It’s no secret that the restaurant business has high turnover, but just because it’s an industry-wide problem doesn’t mean it’s not something you can work to improve. Here’s how to reduce turnover in your restaurant.
Practice Smart Hiring
One of the best ways to prevent turnover is by hiring the right people for the job. While there’s no special formula for the perfect employee, it’s important to consider a candidate wholistically. Rather than just looking at their work experience and skill set, consider their attitude and enthusiasm. It’s also smart to call a candidate’s references to learn more about their past employment. In many cases, past behaviors predict future behavior, so if a candidate has left several jobs after only a few months, you might want to reconsider hiring them.
Provide Extensive Training
Proper training and mentorship can set new employees up for success. Make sure your restaurant has a formal training process that includes partnering new employees with veteran employees. During initial training is also a great time to perform restaurant cross-training, which can help build empathy for other staff, prevent workflow problems in the event of someone quitting, and keep staff engaged by making them aware of growth opportunities within the restaurant.
Ask for and Listen to Feedback
Having an open flow of communication with your employees can help you build better relationships and learn more about the pain points of your restaurant. Not only should you have regular meetings with your employees, but you should have a process for implementing their ideas to make the staff more efficient and fulfilled. Not only will this help them feel ownership over your restaurant’s success, but it can also help you learn more about your employees, their workflow, and what they need to succeed.
Reward Hard Work
When employees feel underappreciated and expendable, they’re much more likely to look for new work. One way to prevent that from happening is by finding creative ways to reward their hard work. Have small incentives for things like consistently coming into work on time or having the most upsells. You might also consider giving your staff members a free or discounted meal during their shift. Not only does this show your appreciation, but it also gives them a chance to learn more about the menu so they can better serve your clientele.
For more restaurant management tips, check out the McDonald Wholesale blog where we cover everything from menu engineering to grand opening ideas for your new restaurant.