Focus on your managers

Labor is a perennial challenge for restaurant operators, but it can be made a bit more manageable when a business can retain its managers. One-third of restaurant managers quit in their first year on the job, according to research from TDn2K, and the consequences are especially difficult on a restaurant’s finances and culture. Replacing managers – particularly general managers – tends to cost restaurants far more in lost productivity than it does to replace other roles. What’s more, their absence has a domino effect on the remaining team members, who may lack the direction and structure the manager provided to help run the business. You can take steps to slow the revolving door when it comes to these key members of your team. Toast suggests screening manager candidates carefully to find the best match for your culture and team for the long term, not being tempted to fill a position quickly with someone who you haven’t considered carefully through interviews and reference checks. You might even split the role into two roles to improve your chances of retaining institutional knowledge if one person were to leave. Then take steps to invest in their success. A recent global survey of middle managers conducted by McKinsey & Company found that only 20 percent of middle managers feel that their organizations let them be successful people managers, while 42 percent either don’t receive any support or are uncertain if they do. How does your turnover rate for your managers compare to that of other staff? Providing fair compensation is important to helping managers feel supported, though just as critical are noticing signs of burnout, providing sufficient time off, and giving them space to share feedback and concerns openly.