As a restaurant owner, you need to do everything you can to maintain the success of your food business, and to do so, you need to have good employees. However, finding and retaining top talent can sometimes be easier said than done unless you have a solid strategy. Here’s how to find the best people, help them succeed from the start, and keep them happy for years.
Know What To Look For And How To Reach Candidates
When you’re looking for the best talent for your restaurant, you need to find a combination of previous experience and the necessary skills that can help to elevate your business. Some of the top characteristics of restaurant employeesinclude someone who takes their job seriously and always acts professionally. You also want someone personable, caring, and empathetic, especially when your patrons have an issue. Someone who cares can help the customers and continue to show your restaurant in the best light.
Of course, you also need someone who will be a team player, especially on the busiest nights or when you’re short-staffed. Find an employee who will step up and fill in for another role at a moment’s notice and fulfill that task to the best of their ability. You won’t always be able to find these skills listed on the resumes, so ask detailed questions during the interview about their past experience to get a good idea of how the candidates will act if hired.
You also need to be savvy about how you find potential candidates. Start by creating a separate job listing for each position and be specific about the responsibilities, the hours, the benefits, and the pay. Post the job listing at your restaurant, your website, and job sites like Indeed.
It’s also essential that you use the power of the top social media sites to spread news of your needs far and wide. When it comes to posting jobs, start with LinkedIn because it’s home to 810 million users worldwide and that’s where many people look for jobs. Facebook is another go-to for candidates of all age groups, and you can use your restaurant’s group page to advertise the role. Have your employees share the job listing with their friends, and you can even use Facebook’s paid advertising to reach certain demographics in your area.
Constant Communication From Onboarding To Exit
Once you find a few good employees and hire them onto your team, it’s essential that you take all necessary steps to create a positive environment so they feel comfortable on the job and want to stick around and do their best work.
A good retention strategy starts with a solid onboarding process. Give each new employee a warm welcome and create a program that tells them all the restaurant's ins and outs so they can confidently start their new role. Also, partner them up with a seasoned employee so they can see how the work should be done, and they aren’t left to figure it out on their own.
Your restaurant needs to maintain a positive workplace culture as time passes because you want your employees to be happy when they show up every day. A positive culture means everyone is treated with respect and feels comfortable approaching management when they have an issue. A positive workplace culture should also have managers who get in the trenches with the employees and help them in times of need, so the staff can see that you’re all truly on the same team.
Even with the best culture and benefits, you’ll likely have employees who will quit or move on at some point. If that happens, take advantage of their departure by holding exit interviews where you ask them why they're leaving, how they think the company could improve, and if the position matched their expectations. Departing employees are typically very open because they have nothing to lose, so use the information they share to better your restaurant for your existing employees.
Provide Benefits That People Want
Folks interested in working in the food industry have many different options for work, so offer perks and benefits that will encourage them to work at your restaurant and refer their highly qualified friends.
You don’t have to look too far to find one of the perks many employees get excited about: free food. People spend a lot of money on food throughout their lives, and if a restaurant employee can cut that cost down, they may be truly happy. Plus, when you serve food and allow your employees the chance to have a suitable break, they’ll be more willing to take that necessary pause to refresh mentally. Bonus points if some of the food you provide helps support their immune health, such as almonds, fish, and blueberries. Healthy employees are able to fire on all cylinders.
Life at a restaurant can also be very hectic, so besides offering standard health insurance, you might consider offering additional employee benefits, like those prioritizing mental health and wellness, including:
- Additional paid time for mental health days.
- Discounts for gym memberships or yoga classes.
- Resources for therapy and online programs.
You also should provide employees with a suitable work/life balance. Ask your employees for their ideal schedule, and if you can make it happen, then do so. Sometimes, working parents need to bring their kids to school or handle various errands. If they can do what they need at home and still work their shift, they’ll be grateful and show that appreciation through their work.
Finding talent can take time, but once you have the best people, make it a point to create a positive environment so they’ll want to do their best work and help your restaurant shine. Once you have the dream team, help them to improve and grow.
