Ways To Decrease Employee Turnover In Restaurants
Restaurant employee turnover is often a major cost for even the most established restaurants. Even for restaurant managers, 50 percent said that they don't see themselves at the same restaurant in five years. Factors like poor incentive systems and a transient work culture can lower employee loyalty within the restaurant industry, but there are many things that a restaurant can do to provide a better work culture. Here is how to keep your restaurant employees happy and prevent staff turnover.
Offer Regular Pay Raises
The cost of training a new employee can eat at your budget, so why not reward your staff if they help you prevent these costs by staying with the company? You can try preventing turnover by offering a regular pay increase; this may be more frequent than a traditional office job's pay raise schedule. If you also offer benefits like healthcare and retirement plans to employees who make it past a certain mark, you'll begin to stand out from other companies in the industry.
Increase Communication
Another frustration for restaurant employees can be the lack of communication. The restaurant industry is a fast-paced business, and there are many moving parts that have to come together. While it can be difficult to create a sense of camaraderie and a clear chain of command, you may find that your retention rates are higher if you give employees a go-to person to address their questions and concerns.
Increase Your Training Period
This may seem counterintuitive– why spend more money training employees when the turnover rates are so high? But a longer training gives you the chance to fully integrate employees into the culture, let them know what to expect clearly before jumping in, and get a thorough and proper training on your procedures. If your employees feel successful and supported in their position, this can help them deal with anxiety when the going gets tough.
Outsource to a Foodservice Manager
You may be feeling like your staff is already overstretched, and adding additional employee support and training would be difficult for you. Many restaurants choose to outsource this part of their business to a contract food service management company that has greater expertise in human resources. A foodservice management contract is a great option because you can outsource the parts of your business that you don't have strong skills in, while keeping control of the areas where you shine.
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