How to Keep Restaurant Employees Happy

1. Pay them well

At the end of the day, people go to work to get paid. They use this money to pay bills and have a life outside of work. As a restaurant owner, you should pay your employees well. Give them what they deserve so that they feel appreciated. Don’t make them feel like they’re stuck at a dead-end job and wasting time.

2. Give promotions, raises, and bonuses

Have some sort of upward mobility system that’s tied to longevity. This is a way to retain your most valuable employees and prevent employee turnover. If turnover is high, then you have to spend a lot of time interviewing, hiring, and training new employees. All of this takes time and money. Avoid this by having systems in place.

In addition to a longevity-based upward mobility system, have another system that’s performance-based. For example, if waiters meet monthly sales goals, then they get a bonus. Or if the entire restaurant does exceptionally well for the year, then everyone gets a Christmas bonus.

3. Show appreciation

Have a designated place in the restaurant where you can feature great employees every month. Pass on compliments from customers. Positive reinforcement makes employees happy and motivates them too.

4. Provide continuous training

If employees are doing a great job, then let them take on more responsibilities or other roles within the establishment. People start twiddling their thumbs when they get bored. Nobody wants to do the same thing day in and day out. Encourage everyone to have a growth mindset by providing ongoing training.

5. Create a collaborative culture

In addition to being customer-centric, the restaurant needs to have a culture that’s laid back just enough so that employees can joke around, relax, and enjoy what they’re doing. When there are not that many customers, employees should be able to enjoy each other’s company.

Otherwise, everyone is going to dread going to work every day. They will become frustrated when their alarm clock rings in the morning. Now imagine if everyone actually looked forward to work. This is the culture that you want to create.

6. Host company events and outings

Game nights, karaoke, bowling, and more. Events are a great way for everyone to get to know each other on a personal level and have some fun at the same time. Invest in team building activities so that your restaurant operates like a well-oiled machine.

7. Incorporate flexible scheduling

Be flexible when employees want to change shifts so that they can go to important life events. Three examples are weddings, graduations, and birthdays.

You should give employees the option of changing schedules with each other. If two employees have different days off or different shifts, then they should be able to swap if no conflicts arise.

8. Provide food

Feed your employees. It’s a restaurant after all. Let everyone enjoy the same food that customers enjoy, at least once in a while. If not, then give adequate time for workers to eat their own packed lunches. In addition to being delicious, food is important because it’s fuel for the body. Since the restaurant business can be hectic and fast-paced, everyone needs as much energy as they can get.

9. Maintain a comfortable working environment

Make sure the kitchen is well lit and ventilated. It should be cool enough in the summer and warm enough in the winter. The same goes for the dining area. Working conditions absolutely matter. They affect productivity and morale.

10. Give gifts and surprises

As you work with your employees, you will get to know their interests. For example, if someone likes baseball, basketball, or the opera. From time to time, surprise your employees with gift cards and tickets. This will definitely put a smile on their faces.

11. Provide continuous feedback

Giving feedback to employees should not only come in the form of periodic performance reviews. Give feedback every day to close any gaps between expected performance and actual performance. Try not to reprimand. Instead, ask questions to understand employees’ pain points and offer ideas to resolve any issues.

12. Let them give you performance reviews

Do reverse performance reviews. Let employees give you constructive feedback on your management style with no fear of being fired. If it makes the process easier, you can give them the option of submitting anonymous, typed-up write-ups. Ask employees what they think about your strengths and weaknesses. What can you improve on as a manager/owner? How can you help out more? This information is valuable and will help you grow as a professional.