High employee turnover is sadly considered the norm in the foodservice industry — but it doesn’t have to be. If you manage your staff with retention in mind, you can deter valuable employees from jumping ship for another opportunity. Hold onto your most talented staff by taking the following measures.

Boost Employee Engagement
Even the most thrilling jobs can start to feel monotonous day in and day out. Keep staff interested, engaged and excited to come to work by mixing things up, whether that’s with staff outings, new challenges or team-building activities. Switching up the routine is critical, but you can’t stop there. Engage employees with one-on-one attention, constructive feedback, and a welcoming demeanor. Your effort and input won’t go unnoticed — and it’ll likely motivate them to work harder.

Show Appreciation
When your employees perform well on the job, make a point to give them the recognition they deserve. Whether you offer a tangible reward (such as a cash bonus) or simply give verbal praise, employees are more likely to stay loyal if they feel appreciated. On top of that, they’ll be motivated to keep up the good work.

Promote a Healthy Work-life Balance
Foodservice can mean long hours and along with those, burnout. Make sure your employees take their full breaks and understand that they’ll need days off. Investing in their well-being by promoting work-life balance will help them from feeling exhausted and keep them happier (and more effective) in the workplace. Create the right workplace culture, and people will stick around.

Encourage Open Communication
Be transparent with your staff and facilitate open communication throughout the company. And remember, some team members are more comfortable communicating in group settings. To ensure everyone is heard, offer more than one forum for communication. In addition to group meetings, have an open door policy and schedule one-on-one check-ins to solicit private feedback and give less vocal employees an opportunity to speak up. This keeps expectations clearer and frustrations lower. It also encourages a team-oriented culture.

Invest in Up-to-date Equipment
Not only does outdated equipment hinder productivity, it frustrates employees and makes their jobs harder than they need to be. Up-to-date equipment, on the other hand, facilitates more efficient operations. With features like customizable cook settings and automation capabilities, cooks can do more with less. And at the same time, they can concentrate on the work they’re most passionate about — cooking!

Re-energize Your Team With Creative Retention Tricks
With these trusty retention tactics, you can minimize turnover and retain top talent.