The best way to increase employment engagement is by proving a positive onboarding experience followed by training for the job someone is hired for. Job role training is key to provide team members the tools for success and have a sense of belonging and purpose. There is nothing worse than being thrown into a situation without knowing how to perform. Foodservice work requires trained skill sets at a professional level. New hires often have the will but not the background and experience to do the job. Experience is everything and that is the result of proper training and mentoring.

Ensuring there is a good culture in the kitchen reaps many benefits and rewards, positively moving away from the perceived negativity and exclusion thats portrayed in many shows and dramas based around hospitality. We are at a crisis point for young talent coming through and need to nurture them in an inclusive and calm manner, ensuring that the workplace has the same culture goals and expecations of any other workplace. Whilst there should always be a clear hierarchy in a kitchen, time should be taken to listen to all the teams ideas, dish specs & plating ideas, using it as a learning experience for all. There is no such thing as not being able to teach an old dog tricks from a chefs perspective and everyone can evolve & learn.

Empowering the kitchen team and ensuring they feel heard is crucial for morale, teamwork and operational success, also the kitchen is the engine room to every successful F&B business. Here are a couple of strategies I’ve used to make sure the back of house teams have a seat the table; Regular and open communication - daily/weekly check ins. Genuinely listen to feedback, concerns, thoughts and ideas. Having an open dialogue is crucial to a stable team. Menu Development - Even in branded food businesses, leadership who engage with the chef team about their thoughts and input about the dishes they feel would work based on guest feedback or something they’d like to try on a specials menu, thrive more than those who don’t.

I’ve found Working side by side with your kitchen staff is the only way to make sure your standards are the foundation of what they do. You find out what drives them and what acts as a barrier or obstacle when you help manage tasks with them. Feedback is daily and in real time. Morale is managed by making decisions with a “human first” lens. Finally, telling them “why” they are doing something prevents them from guessing and builds trust.

First thing first why did the staff feel demoralized that means we didn't understand them well At first we needed to find our mistakes and fill in the blanks Look for options and ask their feedback that this is what i was thinking you please let me know what how its to be started so they feel valued and share their thoughts and make this as your regular practise ask them questions and ask to fo the same with more the curiosty gets in more the solutions will come up and everyone ferl they are important fir the department,