Last week, we covered the five myths of employee retention from the session, "People Work for People: Why your Employees Move On, Not Up, in Your Organization," at this year's Bar & Restaurant Expo. But the presenters—Nate Yungvanitsait, President & Founder, University of Beer, Craft Beer Bar & Kitchen, and Sean Biggs, COO, The University of Beer, Craft Beer Bar & Kitchen—have more to teach! During the second-half of their session, Nate & Sean presented their five systems for growing employees.
We cover the five systems, below!
1. Get rid of your grace period.
Like we mentioned in the five myths, it's OK to give your employees strict standards to adhere to—as long as you are consistent.
Take your late policy, for instance. Top performers don’t want to work in a place where people are allowed to be late all the time (including yourself!). Hold all of your employees to the same late policy. You may even want to consider rewarding those who arrive a bit earlier by letting employees clock in ten minutes early and get that extra pay. But if they clock in even one minute past time, then they are marked late.
2. Go “radio silent.”
Find new ways to connect with your employees. At the University of Beer, Nate & Sean have set up an audiobook club. They challenge staff to turn off the radios in their cars and instead listen to a chosen audiobook, which is then discussed at the end of the month at a staff meeting. The books could be anything related to personal growth, leadership, financial literacy, the industry, etc.
If you think audiobooks are a tall ask, consider playing a video at your next staff meeting on something your employees wouldn’t be taught otherwise—for example, financial literacy is a big topic.
3. Get mystery shoppers.
Mystery shoppers are hired to help businesses increase sales by assisting in improving customer service. And in the hospitality industry, customer service is everything!
Mystery shoppers aren't meant to be a "gotcha" moment for employees; the goal is to make your employees better at their jobs so that they’ll stick around longer.
Also, if you plan on hiring a mystery shopper, make sure you have standards in place you want them to look for—and make sure your employees know what they are too! Write down these standards and hold employees (and yourself) accountable to them.
4. Go 50/50 on appreciation and recognition.
In the article on the five myths of employee retention, Nate & Sean pointed out that "treats" like gift cards aren't enough to retain your employees. However, that doesn't mean all appreciation and recognition should go the wayside.
It's important to be sure your staff knows you appreciate them and to recognize your top performers. To do so, give them something to aspire to.
At University of Beer, the company flies out its top performers (top 20% sales) for quarterly brewery trips. These are a high-value reward, and staff that don't make the cut are incentivized to work harder to earn it.
Find a unique and valuable way to show your staff appreciation, and it will go a long way.
5. Create a long-term incentive.
While trips and similar rewards have their place, they are a short-term, fleeting incentive. Get your employees thinking about the future by giving them a reason to stay with your company.
For the University of Beer, this means investing in their staff by helping them buy a home. After five years with the company, an employee receives a $30,000 down payment on a house and $500 toward their mortgage.
It's a big number and a big incentive, but Sean encourages owners to think about the high cost of turnover and training new employees in comparison. He recommends owners also plan ahead and put money aside each year toward whatever incentive they are looking to give.
Plan to Attend or Participate in the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 18-20, 2024
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo 2024 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the 2024 Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: [email protected] p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: [email protected] p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.