The restaurant business is challenging, with high staff turnover rates and low margins. Yet more than one million restaurants open their doors daily to the general public.

Restaurants rely on happy staff and ensuring that requires good management. Ensuring the restaurant runs like clockwork and putting the proper protections in place will ensure your eatery succeeds.

Follow these restaurant management tips to boost the success of your business.

Listen to Your Staff

Working in the hospitality industry is stressful. Turnover rates are high. Before the pandemic, 80% of hospitality workers reported feeling burnt out. While the stress of the job cannot be totally alleviated, you can ease the situation by listening to your staff.

Be a manager who wants to be transparent. Organize meetings where you not only listen to staff but act on their feedback. Building that trust between the floor, kitchen, and management makes your workplace a happier place to be.

You should also clarify that you are always willing to talk, no matter the issue. Cultivating a culture of transparency among your entire team will empower your staff to work alongside each other harmoniously.

It’s imperative within a business where 62% of workers report receiving emotional abuse and disrespect from customers.

Setup an Effective Onboarding System

Staff needs to be supported to get them off on the right foot from day one. Effective onboarding systems allow staff to learn the job without being thrown from the proverbial frying pan and into the fire.

Your onboarding system should include materials that staff can refer to and an appropriate work colleague who can support them during their first days and weeks.

Make every new arrival feel welcomed from the moment they step through the doors.

Provide Avenues for Advancement

While not possible in every restaurant environment, it’s essential to commit yourself to helping your staff develop. Not every member of the hospitality industry intends on making it their home in the long term, but some will.

Showing a path from the bottom to the top increases the likelihood that staff will remain. When you promote internally, you illustrate that you’re a manager who wants to help your staff advance.

The desire for career development is a trend found in practically every industry, with 94% of employees claiming they would remain with their employer for longer if they invested in their ongoing development.

Give Your Employees Protection

Accidents can and do happen. As a restaurant, your state requires you to have specific insurance policies, such as worker’s compensation insurance. Getting solid restaurant insurance online shows your commitment to protecting the business.

No matter how well run your business is, a member of the public tripping through the doorway or a chef slipping in the kitchen can happen at any time.

You should also give your staff the emotional support they need. Unfortunately, the restaurant industry is rife with sexual harassment. Approximately 70% of waitstaff report being sexually harassed by either another employee or a member of the public.

Be a manager that takes a zero-tolerance approach to such behavior.

Invest in Technology to Make Life Easier

There are plenty of policies and strategies you can put in place to improve the running of your restaurant. Yet nothing can enhance your restaurant more than an investment in technology.

A state-of-the-art Point of Sale (POS) system, for example, streamlines the ordering process and makes it simple to transfer new orders from the floor to the kitchen while also recording every transaction.

Not only does it guarantee more accuracy in your records, but it also reduces the responsibilities of your staff. On a busy Friday evening, technology like a dedicated restaurant POS system can make their lives a hundred times simpler.

Nail Your Tipping Policy

Everyone knows that restaurant staff relies on tips to supplement their salaries. The right tipping policy is essential for keeping your team motivated.

The best way to manage your tipping policy is to ask your staff which system they would like. There are plenty of different tipping systems to choose from, but they should get to decide when it concerns your staff.

You should also consider the kitchen staff. They don’t get tipped directly, so your team may decide to share a portion of their tips so they get something too.

The only number one rule of tipping is that waitstaff should get to keep their tips.

Be a Proactive Manager

Problems can throw an otherwise slick operation into chaos. Be a proactive manager to mitigate the impact of potential issues.

Make a list of the things you need to do a few months from now, such as checking inventory, preparing for a scheduled health inspection, or switching up the menu in time for the holiday season.

You should also have contingency plans for those unexpected occurrences, such as if a staff member leaves without notice.

Proactive management ensures that you remain a beacon of stability. In such a stressful business, stability is what keeps the ship steady.

Learn How to Delegate

The art of delegation prevents you from becoming overwhelmed. If you’re a manager who is constantly juggling several tasks at once, you’re going to struggle to keep up.

Delegation ensures that you trust your employees and train them on how to perform different tasks. Assign roles before a shift, and don’t be afraid to change your strategy to confront new challenges.

Develop a team of trusted employees you can rely on when you need it most. Your staff will be thankful for the trust you have given them.

Conclusion

Restaurant management is a tricky business because inefficient management can lay even the finest restaurant low. You need to be an asset to your business, not a detriment.

Focus on your staff and what allows them to perform at their best. Ultimately, the sole goal of your job is to get the most out of your team. Good management will get you there.

What do you think is the single biggest quality of an effective restaurant manager?