Retention in the Modern World

"old school management" is not going to work in the current employee market - it's too easy to go out and find another job for so many

(PRWEB) January 14, 2004 --Retention In the Modern World

   The key to being successful in restaurant operations in the future is to get and have motivated managers and in turn motivated employees. Stories of past experiences should be enlightening and informative for new managers to the restaurant business. It will be entertaining and amusing as well as thought provoking for old managers who need to know that they can keep doing what they have been doing, only slightly differently. Motivated managers and employees are ones that will stay and grow with the companies they are with now. Keeping your work force- your core crew - intact is a lot more productive and cost effective than high turnover.

Pre-historic monsters and their territories

Back in the prehistoric ages of the restaurant industry, creatures roamed the horizon and occupied all of the available space to them. There were vast landscapes that were sparsely populated and therefore, new predators could come to these areas and take over the country sides without too much competition.

It was not uncommon to find a new territory that was sparsely populated, take it over with a vengeance, and not get any resistance from the surrounding occupants. Pretty soon, all of the inhabitants were bowing to your power and prowess as a fierce predator.

The next step was to condition the occupants to accept your leadership, whatever it was, and go on with life as if this is how it is usually done.

A Restaurantasaurus [Carnivorous Managerus… a big one is the jumbo Restaurantasaurus Rex] was the one who would chew you out (metaphorically chewing you up), and expect a better job out of you for doing so. The Distrasaurus (Carnivorous District Mangerus) is the next one in line above the Restaurantasaurus. (My spell check doesn’t seem to understand the language of the Jurassic restaurant explorer!) The Distrasaurus seems to have limited its target of prey to the Restaurantasaurus. It often happens, though, that sacrifices of lesser capable prey to the Distrasaurus will appease the its hunger.

Up the food chain from the Distrasaurus is the Regesaurus(Carnivorous Regional Managerus). It again seems that the level of prey for this being is only that of the Distrasaurus which of course is often satiated with the appetizer or two of Restaurantasauruses.

Of course, the food chain has its lower levels, too. In the environment of the dining rooms, there is the Servasaurus (Carnivorous Serverus) the individual who must hide its carnivorous habits and desires while around outsiders. When around its co-workers, such as the Hostasurus, the Cookasaurus, and the Dishasaurus (My spell-check is really going crazy!), it rears its ugly, monstrous, and hungry for flesh head! Within each of their own lairs, each of these individual beasts have their own level of hierarchy.

Neophytes that are not adept at fending off seasoned veterans of these environs have the most difficult time adapting to their new surroundings. They often go back to their lair with bite marks and scared feelings. They wonder just how do they get along with others and is every new creature that wonders in to the arena called the restaurant treated this same way.

This little allegory, though very facetious and tongue-in-cheek, is shockingly similar to the atmosphere that is felt in many restaurants. New employees are often treated with nonchalance, disdain and sometimes downright spite. As if someone can be repelled with such treatment, current employees feel they have certain territorial rights to their place and they treat newcomers hatefully. Successfully transitioning someone new into the fold is an art form and helps all of those involved to a better way of life through work and ease of operation.

The nervousness that often accompanies visits or inspections from the “higher forms of life”, er, persons who are further up the management ladder, is interpreted as irrational fear of that person. His/her position in the company might be higher up, meaning the role of that individual is different, not necessarily better. Job duty needs to be commiserating with the ability to do that job to the best benefit of the company; that is why there are ever higher levels of hierarchy in corporate structures. They are not in these positions because they have scared someone, or fought someone and beat them physically or psychologically. The edgy feeling is similar to when you are having company at home. You know that there is always a certain level of cleanliness, neatness, and organization to your house. When you know someone is coming for a visit, you examine the appearance of things and look at them from your perception of what that visitor’s perspective might be. You will almost always “tidy-up” to make things look sharper. The same is true in a business operation. Certain levels are maintained and you just sharpen things up a bit.

Often the same thing happens in work habits of your current employees when new employees arrive on the scene. Your current employees will examine, if you will, the inventory of their habits and mannerisms. It is only natural to be more self-conscious of yourself when you are meeting someone new. Sometimes this feeling comes across awkwardly and can seem to be stand-offish. This treatment can be misconstrued as being unfriendly and in the fast pace of the restaurant environment, there is often not much time to explain these feelings.

“Always be ready” is the cry of the would-be successful operators of today. It should be everyone’s focus to welcome newcomers because they will help you and your core of seasoned employees grow the bottom line. One thing to remember, the dinosaurs are extinct so their method of survival quit working. Let’s all keep in mind that we must work together to survive.
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