The restaurant industry is a competitive one. Management and owners are under pressure to keep their restaurants profitable. This pressure may lead to setting unrealistic expectations for their front-of-house (FoH) and back-of-house (BoH) employees to stay ahead of the competition.
For this article, we asked foodservice industry employees about common problems they face with management and owners in their workplace. Management and owners who take responsibility for these issues will ultimately build a stronger team, experience less turnover and vitriol, and produce a better experience for their guests.
A Balancing Act: Profitability & Restaurant Employee Well-Being
Within the foodservice industry there is good management and there is bad management. And no one knows this better than the servers, bussers, bartenders, chefs, line cooks, and dishwashers that make the restaurant experience possible. Unrealistic expectations can be a major source of stress and frustration for foodservice employees, ultimately becoming the catalyst for burnout, resentment, low morale, and high turnover.
It’s important for management and owners to set realistic expectations for their employees and to provide them with the support they need to meet those expectations. Your management style affects each and every one of them as well as the overall dynamic and vibe of your restaurant. With that in mind, these are some of the expectations employees find not only unrealistic but often result evolve into employment deal breakers, starting with equipment care.
Repair or Replace Broken Equipment
Sounds like common sense, yet many BoH employees have experienced management that expects them to produce their best work efficiently while using broken equipment and kitchen tools. Regularly maintaining kitchen equipment facilitates smooth operations, produces the best quality for your guests, and demonstrates the company’s commitment to their work.
Clean the Ice Machine
When ice machines aren’t properly cleaned and maintained, they fill with mold. Industry workers find that far too many managers and owners ignore this issue, thereby serving unsanitary ice. If no one is held accountable for ice machine sanitation, BoH employees and bartenders recommend outsourcing the job by having ice machines professionally cleaned at least twice a year.
Post the Shift Schedule at Least Three Weeks in Advance
Give employees more lead time with schedules. Posting shift schedules the night before they are set to begin or, as some people noted, “the day of,” makes your employees lives significantly more difficult. This lifestyle creates too many hurdles as planning ahead becomes one big question mark. If employees do not know when they will be working, scheduling medical appointments, childcare, social events, and other fundamental aspects of life become unmanageable.
Restaurant employees are some of the hardest workers out there as they experience long, physically demanding shifts, and irregular hours. Acknowledge the importance of their work-life balance by scheduling shifts in a way that minimizes burnout and offers employees some control and balance back into their life.
Treat Restaurant Employees Fairly
Restaurant employees notice when the powers that be play favorites. This could look like management giving undeserving friends promotions over others, playing favorites with scheduling, or requiring that certain employees work holidays while others are free to spend the holidays with their loved ones (in fact, closing shop during major holidays altogether is an idea restaurant employees stand behind). Playing favorites only leads to resentment and low employee morale.
Create Realistic Schedules, Including Breaks
If a restaurant is understaffed, management may put more pressure on employees to make up for the shortfall. This can lead to unrealistic expectations, for instance, having unsustainable 12-hour-shifts, 5–6 days a week.
One aspect of the job that restaurant employees all agree on is not giving breaks is not OK. Nor do they consider “being short staffed” a valid excuse. The BoH and FoH know that staffing the kitchen, the front-of-house, and figuring out break time logistics is management’s job. When our servers and chefs aren’t getting breaks due to the powers that be finding it “unrealistic,” then they’ll feel exploited and lose respect for the business, knowing that management isn’t doing its job.
Creating a Positive Work Environment in the Restaurant Industry
The success of a foodservice business hinges on the well-being of its workforce. As we have explored, a delicate balance must be struck between ambitious aspirations and the pragmatic realities that employees navigate daily. By fostering an environment of clear communication, fair treatment, and feasible expectations, foodservice businesses can not only weather the storms of turnover and burnout but also create a foundation for sustained success.
