Deskless employees can be hard to train and keep up with on an individual level. That’s why restaurants are moving forward into a new age of tech-focused training and continuing education. Concepts like microlearning are still commonly associated with larger establishments even within food service, although businesses with smaller staff and lighter traffic can see improvement in many areas. Here are a few reasons why perceptions are set to change with learning for restaurants.
Streamlined Training
As anyone in the restaurant business can attest to, the variance between roles is just as great in food service as it is in other industries. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to develop one training program for all restaurant employees; it’s not essential for cooks to spend time learning the finer points of customer service and table settings.
Learning for restaurants allows for greater customization in introductory training sessions, so no time is wasted. The ability to review material presented ensures that an employee is truly testing their knowledge, as opposed to simply agreeing that they’ve “got it” in order to avoid seeming like they need extra help or cannot be trusted to complete their work. This is all too common with new hires who tend to be very focused on fitting into a rushed, diverse restaurant environment.
Moreover, staff-wide updates are communicated more reliably. Managers and owners are able to tell who has reviewed any changes without tracking individuals down and delivering everything manually. Learning for restaurants verifies that a team is actually enabled to function as a team.
Clear Results
With multiple shifts that have their own unique staffing demands, it can be difficult to get an accurate and complete picture of how everyone is performing. Learning systems used in restaurants can deliver data that translates into more effective planning and management.
One way in which this data improves management-staff relations is in the delivery of feedback. For instance, it may reveal that an employee who generally does not speak up or have a strong presence is deeply engaged in further training and actually ranks above other employees in terms of performance.
Once management is aware, positive reinforcement can be offered to this employee, who is then much less likely to feel unnoticed, unrewarded, and go seeking employment elsewhere.
Employee retention is just the beginning of the benefits that await those new to learning for restaurants. From more efficient training to reduced waste, it puts a spotlight on what goes unseen in a frequently hectic, spontaneous industry.
