“I Can’t Keep Staff” — The NUMBER ONE REASON Causing High Restaurant Turnover Rates… and How to Fix It!

Written by Kenneth C. Scharlatt. Published on August 23, 2023.

The restaurant industry… You want to talk about a business model that has historically failed at providing a nurturing and caring workplace environment for its staff members? I give you the restaurant industry. And if you want to see a really high dose of “the truth hurts” kind of medicine — this has never been more of an issue than right now — in 2023. But WHY is that?

In 2020, when our industry was severely compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic, something major happened with our industry’s workforce. Prior to the shutdown, our industry had “lifers” — the 15-plus year servers, bartenders and other front-line team members. Restaurant managers and owners knew how to efficiently work with, motivate and challenge these “lifers” for the betterment of their business.

Coming out of the pandemic, however, when restaurants were finally able to open and get back to a sense of normalcy, the “lifers” were nowhere to be found. Front-line team members became younger, less energetic and — the adjective that I hear more often than not —extremely lazy! Yes, this is a major issue. But what would happen if leadership changed their approach and adapted how they work with, motivate and challenge this new generation?

Growing up, both of my parents were successful business people, and on top of that, they cared about the people that worked WITH them — NOT FOR THEM! To this day, my mom still has great relationships with people that she worked with 15 years ago. And my dad — well he always told me that “when you take care of your people, your people will take care of your profits”. He engrained it into my thought process that when you run a company — regardless of the industry you’re in — that PEOPLE MUST BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY… NO EXCEPTION!

When I hear from restaurant owners and managers that they can’t keep their staff and that their turnover rate is through the roof, my “spidey senses” start to tingle. Today’s workforce is focused primarily on one thing — CULTURE. Do they feel cared for and valued by their employers? Do they feel that they have the opportunity to grow within the company? Are they treated with respect and dignity? Today’s workforce wants to be able to provide input and know that their thoughts, concerns, and feedback are not only heard, but given proper consideration.

So — with that thought in mind — I want to share a five things that I have done that have really gone a long way towards fixing the “I can’t keep staff” issue.

1. Get to know each individual team member on a personal level. Not only will this show that you care about them, but it will help you figure out what is important to them. It will help you learn how to motivate each specific team member to get the best out of them. You cannot have a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to leading your team because everyone has their own unique personality. This leads me to number 2…
2. When you get to know each individual team member, you can see when something is “off” with them and can approach it in a caring manner. Remember, people have lives outside of the four walls of your restaurant, and it is not always possible that they can “switch” their mindset on and off at the drop of a dime. If you see one of your team members is not their normal self, a simple “hey, are you OK?” will go a long way in gaining their trust and respect. Here’s the thing… do not try to force them to talk about a private matter. If they want to have that conversation with you, it is a sign that they trust you and they know that you’re genuine and care. That will go a LONG WAY with building a rapport with them.
3. Whatever you do… DO NOT SET YOUR TEAM MEMBERS UP TO FAIL! Nobody likes being thrown to the wolves to fend for themselves. Why is it that the restaurant industry has a horrible reputation for poor onboarding training and ongoing development? As leaders, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE for giving our team members the tools and knowledge that will give them the best opportunity to complete their tasks efficiently and correctly. Don’t hire someone and put them on the floor just to make them fend for themselves and not know the proper procedure to do something. That will stress them out and most likely be one of the determining factors that they have in the event they decide to no longer work for your business.
4. Take team members that show enthusiasm and want to grow under your wing! If you see someone that has that “it” factor, you have to embrace them and start building the next generations leaders. Now… you have to make sure this is being done fairly. Under no circumstances can you show any type of favoritism for one team member over another. But if someone is hungry for learning more and wants to advance within the business, that is a win-win situation! Just make sure that all team members have that same opportunity if they want it.
5. This one isn’t industry specific… but it’s something that we need to get back to within our entire culture. Folks, can we PLEASE go back and start to civilly respect each other as HUMANS?!? Our society is so focused on finding the smallest difference in opinion and starting World War III with somebody over it. What ever happened to “Love Thy Neighbor” and living by The Golden Rule? Regardless of someone’s race, sexual orientation, political mindset… we all have one thing in common. WE ARE ALL HUMANS! Let’s remember that the world is a better place when we all respect each other. We don’t need to like everybody we come in contact with, but just because you don’t like someone for one reason or another doesn’t make them a horrible person, and does not devalue what they believe in.

Folks, our industry is at a crucial crossroads, and as leaders, it is our responsibility to do what’s right. Leaders need to be able to adapt their leadership style so they can better engage with their teams. Your team looks for someone they can rely on to set an example of professionalism and trust, and it is our responsibility to give them a safe and welcoming work environment.

I hope that you can take something from this article, and I would love to continue this conversation! Feel free to comment below, or set up a time to have a virtual cup of coffee to discuss this in more depth! Let’s work together to take our industry to the next level! Cheers!