Jill Berni

Now that the economy is improving, you may be thinking about hiring more staff for your restaurant.    Before you dust off the employment forms, I would like you to consider a different way of thinking about your employees.

Perhaps it’s time to think outside the box.  What if, you hired only the best counter staff, kitchen staff, or dining room attendants?  By doing so, you’ve increased the efficiency of your restaurant by leaps and bounds.  Your customer service improves and your turnover decreases.  There is also an added benefit.  What if, by improving your hiring process, you were able to find a diamond in the rough?

Unfortunately, there are quick service restaurants out there that hire a warm body to fill a position in their restaurant.  It’s a quick fix that isn’t. This person may not be suitable to work in a fast-paced environment.  Or, they may have difficulty dealing with customers.

By improving your hiring process, you may be hiring a person would be an asset to your business not just in the present, but in the future as well.  With proper mentoring, you could be nurturing someone into becoming a valued employee and could help your current location grow and prosper as well as any additional locations you may want to open in the future.  You may be able to motivate this person into being the best they can be.

QSR/fast casual owners, like you, point out that all great serve staff employees have these attributes in common.  They’ve found that looking for QSR staff with these characteristics can make your business a success:

1. Friendly staff means happy customers. Do your employees greet customers warmly? 
2. Trust is such an underrated part of dealing with customers. If your customers trust your employee, they’ll be much more open to suggestions the employee makes about additional items to buy.
3. Great employees do a great job and do it right.  They are able to make customers and management happy and not to mention, their fellow workers happy by being organized, neat and smart workers.
4. Handling tough situations is part of the job when dealing with different personalities. Are your employees able to handle situations when things get tough?  Are they able to diffuse stressful situations?
5. Employees that are able to learn quickly and are able to apply that knowledge are gems. They are the ones that others will emulate.

An easy way to hire staff with these characteristics is to use a selection tool specially formulated to help you in your hiring process. 

If you invest the time at the very beginning of the hiring process, it can reap big rewards in the future.  Consider using a tool scientifically designed to help you hire the best serve staff.  It could be the diamond standard you’re looking for in your business.