
It’s much more effective to make work itself fun. Yes, happy hours, coffee meetings, and team lunches are all decent ways to get the team to interact with one another and have a good time.īut these are one-off events. Through this, you can provide a literal path toward management roles for those individuals in your organization who have the will, effort, and skills to move upward. This can present itself in a number of ways: on-the-job training, third-party education, internal management courses, or even opportunities to attend industry conferences and seminars.įor enterprise restaurants, another strategy is to be transparent with the organizational structure and share current and future open positions with your team. This type of employee turnover - when talented, driven employees leave to take on roles with greater responsibility - can be reduced by providing a clear path to internal growth. Others depart for greater pay, greater flexibility, or greater opportunities to grow. Some employees leave because they don’t believe in the restaurant's vision. During your next one-on-one meeting, give them a spot bonus - a real one - and both you and the employee will win. Of course, if someone is really crushing it, then yes, they deserve a much larger reward. But what matters most is that employees are recognized for their exceptional efforts.

It doesn't have to be much: coffee gift cards, lunches, perhaps a decent bottle of whiskey. Set aside a budget each quarter for ad hoc compensation for staff who are outperforming. Sharing positive feedback on a regular basis is one of the most effective ways to keep employees happy, engaged, and on the team. If someone is doing exceptional work, let them know. So, next time you are thinking about making a change, no matter how small, be sure to get your team's feedback! 2. How about helping select their very own coworkers? Enacting an employee referral system has many positive benefits for your company. The more frequently an employee comes into contact with something (like your restaurant's guests), the more important it is that they are able to weigh in on the outcome. This is especially true for daily interactions. But there are many opportunities, large and small, to request employee feedback, suggestions, votes, and ideas. Of course, not all employees can (or should!) partake in every major business decision. Giving employees a chance to buy into changes and share their thoughts on pending decisions can create a strong and positive link between the team and the organization. Involve Employees in Key DecisionsĪre you thinking about rebranding the company? Are you contemplating moving offices? Are you doing something as simple as changing the brand of coffee in the kitchen? So, how can this be done? Let’s take a look at some proven ways to reduce employee turnover. It takes so much time and effort to recruit, interview, hire, and onboard a new employee, it is critically important to build an organization that is optimized for keeping people on the team for the long haul.


How did this happen? Is this my fault? Who else is leaving? Is there anything we could have done to prevent this? That’s when your mind fills with questions. Your top-performing server or star chef asks to talk with you, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, she lets the news drop: “I’m putting in my two-weeks notice.” It’s a restaurant manager’s worst nightmare. By David Klein. Originally published on Clicktime, republished by request.
