Pelle Tamas: Being Niche is Key

Employee management There are five core elements to employee management. Let us take a look at these in detail. Meaningful...

Employee management

There are five core elements to employee management. Let us take a look at these in detail.

Meaningful work: For any employee to feel motivated and perform well they must feel that their job is meaningful to them. This means that they must feel valued and in the restaurant industry especially, their motivations to do said the job should be fulfilled. For a server, this can be an evening-long friendly interaction with guests. For anyone in the kitchen it can be a compliment from guests.
Supportive management: For employees to feel whole and appreciated they must receive support and feedback from their supervisors. Even if they are doing something wrong they must be approached positively.
Positive work environment: A good attitude manifests into great performance. To retain this a manager must strive to foster a positive environment for their employees.
Growth opportunity: It is in human nature to strive to become better and to constantly learn. This needs to be provided through goals and possible achievements to all employees. Lack of this might result in a feeling that they are stagnating.
Trust in leadership: Employees must trust their supervisors, as at the end of the day if they have a question or a problem they must turn to these supervisors.

These five elements are quite well known but instrumental. If some of them are not met employees can feel as if their work is meaningless or they themselves are not appreciated. This will result in an inability to retain good employees and in turn put the business in possible jeopardy.

Laughing young African waitress working in a trendy restaurant

The employee journey

These five elements are a vital part of a bigger circle, the employee journey. The employee journey consists of the steps an employee goes through while interacting with the company. Let us take a look at these steps and how having unique qualities as a restaurant can attract employees that are needed and further improve the service provided to guests.

Recruiting is the process of creating interest among a viable pool of candidates for the job. It is crucial that the requirements and compensations are well communicated in order to attract the right candidates. Uniqueness in the restaurants characteristics can attract the best professionals in the industry.
During the selection process, the right candidates will be selected for the job, usually through interviews. Here the focus is on choosing a great fit for the company, however, the candidate must also realize whether the restaurant is fit for them. A creative head chef or floor manager can further improve differentiating factors that make a restaurant stand out.
In onboarding, the new employee will be shown their tasks, responsibilities and what is expected of them. Emphasizing the niche of a restaurant during onboarding will help the employee make the envisioned goals and image come to life.
Of course, employees are compensated and receive benefits from their workplace. Adding extra meaningful extra benefits, besides an appropriate paycheck and welfare subsidies, like engaging team building and company events like specialty dinners or other forms of entertainment.
Training and performance management is crucial, above there are five steps that encompass this step of the cycle. However, it is crucial that the training gives space for creativity and opportunity for employees to add their personal value.
Career development is important for employees who truly have a passion for what they do. Working at a unique company will mark an important life step for a person, taking experience and memories with them.
Career development inevitably results in personal growth, and as mentioned before it will form the future and the personality of a former or current employee.

Uniqueness will not only attract a lot of guests, but it will also attract the right employees that sustain the company culture which in turn further fosters the niche qualities that make a restaurant unique. Throughout the employee journey, the differentiating qualities should be communicated and applied for this positive endless cycle to repeat itself.