Top Four Ways to Help Motivate and Retain Restaurant Employees

In today’s hospitality landscape, the industry grapples with a persistent challenge: high staff turnover rates. The 2024 State of Restaurants Report reveals that 82% of restaurants found themselves short-staffed in at least one position in 2023, while a striking 62% admit to lacking the necessary personnel to meet demand. While factors like seasonal fluctuations contribute to this problem, there are actionable steps operators can take to address and mitigate the issue, thereby fostering a more stable and resilient workforce.

Here are some ideas to keep staff motivated and happy:

Foster team spirit

Creating a positive work environment can improve staff morale and make them feel valued. This could include regular team-building activities, open communication channels, and a respectful workplace culture. Encourage staff to share their ideas and suggestions for improving the restaurant operations, offering or promotional tactics. It’s essential to create a culture where staff feel comfortable sharing their opinions and know their input is valued.

Offer ongoing training

By providing your employees access to professional courses, you are investing in their growth and equipping them with the tools they need to make an even bigger contribution to the success of your business. This could include workshops on new cooking techniques or menu items, customer service training, or leadership development programs. When your employees feel valued and supported, everyone wins.

Equip employees with the right tools

From faster and more accurate order taking to improved inventory management, digital ordering solutions have streamlined operations and made it easier for your staff to do their job. The simple and easy-to-use interface for taking orders reduces the time and effort required for order taking, while the automation helps make processes more efficient and reduces the need for manual work.

Recognize and reward exceptional performance

Recognizing and rewarding exceptional performance can boost morale and motivate your restaurant staff. Offer incentives such as bonuses, gift cards, or other rewards for outstanding performance to acknowledge the hard work and achievements of your staff and make them feel valued.

Incentivizing Excellence: The Power of Tipping in the Restaurant Industry

Tipping is a common practice in the restaurant industry, where customers leave a gratuity for their servers in addition to the cost of their meal. While tipping may seem like a small gesture, it can have a significant impact on the performance of restaurant staff and, consequently, on the overall success of the restaurant business. 65% of people tip at least 11% more when they tip digitally versus with cash.

MENU’s Digital Ordering solutions allow happy customers to reward exceptional service by tipping your staff right from your branded app. With tips incorporated in MENU Mobile, Web and Kiosk ordering channels, your customers can show appreciation of your business and leave a financial reward as a percentage of the total bill.

Keeping your restaurant’s staff motivated and happy is no easy task. It takes a dedicated effort to create a positive work environment and ensure that your employees feel valued. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more improvements in the restaurant industry, making it easier than ever before to provide excellent customer service.

Improve employee and customer satisfaction with MENU Ordering solutions

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