The morale of restaurant employees is a major determinant in the seamless flow, quality customer service as well the retention of workers in the long term. Although most business organizations are concerned about monetary gains, less expensive or free recognition strategies are frequently equally effective at improving morale and productivity. In a fast moving restaurant business environment where teamwork and efficiency are paramount in influencing customer satisfaction, little rewards go a long way.
Low cost recognition strategies are not just viable, but also sustainable to businesses that require managing costs closely. They enable restaurant managers and owners to develop a favorable working environment without having to overstretch their budgets. Through recognition, appreciation and even just simple gestures, restaurants are able to encourage their employees to do their best and feel valued in their work.
The Importance of Recognition In Restaurants
A restaurant working environment is stressful because of the long working hours, customers who are always demanding, and the coordination between the kitchen and front of house. Under such a stressful environment employees are likely to want to know that their efforts are being appreciated. Even the most basic type of recognition can make employees feel that their work is not disregarded, which can decrease the rate of burnout and turnover.
The cohesiveness of a team is also enhanced through recognition. When workers note that others in the organization are appreciated, they will be encouraged to uphold good levels in performance. An appreciation culture would also be necessary such that the staff members do not feel that they are replaceable components but should feel that they are valuable components in making the restaurant successful. This creates loyalty and dedication to the business that in the long run contribute to growth.
Personal Praise and Verbal Acknowledgment
Personal praise is one of the best low cost recognition strategies. Even simple words of gratitude expressed by a manager or team-leader can have a great boosting effect on the staff. Praise of particular behaviors, like responding to a busy dinner rush without losing your head or solving a customer complaint in an effective manner, will demonstrate to the staff that their input is appreciated.
Verbal recognition may also be communicated in the group during the team meetings or even pre-shift briefs. Recognizing performance in front of colleagues has the benefit of increasing the confidence of the recognized member of staff as well as leading others by example. This model does not demand any financial investment, yet it creates the atmosphere of celebrating and promoting good work on a regular basis.
Creating Symbolic Rewards and Tokens of Appreciation
Symbolic rewards that incur minimal costs and have great meanings can be undertaken by restaurants. Appreciation comes in the form of certificates of achievement, hand written thank you notes or the use of simple employee of the week boards. Such small gestures make employees who get them feel proud of themselves and act as reminders to employees that their efforts are appreciated.
Appreciation tokens do not have to be fancy. Even such a small thing as allowing a team member to decide on the background music in the shift or allowing them to have a schedule preference on a day can make a huge difference. Such forms of recognition are free but they help employees feel in control and recognized in their place of work.
Encouraging Peer Recognition
Recognition can also be offered by other people other than managers. In order to establish stronger relationships in a team and facilitate a positive workplace culture, it is possible to encourage peer-to-peer acknowledgment. The nomination of staff members by their own colleagues allows the system of mutual support to exist. This will make the employees feel valued by their supervisors and even the other workers who get to see first hand the work they are doing.
Peer recognition may be as basic as a message board on which employees leave thank-you notes to each other. It may also be in the form of verbal shout-outs at the team meetings. The practices promote respect, teamwork and collaboration which is paramount in a restaurant environment where employees are supposed to work harmoniously in an environment.
Integrating Recognition with Technology
Technology could also contribute to recognition but it does not require additional costs. A restaurant POS system is already available in many restaurants to handle orders, schedules and payments. The same system may be utilized to monitor performance indicators, e.g. accuracy of orders or customer feedback and apply this knowledge to reward exceptional employee performance.
Additional benefits of a cloud based POS system are that the system integrates recognition systems into the system. Reports, which have been generated via the system, allow managers to easily identify the best performers. This results in an effective and contemporary means of rewarding the achievements of the employees and makes recognition a daily workflow.
Building a Culture of Consistent Appreciation
Recognition should be a repetitive process rather than a single occurrence, but should be adopted as a culture in the restaurant. When employees are aware that their effort will be rewarded frequently they are more motivated to work to high standards. Unanimity also helps in the recognition to appear as not adopted, but rather as genuinely meant and purported.
Development of such a culture would demand managers to be sensitive and involved in association with their employees on a daily basis. The busiest restaurant owners can afford little gestures, including visiting their employees, hearing them, and giving them a word of encouragement. In the long run, such little gestures of gratitude have a compounding effect that results in an environment where motivation has become natural.
Conclusion
There is no need to spend a lot of money on motivating staff in restaurants by using expensive rewards and bonuses. The recognition strategies that are of low cost like personal praise, symbolic rewards, peer recognition and use of technology are some of the powerful methods of ensuring employees are motivated and engaged. When these are practiced persistently, they serve not only to boost the morale of the staff, but also to boost customer service and overall restaurant performance.
Restaurants can create a culture of authentic and frequent appreciation that creates powerful, long-lasting teams that are motivated to perform. Although neglected, recognition is a potent instrument that not only benefits both employees and business, but also secures long-term development of a competitive business.
