Employee retention remains a thorny issue for restaurants. In December 2015, the industry experienced its 28th consecutive month of increased turnover. Although the situation isn’t as bad as before the start of the recession nearly a decade ago, many restaurants still find themselves replacing at greater than a 100 percent rate, meaning for a store of 40 employees, it is making more than 40 hires a year, many for the same position multiple times.
Quality training processes for new hires and experienced employees alike are a proven way to combat excessive restaurant turnover. Yet, many companies are stuck with the same training methods and strategies they used 10 or 20 years ago, thus failing to adequately teach, much less inspire, their workers. And workers who feel uninspired are more apt to bolt when a better opportunity (or any opportunity …) comes along.
Fortunately, employee training software is helping restaurants turn the tables in the struggle against turnover. Replacing workers at faster-than-desired clip is a reality in the industry, but a 50 percent turnover rate is still better than 100 percent. And with the millennial generation more inclined to leave a job they are unhappy with, every advantage you can provide will help. Here are some ways the right employee training software can minimize restaurant turnover:
A Good First Impression
A new hire will have only one first day, one first week, and so many initial hours of training. If the worker is presented with quality content, useful information, and clear, direct teaching—all possible with dynamic employee training software—he or she will be more likely to form a positive impression. If the training is substandard, vague, or nonexistent, a negative opinion may be formed that can lead to an early departure. With only one chance to make a good impression, your training must be spot on from the moment a hire puts on a name tag.
Technology That Resonates
Continuing on the idea of a positive first impression, try handing a millennial a training manual to study, without any direction other than “read,” and see how effective he or she is once in the kitchen or at the register. Besides feeling like the printed content is too much like studying, these employees may be bored from the start, and bored employees won’t stick around long. Mobile employee training software present a technology that millennial workers are familiar with, appreciate and are willing to use—instant access to information. The training doesn’t feel dull, so they are more likely to pay attention to what’s being taught.
Engagement from the Get-Go
Quality training is one thing. The opportunity to get employees excited about their jobs is another—and it’s more powerful. Workers who feel valued and are allowed to contribute to the process will be more attentive and go the extra mile to ensure they know their jobs. This level of engagement (and, subsequently, productivity) can take time, but with the latest employee training software, workers are encouraged to succeed on day one and each day going forward. Successful employees will want to build upon that success with your company rather than with another restaurant.
The Chance to Learn More
Engaged employees will relish the chance to learn more skills, whether they are eying a move into a different position or simply because they want to be able to handle anything that is thrown their way. The video capabilities of the latest employee training software facilitate this quest for knowledge. Restaurants can create training videos for virtually every process in the store, which are then easily accessible via an iPad or Surface. Employees can watch these videos anywhere in the store, even without an Internet connection, and whenever necessary (for example, in an emergency, if they must learn how to turn off the burners). This empowers and engages your workforce even more, and subsequently improving your turnover numbers.
How have you struggled with employee turnover?
