This post is based on Coyle’s visit to the 2019 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.
The hospitality industry in particular is known for extremely high turnover rates, and those in the “industry” experience the pain it brings all too often. So, how do you overcome it? TJ Schier from S.M.A.R.T. Restaurant Group spoke about igniting a team of top performers during the 2019 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. His presentation communicated relevant and insightful tips for acquiring top performers and keeping them happy, so they don’t want to go anywhere else!
In a nutshell, the formula to success is broken down into three simple steps: Hire, Train & Reward. There are many useful methodologies to utilize for each of these steps, but we will highlight the most relevant.
First and foremost, when evaluating your current employees, get rid of those “C” players. You know, the ones who do the bare minimum to get by and are simply there for a paycheck; time to cut them loose.
HIRE STAGE: Plan out which positions you need filled for a complete and well-balanced team; then post jobs accordingly. Be sure to look for help in the right places. You aren’t going to be very successful if you try to catch a shark in a lake. Shiftgig, hirewire, Snagajob, and CareerPlug are alternatives to platforms such as Craigslist and Indeed. Job fairs are also valuable. In addition, you want your job ads to be attractive. What kind of message does a plain “Now Hiring” sign on the door of your business say versus something creative, incentivized, or professional?
After finding your sharks, you have to reel them in! How often do we hire someone who makes a great first impression during the interview phase before failing miserably at the task at hand once they start? By then, you’ve wasted their time and yours (not to mention other resources). Behavioral-based interviews are an excellent way to see if someone is capable of doing the job and doing it well, and also to see how they interact with their potential future colleagues.
TRAIN STAGE: After you’ve “reeled in your shark,” you want to ensure that they’re set up for success. Always remember…. COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
We can all make the fair assumption that If you have proper training guidelines and procedures in place, you’re more likely to train a top performer. However, someone who wants to perform well will train until they get it “right;” someone who wants to be the best will train until they can’t get it wrong! It’s important to know the difference.
RETAIN STAGE: Once training has ended, it’s essential to reward and retain employees. There are many different ways to reward them and you should feel free to be creative with it. Restaurant ideas may include contests for meals or bottles of wine and an employee of the month contest with cash or check prizes.
A quote to live by: “Train your employees so well they can leave but treat them so well that they won’t.”
Igniting a team of top performers will provide you with a strong foundation, increased profitability, and decreased turnover. Take action and build your ‘A’ team today!
