Keeping Kitchen Staff on Task

When managing a restaurant, finding ways to effectively keep your staff on task and focused on the job at hand can sometimes be challenging. Your wait-staff may find it somewhat easier to keep focused, given that their income is directly affected by the diligence and care with which they do their job. However, in the kitchen, behind closed doors may be another subject entirely. Being out of the public eye and receiving a set wage that is, more-or-less, independent of job performance creates a different work atmosphere and presents a significant challenge for managers.

Sure, it would be great if we could always expect our staff to bring the same dedication and strong work ethic to the business that we do, but that isn't a very realistic. The fact is that most of our staff members are working for minimum wage at jobs they don't feel deeply connected or loyal to. So how do you overcome that and get the performance you expect from your kitchen staff?

Make Your Presence Felt

For a manager it is easy to lock the bulk of your focus out on the floor. After all, that's where the customers are and they are your top priority. However, a diminished presence in the kitchen means diminishing work ethic. Making sure that your are splitting your attention equally is the first step to improving performance in the kitchen.

Praise Publicly

Your workers are being paid to do a job and should do it, right? Ideally, yes, but in practice that isn't always sufficient. Deep down, everyone wants to receive some sort of recognition for a job well done. Cater to that desire in your management approach and you will see some impressive results amongst your staff members. Offer public praise loudly in front of other workers for a job well and timely done.

Play Favorites

As much as you may want to be equitable, keep in mind that these are not your children and you aren't going to psychologically damage them by playing favorites. Does this mean that you should pick one kitchen staff member that you like the best and give them preferential treatment? Not by a long shot.

However, do adjust your attitude in proportion to work performance. Follow up public praise by treating workers that consistently show drive and good performance noticeable deference and geniality. Of course, you can't be "best buddies" with any staff member, but you can use a greater degree of familiarity with good workers and a greater degree of aloofness with those who underperform. It won't take many instances of vocal praising followed by a noticeable change in attitude, on your part, toward the recipient of the praise for the rest of the staff to catch on.

You love your restaurant and you want it succeed. Sometimes it's hard to remember that your staff may not feel quite the same way. However, if you change the way you relate you stand a much better chance of fostering the kind of strong work ethic and seeing the performance you expect and need in order for business to run smoothly.