Human resource related information, payroll information, and any formalities staff will have to complete before they actually begin working. Your restaurant’s history and philosophy. This should include your philosophy on customer service. A brief tour of your restaurant’s facility. An introduction to your management and other key staff such as trainers. An overview of the menu (and other services offered) and perhaps a tasting. An outline of the training process. Try getting to know the new employees that you’re training, as everyone receives information differently. Some people learn best through visuals, others learn best through hearing, and others learn best by doing. By getting to know your employees, you can figure out the best way to relay new information to them.
Food prep work. Chef and cook work. Bartending. Dishwashing and busing. Hosting and greeting. Waiting.
Pair your new staff with seasoned staff and have the new staff follow, observe, and assist the seasoned staff for a period of time. The observe and assist period can last anywhere from a few days to a week or more. Instruct your seasoned staff to go about their work as they typically do. Instruct your new staff and the seasoned staff to engage in dialogue throughout the shift and at the end of the shift. New staff should ask as many questions as possible and seasoned staff should answer without hesitation. If time permits, have them shadow employees in other important positions to give them a better understanding of how the whole restaurant team works. [1] X Research source Obviously, your current staff have to be good if they’re employed under you for a long time. This makes them perfect for training new staff members.
Problems staff sees with current training programs. Suggestions staff have for new training approaches. Any other suggestions the staff has to improve organizational effectiveness. [2] X Trustworthy Source Kansas University Center for Community Health and Development Community-based research center focused on supporting public health development and education Go to source
How to handle food. How to store food and clean preparation items. Safety precautions when using machinery or food preparation equipment. The way to properly move around the restaurant (i. e. don’t run). [3] X Research source
Use regular training events as an opportunity to train staff on new techniques and changes to your restaurant. This will be especially important if you have a menu change. Use regular training events as an opportunity to bring in outside trainers who utilize different techniques than you have used in the past. Use regular training events as an opportunity to retrain and refresh seasoned staff who are becoming set in their ways or even careless. [4] X Research source
Focus on your staff’s strengths, and encourage them to live up to these strengths and emulate each other’s positive qualities. Hold semi-regular group meetings every 2-3 months, at a minimum. Hold one-on-one meetings with employees you think are falling behind. Use this as an opportunity to discuss performance evaluations and to encourage them to live up to their abilities. Hold one-on-one meetings with employees you think are doing a great job. Talk about their good qualities and let them know that their work has been noticed.
Recognizing your top employees at regular meetings. Recognizing top employees in a private meeting. Recognizing top employees through social media. Giving top employees awards or cash bonuses. [5] X Research source
Inform staff in advance that this might be done as part of a schedule or even randomly. Don’t spend too much time. Fifteen minutes or less might suffice. Consider positioning yourself at a central location to watch or shadow your employees. To be less obvious, simply slow down your normal rounds of the restaurant. Walk slowly, greeting customers who are dining, and observing how your staff is interacting with each other and the customers. [6] X Research source
Hire a third party business that specializes in evaluating businesses like your own. They will send mystery diners and then provide you with detailed feedback. Have a friend or family member patronize your restaurant and evaluate it without your employees’ knowledge. Use mystery diners on a regular but random basis so you can continually gather feedback about your training success and customer service.
Consider conducting performance reviews or evaluations every 6 months to a year on seasoned employees. Conduct performance reviews or evaluations on new staff members 1 to 3 months after they’ve completed training. Rotate the senior staff and managers who conduct performance reviews on any one individual. [7] X Research source
Logging tardiness and missed work. Creating a file for each staff member and filing all relevant information there. Take brief notes periodically about your employees’ weaknesses and strengths. This might help when training comes around or when it’s time to discuss performance reviews. [8] X Research source
