reasons employees will leave working is due to the inability to request time off and actually get it. Sure there are busy seasons and limits to time off request, but do your best to cater to the staffs needs as much as possible. If servers lives outside of work are valued, they will not dread coming in to work thanks to the time off they’ve received.
Warn your employees about low dips in business which directly effects their income. Servers take a risk accepting a position with no guaranteed set paycheck. Some weeks tips are high, other times tips are low. Are you servers able to pay their bills? It’s always best to reach out to your employees in the low times and voice your care and concern for their sustainability and livelihood.
