Your restaurant staff is your most valuable asset, they’re your prized possession if you want to call it that. It’s the driving force behind making your restaurant business thrive. Without your restaurant staff, you’d probably struggle with getting half the things done. Imagine taking down orders, preparing the meal, and serving customers all by yourself at the same time! You’d probably be a wreck by the end of the first day and give up on becoming a restaurant owner.
Not only this, but people often wonder what the setting and facilities look like behind the kitchen doors. Is it like the gloomy, depressing description George Orwell gave in his book, ‘Down and out in London and Paris,’? Where waiters would survive on one meal at the end of the day and sit in hot humid conditions to scrub the dishes and polish the silverware. No, you definitely don’t want to give that impression or even be near such an unpleasant condition.
So, what can you do to avoid this situation and increase your staff’s productivity? (especially in a sustainable manner to keep them and your customers satisfied). Here are 5 restaurant staff management tips you can try out.
1. Hierarchy and Divisions Are the Way to Go
Establishing a hierarchy is not just for a corporate business, it works wonders in ensuring effective restaurant management as well. Divide your staff into different sections where each group comprises of compatible people who enjoy working together. This is an important tip which you should not forget to incorporate. With a hierarchy, your staff is aware of the company structure and the possibility of being promoted to a higher position if they perform well. Thus, automatically translating to a dynamic and efficient workforce.
2. Don’t Forget to Appreciate Them – Keep Them Motivated
Motivation is a key factor in making sure your restaurant functions well and in harmony. Set rules and regulations which are easy to follow and appreciate your staff for their efforts. Providing meals, setting fixed timings for their shifts, and agreeing to pay overtime are small steps that you can take to keep them motivated and interested.
Remember, your restaurant staff represents your brand and if it’s productive and hands-on, then you won’t see your restaurant facing any downfall anytime soon.
3. Communicate
Communication Is important for effective restaurant management. If your staff cannot come to you to address a concern, then you’re doing something wrong. It’s quite upsetting having to hear an employee’s concern from another staff member. You want to make sure this doesn’t happen. To do this establish a respectful but open relationship with your staff.
For instance, ask them if they’re doing okay, if they need help, or a few days off if you see them lacking in energy or being absent-minded. Everyone has bad days and it's okay to give them a break once in a while. This will also ensure your attrition rate doesn’t skyrocket.
4. Provide Them With Appropriate Working Conditions
No one likes to work in an environment where they feel drained out, anxious, and stressed. For the restaurant staff, this aspect is even more significant as it directly impacts how they perform their given tasks.
So, provide your restaurant staff with a comfortable working environment. Set up designated spaces where they can rest and make sure they have sufficient breaks in between to charge up. Make sure the kitchen is well ventilated so as to avoid any health hazards as well. This will not only keep your staff satisfied but keep their spirits high.
5. Organise Training Sessions and Monitor Progress
Be it weekly or monthly, meetings and training sessions are a must. They allow for personal and professional growth and that is exactly what you want in order to watch your restaurant business expand.
Keep a monitoring report to track your staff's progress in specific time intervals. If they’re struggling with something, add it to the training session and guide them on how to get it right. Your staff will not be perfect at everything but you can help them learn new skills and keep up with the influx of customers during peak hours.
The Final Verdict
The quality of your restaurant staff is crucial for a successful business outcome. It goes hand in hand with effective restaurant management. Treat them as you would any other colleague, this helps retain staff and motivates them to be proactive in their tasks. Even customers pick up on their competence and efficiency and come back often. So, follow these restaurant staff management tips and watch how your restaurant business thrives in no time!
To learn more about managing your restaurant business effectively and staying up to date with the latest restaurant developments, visit our website. We offer various guides via blogs, videos, and even personal consultancy services to make your restaurant management easy.
For more information, you can call us at 0203-916-5199 or drop an email at [email protected]. We will get back to you as soon as possible.