Take Care Of Your Employees To Reduce Restaurant Staff Turnover

Restaurant staff turnover is rampant, but it doesn’t have to be. As a restaurant manager, it’s your responsibility to create a culture that supports employee retention. Take care of your employees – help them succeed, recognize their achievements, and make them want to be on your team.

If you’re struggling with a high staff turnover rate, consider these three questions:

- How do you show that you care? Can you name five instances demonstrating that you take care of your employees? When staff members feel supported by you – at work and even in their personal lives – the bond you create boosts morale and keeps them from quitting. Be interested in your team members, have their best interests at heart, and have their backs.

- Who are your best employees? Think about these high-performing rock stars with awesome skills and great attitudes. They’re the ones who keep your restaurant running well. Have you acknowledged their contributions and publicly recognized them? If you don’t show your appreciation, and they don’t feel valued, they may leave and find validation elsewhere.

- Who are your underperformers? Have you had constructive conversations with team members who are struggling? Whatever the problems are – whether they don’t enjoy their work, lack necessary skills, or break rules – work together toward solutions. If you don’t address issues, you can’t expect improvement, and you risk losing employees with untapped potential.

You play a major role in reducing staff turnover. What are you doing to make your restaurant a great place to work? Take care of your employees – all of them – and you’ll see a shift in culture for the better.

Carrie is a frequent keynote speaker on HR and leadership topics and regularly conducts employee training and leadership development workshops as well. She is the author of the recently published book, Restaurant Operator's HR Playbook: Your Hands-On Playbook for Finding, Hiring, and Developing Leaders and Implementing Organized People Systems and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Restaurant News, Pizza Today and Independent Restaurateur.