By Indiana Lee, Contributor
The restaurant industry is one of the most fast paced in America, with new trends, dishes, and technologies emerging year-round. This ever-changing nature makes training your staff that much more important, as your success hinges on the performance of your team.
Regular staff training ensures your employees are equipped to handle a fast-paced restaurant environment and the challenges that come with it, deliver exceptional service, and adapt to evolving industry trends to stay competitive.
For example, training employees to not waste food and other resources is a growing priority for restaurants seeking to minimize environmental impact while maximizing efficiency. By incorporating this training into your calendar, you align your business with modern consumer values and cut down on operational waste.
Aside from keeping up with industry trends like this, year-round training is especially critical for maintaining consistency in operations, meeting compliance standards, and exceeding customer expectations.
Let’s explore how to plan year-round training to improve your restaurant operations and inspire the best from your staff.
Key Training Areas
The first question that probably pops into your mind is, “What should I train my employees on?” We suggest focusing on a blend of hard skills, soft skills, and compliance knowledge.
Hard Skills
Hard skills are the foundational technical abilities your staff needs to perform their roles effectively. Training in this area might include:
Food safety: Food safety is non-negotiable. Teach proper storage, handling, and preparation practices to prevent contamination and illness.
Food preparation: How to take raw ingredients and turn them into food that is safe to eat and ready to consume.
Menu knowledge: Learn the entire menu and how to upsell and cross-sell items on that menu.
Table setting and presentation: How to set a table and elicit a “wow” response from guests.
Cash handling: How to operate a cash register, manage transactions, and process payments.
Culinary techniques: Ensuring kitchen staff are familiar with recipes, cooking methods, and plating standards.
A well-trained team reduces mistakes in each of the above areas that can deter guests from coming back. A team trained in these hard skills also enhances customer trust and helps you maintain a profitable operation.
Soft Skills
Soft skills are just as, if not more, important than technical expertise. In the hustle and bustle of a busy service, staff need to work harmoniously and communicate effectively to keep operations running smoothly.
Some key soft skills to focus on are:
Customer interaction: Training on upselling techniques, active listening, and personalized service to provide an exceptional experience for every guest.
Attention to detail: The details matter most in the restaurant industry. So, training employees on how to look for specific details and tend to them is essential.
Communication: Your restaurant won’t survive without clear communication between all employees, from managers to those on the floor. Moreover, clear communication can benefit employee well-being, reducing stress and improving morale.
Time management: Train employees on how to manage their time so that they’re able to tackle multiple tasks at once or throughout the day.
Conflict resolution: Teaching employees how to handle customer complaints or disagreements with coworkers professionally so as not to disrupt the experience for anyone else.
Compliance Training
Compliance training needs to accompany hard and soft skill training. It ensures your restaurant meets local, state, and federal regulations, avoiding legal issues and maintaining a safe environment. Your compliance training topics should include:
Health regulations: Teach staff to adhere to hygiene standards, including proper cleaning and storage protocols. Seasonal pest prevention training can also be a game-changer in maintaining cleanliness throughout the year.
Alcohol service laws: Make sure staff understand rules regarding ID checks, overserving, and handling intoxicated customers responsibly.
Workplace safety: Teach staff how to report hazards, use equipment properly, and execute emergency procedures.
Wage and hour laws: Employees must understand minimum wage requirements, overtime regulations, and proper timekeeping practices.
Seasonal Training Needs
The restaurant industry is dynamic, with business fluctuating during high and low seasons. To stay ahead, you should tailor training programs to the demands of each season.
High season preparation: Train staff on handling larger crowds, managing wait times, and efficiently turning tables.
Menu changes: If you’re introducing seasonal specials, ensure both kitchen and front-of-house staff are familiar with the ingredients, preparation methods, and suggested pairings.
Off-season opportunities: Use slower periods to provide in-depth training, such as advanced culinary skills or leadership development for aspiring managers.
Creating an Effective Training Calendar
You know what you need to train your employees on, so now it’s about creating a well-organized training calendar that encompasses all of these topics and helps you stay on top of your goals.
Here are some tips for creating one:
Identify training needs and objectives: Start by evaluating your restaurant’s pain points and opportunities for growth. Are customer complaints often related to slow service? Are food safety inspections highlighting recurring issues? Use these insights to set clear training objectives and to determine when you should train on specific topics.
Scheduling and logistics: Plan your training sessions during quieter periods or before or after service hours to avoid interrupting operations. Spread out sessions over the year to prevent overwhelming your team.
Leverage resources: From online courses to in-person workshops, there’s no shortage of tools to facilitate training. For instance, developing a comprehensive employee manual can provide staff with a go-to resource for your policies, procedures, and standards.
Encourage engagement: Interactive training methods, like role-playing, team challenges, or peer-led sessions, make learning more enjoyable and effective.
Track Progress: Use performance metrics and regular feedback to measure the effectiveness of your training efforts. Celebrate milestones to keep staff motivated.
Conclusion
Year-round training is a strategic investment in your restaurant’s success. By focusing on hard skills, soft skills, compliance, and seasonal adaptability, you ensure your team is always prepared to deliver top-notch service.
When you invest in your staff’s development, you cultivate a culture of excellence. You also improve customer satisfaction and ultimately drive your restaurant’s growth. Make training a priority, and watch your team and your restaurant thrive.
