How To Improve Recruiting & Retention In The Restaurant Industry (and in every other industry)!

Year after year, the number one struggle restaurants have is recruiting and retaining staff. Two reasons we chose to specialize in the Restaurant industry: 1. It's a remarkable industry that offers growth opportunities to more people than any other industry, based on personality and action and not solely on education level. 2. The majority of restaurants are putrid at both recruiting and retaining their staff and we are game changers for them.

So why is recruiting and retention an issue year after year? The best analogy I can give that every single restaurant owner that started out as a restaurant worker themselves will understand is this: Somebody that never worked in a restaurant, generally sucks at running an effective restaurant because they don't know what it actually takes to roll up their sleeves and bust their tails to ensure every single guest has an exceptional experience. Hospitality just isn't their forte. Can the investor do it? Sure, and sometimes they are actually fantastic at it, but that's the exception. Typically they end up hiring a person that has paid their dues and knows the industry and how it ticks. That's the smartest move they can make. The same goes for recruiting. What in the hell makes you think you're supposed to also be an effective recruiter? Recruiting is more than a full time job. We don't do anything else but spend our day (every day) focused on recruiting. If you ask me to run your restaurant, I'd laugh and wonder why you think I could effectively do both.

Here's the ugly truth...many restauranteurs are too cheap and stubborn that they'd rather fail at recruiting and retention year after year than pay a professional. As a restaurant owner or Manager, you should be 100% focused on the restaurant. The irony is that as far as my company, we provide our client's with at least three times the financial value in placements than they actually pay us for, each month. Just like everybody else on the planet, you can't do everything. Hiring an outsider to handle your recruiting is just smart business. It frees yourself and management to focus on developing people, which leads us to the part that deals with retention. The fact that turnover is so high in the industry comes as no surprise. This industry is filled with either super awesome leaders or leaders that have absolutely no business dealing with other people, especially not in positions to be leaders. Unfortunately, it's the second type that is in the majority. Why? Restaurant owners wait until they're in emergency mode because their Manager just walked out so they make Jeff, the server, the new Manager. Poor Jeff who has never even so much been Captain of his kickball team, now has a team of people to lead and a restaurant to keep running. Can he do it? Maybe, but the probability is more likely that one by one the waitstaff and kitchen staff tells Jeff to f' himself and they find another restaurant to work at. Is it Jeff's fault? Yes...but also and mainly the owner's fault.

Retention is 100% the responsibility of the owner/Leadership. Are people going to leave even if you're doing everything right? Of course, not everybody is meant to stay for long and that's fine.

Here are a few simple things you can do to minimally up your retention rates:

1. Hire the right type of Leader for your unique concept and then train them properly - I'm not saying to have Jeff, the unqualified leader train them...I'm suggesting putting up some money and time to have them properly trained! This pays off every time. This is a people focused industry, it's a no brainer that the leadership needs to understand people and how to best lead them as a team and individually.
2. Do what you say you're gonna do - The number one complaint I hear from people I speak with isn't pay, it's their current Leadership does not follow through with what they've said they'll do. They don't trust them which ultimately leads to a lack of trust for the company, which inevitably leads to the employee leaving. Rule of thumb: Over deliver and under promise.
3. Care about your team - This one thing alone will raise your retention rate. I'm a huge believer that as a leader, if you don't care deeply about your team, it is your obligation to quit or step down and let somebody else lead the team. A team that has a leader that truly cares, will in turn care back...which means they have buy in and feel part of something bigger than themselves. When somebody like me calls them to steal them from you, they'll likely not entertain my call because they feel cared for and actually care about you and the company.
4. Live the culture - Culture is brought to life directly from the consistent action of the Leader. People actually leave restaurants often due to the culture being totally different than what they were told when hired. People love consistency and having a positive culture will lure people in that will want to work for and with you. Nobody cares what your handbook says the culture is, but it is very important that they feel the culture and vibe with it.
5. Hire the right staff - So much turnover stems from hiring one bad apple and sticking with your poor decision. One bad apple can and does spoil the whole bag. Hire like minded/like valued people. Of course, you want unique people that will add to the culture, I'm saying make sure that each person has the basic same mindset and value systems that mesh and encourage each other. This industry can be stressful enough, and with a crappy team it's even worse. Hiring the right staff truly makes a world of difference and creates a tremendous retention percentage. Think of it like creating a family. You disagree but when push comes to shove, you have each others back and are unified in the results.

Unless you change the actions you take, the results will be the same. To make certain that 2020 doesn't repeat the same struggles, be proactive and take the needed steps to focus on what you shine at doing. Hire professionals to bring in the right talent and train your leaders to know how to retain them!

The Restaurant Talent Group are match makers for fantastic Restaurants and outstanding Restaurant Leadership! We partner with our clients and create positive and effective results through hiring the right Leaders throughout their restaurants. Our results are different because we take different actions! We only recruit for the Restaurant industry!

Check out our website! https://www.therestauranttalentgroup.com