Your restaurant is packed, the kitchen is running behind, and another guest just asked to “speak to the manager.” You’re understandably stressed, and you realize it’s about to get worse as your senior bartender approaches and asks if you have a moment to chat with him in private. You escort him or her to your office with a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. Here it comes; they are going to resign.
Losing a key employee is among every manager’s worst nightmares—whether they’re running a hotel, restaurant, country club, or retirement community. And it happens to everyone. In an improving economy—and a world where professionals change jobs an average of 12 times in their careers—turnover is unavoidable. When that turnover involves a high performer, it’s also painful.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce the negative effects losing a key employee can have on your establishment’s productivity and employees’ morale. The tips below may even help you retain more of your best players while strengthening your hospitality team.
Tip 1: Don’t skip the exit interview.
While it may be tempting to focus on finding a replacement as your immediate priority, make sure you take the time to conduct an exit interview before your employee’s final day. Ask the right questions, and you’ll gain valuable insight into how your workers feel about your hotel or restaurant’s culture, compensation package, and other factors that influence turnover and retention. Use what you learn to make positive changes and you may lose fewer key employees in the future.
Tip 2: Look on the bright side.
As the old saying goes, “when one door closes, another opens.” Maybe your best room attendant, front office manager, or sous chef is moving on, but you now have the opportunity to find someone even better. You can look for a candidate with updated skills, a broader range of experience or a fresh perspective on hospitality service.
Tip 3: Consider the rest of the team.
When a respected employee decides to leave, others may be tempted to follow—especially if you’ve done nothing to fill the void they are feeling. Make time to talk to your team and discuss plans for the future. Acknowledge changes that need to be made, and let them know that their work is important and you care about their success. You can also use this opportunity to squash any rumors about why the employee resigned.
Tip 4: Use more than one recruitment channel.
Maybe you always use a particular staffing firm or advertise in your local paper. It could be time to consider other sources of hires as well. Promoting from within is one of the best. In fact, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School found that internal hires generally cost less and stay longer than external hires do. Referrals from current employees also tend to do well, as do candidates found through industry job boards like Hcareers.
Tip 5: Keep small problems from growing.
One of the best ways to retain more key employees is to establish open lines of communication. Your team should feel comfortable coming to you when they’re frustrated or discouraged. They should not hesitate to voice their questions and concerns. When you build this type of relationship, you can address small issues before they become larger problems.