Right now, one key issue that seems to consistently come up in conversation amongst bar and restaurant operators is how to find and retain good talent.
It seems that so many of us are experiencing the “hangover” of the Great Resignation, with team members that seem disinterested in their jobs, interview candidates that do not show up for interviews or even for the first day of work once hired, and those with little to no relevant experience asking for executive level salaries. Sound familiar? I bet it does.
The staffing issue in our industry is pervasive enough to have sparked many a conversation steeped in bewilderment and confusion as to how an owner/operator without a ton of capital can survive the many other challenges we face – such as the rising costs of… well, everything – in addition to employment challenges.
Eight Steps to Transforming Your Business with a Dream Team
Here’s where I’ll offer a glimmer of hope and even go so far as to suggest that there is no perfect or better time to build (and retain) a dream team then now. So, before you throw your hands up in frustration, or worse, throw in the towel, take heed of the following eight steps. They just may transform your business and position you for massive growth.
1. Only Hire Those in Line with Your Core Values
At times it can feel like we just need to hire anyone with a pulse just to cover shifts and keep the doors open. While this may be the case for some businesses, it is important to remember that we are building our dream team and, in doing so, we must resist the urge whenever possible to just hire a body, without any type of vetting process. Hiring in this way will often result in perpetuating the revolving door of staff – a very costly mistake.
2. Know Your Core Values and Hire Only Those Aligned with Them
Begin by listing your core values in your hiring ads. Job seekers who believe your business is speaking their language will be instantly attracted to the job posting and will be more likely interested in the role. Remember, applicants are interviewing you before you ever meet them, so communicate what’s in it for them and display your company’s culture as clearly as possible to attract those that identify with your vibe.
3. Vet Every Candidate
In speaking with bar and restaurant operators and owners across the country, I have found that very few actually call to check job candidate references and former employers, to be sure that the candidate’s track record is as shiny as the resume states. A few quick phone calls can confirm if the excitement you feel about whom you are about to hire is warranted or if you need to steer clear.
4. Be Clear About Pay and Expectations up Front
Whether you are hiring an entry level position or an executive, it’s important that expectations for both parties are met and clearly defined from the start. You want the candidate to be excited about the opportunity from the get go, and if things like pay, benefits, expectations of work hours and job responsibilities are not clear, it can result in more turnover.
5. Be Willing to Train Both Skills AND Culture
One of the things that often falls by the wayside in lieu of day to day operations is training, especially for owner/operators that are already doing so much to try to keep the operation afloat. The good news is that even if you do not have a well-documented system of training (which you should ultimately strive for), you can make every day an opportunity to teach your teams a new skill or coach them in how to exude the type of behavior that is consistent with your core values. Here are a few tips to get started:
- Meet with your teams daily, weekly and monthly. Daily pre-shift meetings are great to discuss specials for the day, communicate important shift-related information, and set goals for the team. Weekly management meetings are great to strategize, discuss team member issues, identify areas of opportunity and focus on key agendas. Monthly all-team meeting are great to promote the company culture, provide team building opportunities and celebrate wins.
- Make every shift an opportunity to train a skill. Work with each department to perfect plating, cleaning, greeting guests and anything that can improve the operation and team performance.
6. Remove the ‘Cancers’ Quickly
Nothing can spoil a culture quicker than one or more team members that are spreading gossip, negativity or otherwise exuding poor behavior. Not only does this bring the whole team down, if we as owners and managers do not react quickly to eliminate it, we risk losing our best. By having a zero tolerance for poor behavior and quickly coaching or eliminating these issues, we will send a clear message to the team that we value those who work hard to uphold our values and vision. This is one of the most powerful things we can do to build a strong culture and to retain great team members for the long term.
7. Create a Path for Growth
Studies have shown that perhaps the No. 1 thing candidates are looking for these days (especially in a post-COVID world, where so many are re-inventing themselves) is growth opportunity. Creating a clear path for growth solves helps solves problems for the business while creating value for the team member. Consider…
- Advancement leads to higher pay. Even if you cannot afford to pay a huge salary to someone who had not yet proven themselves in the workplace, you can incentivize great work with financial reward, allowing great team members to grow with your business and reap the benefit of their contribution. This creates an ownership mentality and makes people feel invested in the result, which is good for all involved.
- It pays the business to train. The more skilled a team member becomes, the more efficient the operation can be. When a host learns to bus tables or expedite food, they contribute more to the operation, which translates positively to the bottom line. The more win-win scenarios like this we create, the better.
8. Promote Work-Life Balance
This is a big one. The four-day work week is a hot topic, and it remains to be seen whether it will truly manifest. Nonetheless, workers are looking for more freedom than ever before. For most positions in a restaurant, flexibility is built-in. Servers, bartenders and most front of house positions work part time, have flexible schedules and make great money. For kitchen teams and management however, the hours can be grueling. This may be an opportunity to offer some flexibility in scheduling, extra paid time off or other incentives that allow team members to have a better work-life balance. One group I know offers managers and kitchen workers a rotating three-day “weekend,” which feels like a mini vacation each month, with the extra day off paid by the owner. The result has been high morale and long retention.
The Bottom Line
In a seemingly hopeless hiring environment, candidates are seeking not only higher pay, but quality of life and benefits to boot. By practicing smart hiring, creating a positive growth-minded culture, as well as getting creative with offering benefits that support a healthy work-life balance, we as bar and restaurant owners and operators can take advantage of the opportunity to meet candidates where they are at and... create our dream team.
Greg Provance is the owner of GP Hospitality Partners LLC, a full-service restaurant and hospitality consulting firm, and the author of Butts in Seats: How to Create Raving Fans Who Come Back Again and Again. In addition to being a consulting partner for Everbowl, Southern California’s fastest growing fast casual chain, Provance owns several restaurants in the San Diego area and serves as a principal consultant and advisor for restaurants across the country. His career has taken him from short-order cook to hosting parties and events for celebrities like Janet Jackson, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Eve, Stevie Wonder and DL Hughley, to name a select few. He’s served food and beverages in atmospheres that range from dive bars to the Oscars, from Suffolk, Virginia, to Beverly Hills, and pretty much everything in between. He lives in San Marcos, Calif. with his wife, two strapping young lads and a cat. And he’s committed his career to serving the bar and restaurant community and businesses of San Diego and beyond. Visit GPHospitalityPartners.com to learn more.
Plan to Attend or Participate in
Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
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