Boost Restaurant Employee Morale and Keep Your Team Motivated

In the service and hospitality industry, the attitude and sentiment of your employees is critical to the overall success of your restaurant. If they are unhappy and unmotivated, your turnover rates are going to be high and your diner’s experience is going to be poor.

Understanding this, it’s critical to do everything in your power to boost your employees’ morale and keep them as motivated and happy as possible. The following tips will help nurture a supportive, fun environment which keeps your staff engaged. 

Fostering an Atmosphere of Teamwork in the Restaurant

One of the most critical elements to having motivated employees is encouraging an atmosphere of teamwork in your restaurant. Workers who feel vital to the restaurant’s success stay engaged, whereas those who don’t, won’t. You can encourage involvement by soliciting ideas for improvement, brainstorming on problem solving solutions together, asking for their feedback and ideas, and genuinely listening to what they have to say. Make it a regular practice to quiz new hires on their perspectives, garner feedback from exit interviews, and hold regular meetings in which your employees are allowed to express their feelings and ideas.

Furthermore, it’s important to regularly tell your team what they are doing right rather than only what they can improve on. Focus on their skills and give regular positive reinforcement about how much you value their contribution to your workplace.

Be Consistent, Fair, and Avoid Favoritism with You Restaurant Employees

Another factor that keeps employees motivated and happy lies in your ability to set clear guidelines for what you would like to see out of them, and then be both consistent and fair in the reinforcement of those boundaries. Avoid favoritism at all costs. It only breeds resentment in the rest of your employees because it feels like their efforts are not being recognized.

Everyone needs to be subject to the same rules and dealt with in the same way if those rules are not followed. Be fair, clear, and consistent and your employees will be far more likely to act according to your expectations because they feel treated fairly and they know exactly what to expect.

Create a Supportive and Nurturing Environment in the Workplace

The final ingredient to keeping your employees’ morale high and their turnover low is to create a workplace environment that is both supportive and nurturing. It’s important to recognize that your employees often have a full plate outside of their jobs – whether it be child care, classes, or other work. Being supportive and showing consideration and understanding for these other responsibilities is often all it takes to make your staff go the extra mile for you.

Going the extra mile for them can make a big difference as well. Perhaps you notice that language classes could be helpful or that financial literacy classes could be of use. Orchestrating a class to help improve their lives, for those employees who want it, can be a great way to demonstrate how much you care.

The bottom line is that in order for people to stay engaged and motivated in their jobs, they need to feel respected, heard, and nurtured. Playing on their skills, providing lots of positive reinforcement, and being open to growth and improvement can make all the difference in the world when it comes to creating happy, motivated employees in your restaurant.