Secrets To Keeping Your Staff Motivated

The heartbeat of every successful restaurant is its staff. When your team buzzes with energy and motivation, it reflects in every dish served and every customer greeted.

But how do you cultivate and maintain a happy and motivated staff? That’s the trick!

Let’s unwrap the layers to reveal the secrets of keeping your restaurant staff working, thriving, happy and making you money without driving you to the funnyfarm.

Cultivating a Positive Work Environment: More Than Just a Kitchen

The Foundation of Support

Creating a supportive atmosphere goes beyond mere words. It’s about building a space where respect is the main ingredient, and teamwork is the recipe for success. Encourage open communication and foster a sense of belonging. When staff feel valued and understood, their motivation naturally soars.

It all starts with the owner and then trickles down to the managers and the staff. Your staff is direct reflection of how you treat them. Treat them like crap they’ll preform like crap.

I remember a saying a good friend of mine told me early on in my restaurant life- “Pay peanuts, get monkeys.”  That stuck with me.

The Spice of Diversity

Embrace the richness that diversity brings to your team. A mixture of perspectives and skills enhances your menu’s creativity and fosters a dynamic and engaging work environment. Celebrate each individual’s uniqueness and watch how it adds flavor to your restaurant’s culture.

I bet there are super talented people on your staff right now that youre not even aware of what their potential is. Want to know the secret to getting it out of them… ASK THEM!

Yep its that easy.

Effective Communication: The Secret Sauce of Team Dynamics

Listening: The First Step to Understanding

Active listening is pivotal. Encourage staff to voice their ideas and concerns. Regular team meetings where everyone has a voice can transform the mundane into the extraordinary.

This one is huge. Everybody just wants to be heard. Especially your team.

But here’s the catch- You Have To Listen. Pay attention, be present. They’ll appreciate it.

Clear Expectations: The Recipe for Clarity

Set clear, achievable goals. When your team knows exactly what is expected, they can focus on delivering exceptional service, thus fueling their drive to excel.

This is the biggest failure of most managers in the food service industry, not setting clear goals and expectations. If you really want to create a system and make an impact have it in writing.

Recognizing and Rewarding Achievements: Celebrating the Wins

Applaud Efforts, Big and Small

Recognition doesn’t always have to be grandiose. A simple ‘thank you’ or acknowledging someone’s hard work during a team meeting can significantly boost morale.

I like doing the little things like cathing someone doing something great and give them a 100k dollar bar. Remember those?

Incentives: The Extra Topping

Implement a rewards system. Tangible rewards can greatly enhance motivation, whether it’s employee of the month awards, performance bonuses, or extra days off.

Be creative and remember everyone likes to be recognized infront of their peers.

Nurturing a Supportive Work Culture: Beyond the Shifts

Training and Development: Ingredients for Growth

Invest in your staff’s growth. Offer training programs and skill development workshops. When employees feel they’re growing professionally, their loyalty and motivation increase.

They want to learn so teach them. Great thing is when you do this you will find out who’s really dedicated and you is going through the motions.

Work-Life Harmony: The Balance that Sustains

Respect the work-life balance. Encourage time off and avoid over-scheduling. A well-rested team is an enthusiastic and productive one.

#1 benefit the new generation of workers in the restaurant industry is time off.

Incentivizing Performance: The Motivation Multiplier

Setting Achievable Targets

Implement a system where achievements are recognized. Setting monthly performance goals and rewarding those who meet them can create a healthy, competitive environment.

Sharing Success

Celebrate milestones together. Whether hitting a sales target or receiving a positive review, sharing success fosters a sense of collective achievement and motivates the team to aim higher.

Conclusion: The Recipe for a Motivated Restaurant Team

Motivating your restaurant staff is an art that requires patience, understanding, and genuine care.

By cultivating a positive environment, fostering effective communication, and recognizing efforts, you create more than just a team – you build a family that shares your passion for your dream.

Remember, a motivated team not only elevates the dining experience but also drives the success of your restaurant. You cant visit everytable and greet every guest. We are all responsible for our teams performance. The bad the good and the expetional. Hopefully more of the last then the first one.

Part of knowing who your best potential employees are is to understand what motivates them. This will help you attract the right people for your business. Click the button below to download our FREE Worksheet: Making My Business A Place My Employees RAVE About! This will help you determine exactly what your employees value and want from you as an employer.