Directions for Firmer, Smarter Staff Management in 2012 - By Ken Burgin

Here's our first list of suggestions, and for those without an HR department, you have all the resources needed in our Staff Management Department and Staffing Downloads.

• Ditch wasteful recruitment: in some areas, there's more talent on the market, but they're still choosey and have a nose for BS. Direct people to your great employment web page or the online ad. Get rid of fake promises and hype, and add testimonials, clearly stated benefits and photos.


• Shift the roster online: say goodbye to endless phone calls and tedious revisions. For a large business, there's no excuse. There are many excellent services at low cost (email me for a recommended Australian service). Will staff cope?! If it involves money and hours, they'vealways managed before - don't panic!


• Link more performance to results: you have the information in the POS and supplier invoices, it just needs better analysis. Some staff have results that are directly measurable eg servers and bar staff, and others have team results (like the kitchen). If you can't get useful figures as they happen, the accounts department needs to be added to the renovation list. Real motivation comes when there's both pain and gain, backed up by transparent and measurable results.


• Pay the stars more: is it time to change pays differentials between the good, better and best staff? Even a small pay increase can give a big morale boost and linking to performance can offer even more. Rewards go to those who are fast, accurate and finding ways to do things better...maybe this also means no increase for those who've made no improvement.


• Make leaders accountable for behaviour, not just figures: staff are nervous as they watch the economy - do your managers make the situation better or worse? Some always play the blame game, and can't control their moods. They're not flexible, and when the pressure is on they can't bring order to chaos. Staff are not inspired by their leadership, and turnover is often high. Review their performance with proper, wide-ranging job descriptions.


• Short, sharp training sessions: a little and often, with whoever's at hand. A great way to change the culture - here's a bunch of suggestions. One of them should definitely cover social media guidelines for staff - there are lots of stumbles in this area.


• Replace boring work with machines: whether it's a better coffee machine, hand-held ordering, iPad apps or online rosters, this can be a change that everyone likes. It also eliminates dull, repetitive jobs so staff can concentrate on smiles, service and true hospitality.

Reader Comments:

Be the first to leave a comment for this article