The restaurant industry is historically one of the fastest environments in business. However, it can also have one of the highest turnover rates, too. That is why it’s important to have effective employee training to not only increase retention rates but for employees to grow their skills and knowledge. By implementing effective restaurant employee training, they can feel empowered and motivated, enjoying their position while excelling at it.
Training with Competitions
Integrating competitions within your training program fosters a motivational environment, creating increased drive while providing fun for employees. This on its own has the power to renew job interest, decreasing turnover rates.
Microlearning
Studies have shown that traditional learning and training can reduce knowledge retention while hindering actionable outcomes. Microlearning provides training in smaller increments, increasing knowledge retention while producing better outcomes in real-world situations.
Mobile Learning
Mobile learning is a powerful tool in the restaurant business because it allows seamless integration into day-to-day operations in a fast-paced environment. Mobile learning also provides real-time solutions while employees are on the floor during their shift. This is incredibly helpful to kitchen, wait and bar staff, since they have greater access to mobile devices such as tablets.
Offer Incentives
Offering incentives that are milestone and performance-based provides another level of interest. Incentives such as bonuses, raises, and promotions offer a clear benefit to both the employee and the establishment. The employee will gain opportunity to earn more money and more job opportunity. The organization will save costs regarding turnaround, can promote internally, creates stability and sustainability internally, and gains knowledgeable employees that understand policy, safety, and the importance of customer satisfaction. Incentives essentially turns employees into stakeholders.
Gamification
Gamification is a not a new learning model, but it is new in corporate training programs. Gamification is more than an acknowledgement of the popularity of today’s gaming platforms, it is a direct result of it. Gamification allows for some of the greatest employee/company benefit because it incorporates learning with gaming. This results in greater job satisfaction, greater knowledge retention, and measurably better outcomes.
Integrate Tiered Milestones
Much like the incentives, tiered milestones add yet another layer of reward for performance. Creating a layout of the milestones and making them public for all employees gives them a clear path to follow to collect rewards, one-time bonuses, permanent raises, and job promotions. It eliminates ambiguity, creating direct understanding of what needs to be accomplished and seen step-by-step.
Offer Clear Expectations
Providing clear expectations from the start of any new or ongoing training program will maximize its effectiveness. Offering clarity removes any doubt or question about what your organization expects its employees to gain and learn from this program. By giving crystal clear expectation, employees are now free to learn, knowing what the goal is.
Effective employee training offers the opportunity to benefit both the employees and the organization. Learning software can help integrate each of these tips into one cohesive and cost-effective learning program. Research and having an understanding of how learning software can help your organization can lead to sustainability, higher retention rates, better service, less waste, and a better restaurant.
