3 Effective Ways to Boost Staff Retention
Written by - Daniel Van Hoff , Staffing manager and events co-ordinator at SIP Exclusive
Hello Readers,
I am relatively new to Hospitality industry, with only 6 years’ worth of experience. Most of this time I bartended to earn money while studying. Now, after many long hours, many different employers, I find myself working at a mobile events company, where one of my roles is to look after our staff.
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure, and displeasure of working in Negative and Positive environments. I started by working in a restaurant bar in the Southern Suburbs, by my third month I was the most senior bartender. Being my first job, I just assumed that this was how it worked, and persevered. After my third month, I gave up and accepted an offer to work at a club in town. It was here I realised how wrong my previous employers were, and how easily an environment can be created to retain staff. I worked there for three and half years, five of the other 7 bartenders had been there for longer than 2 years. In the time I spend there, two of my managers were promoted bartenders. In my opinion, this was an optimal environment to work in. These are the lessons I learned:
“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
Introduction
A major concern for many Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, etc. is the high turnover of staff, this can be attributed to a number of reasons. Some of which are: Unclear Job description, a toxic or unhealthy work environment, lack of recognition or growth opportunities. These factors lead to discontent, and with the hospitality industry being fluid, employees will jump ship to another Bar or Restaurant and thus, a cycle is born. Now the question is, how can you stop the cycle? Well, it’s rather easy, let me explain.
Unclear Job Description
It all begins in the interview, and both sides have a part to play here. As the Employer, you need to have a look over their CV, with an eye on the time spend at previous establishments. A key point to look for here is if the potential Employee is ‘Leapfrogging’ from venue to venue. Always remember to check up on their references and ask about their roles in previous jobs.
As the employer, you need to clearly define the job expectation. If you end up misleading the employee with lofty promises that never come to fruition, you’ll find yourself looking for more staff very soon.
Toxic or Unhealthy Work Environment
I think it’s a common thing in our industry for a new employee to walk in for their first shift and instantly become the butt of the workplace banter. This is generally lighthearted and played off for fun, but sadly, some people take it too far. A toxic or unhealthy work environment is one of the biggest reasons for staff turnover. These instances generally stem from a disconnect with management, where the managers employ a Laissez-faire leadership style. This means that management allows the staff to behave how they choose, and only step in when there has been an issue.
A study conducted in Chicago explained that 63% of female hospitality staff in the city had been sexually harassed while working.
It is essential for Management to create a safe working environment within their establishment, outline clear policies and procedures to follow, and in the instance something happens, ensure that employees feel safe and protected. This is an ongoing process, just because there is a positive environment, does not mean your job is done and you can relax. As Management, you constantly need to be checking in with your staff at all levels about ways to improve and if they are realistic, implement them.
Lack of Recognition and Growth Opportunities
In my opinion, one of the biggest contributors to staff turnover is a lack of recognition and growth opportunities. When we look at Maslows Hierarchy of needs, Esteem is second top of the pyramid. This is Respect, Self Esteem, Status, Recognition, strength and Freedom. As humans, we like to be told ‘Well done’, it makes the task completed feel sweeter.
In a study conducted by Harvard, they found that 89% of businesses spoken to have some kind of formal employee reward program. Image for a second an employee who constantly works hard, but sees no return for the hard work, they are likely to stop working as hard. They will start cutting corners and at the end of the day, this will only affect the customer. As an employer, you need to look for and recognise ways your employee has completed a task, a simple ‘Thank you’ in a meeting will go a very long way.
Whenever someone begins a new job, career progression is always on their mind, despite this, many establishments will look at their employees as ‘seasonal staff’. Any person who feels they are viewed in this light is very unlikely to stick around and if they feel there is no potential for growth, they will have no need to invest in the establishment either. The best way to combat this, is to create development plans for all your employees and give them clear guidelines that they need to accomplish in order to get there.
If at all possible, look to hire internally, meaning that if you know of an opening, let the qualified employees already within your establishment apply.
Training
Training sessions are a brilliant way to show an employee that you are willing to invest in their growth, willing to invest in them getting better at their role. This action can go a long way in improving an employee’s outlook on their job, firstly, they have gotten the recognition that their progress has been noted. Secondly, training offers employees confidence in their ability. They have learned the processes, know the theory and can confidently carry out their task. It can be a simple free pour class, up to a full cocktail masterclass handled off site by professionals. The more training, the more confident and, ideally, more sales.
Better trained, and more confident staff, who are willing to invest time in the venue, will bring in new customers and help retain the existing client base. I have in my time seen venues flounder after key staff left. Your staff are your face, having the best staff can only be a positive.
Conclusion
To conclude this little piece, let’s review: Be clear in the interview, misleading information will lead to further searches for staff. Be aware of the environment at your establishment, constantly check and improve on your policies. Finally, be aware of your staff’s growth, pay recognition when necessary, and always look to develop the people you have. Because at the end of the day, they have the biggest effect on your clientele.
Contact us for a free consultation, we can help you in addressing some of your staffing issues or create a training, staff culture and service strategy program.
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