When I sold my shares in the restaurant I owned on March 1, 2019, I remember telling my wife, given the spread of COVID in Asia at the time, "I think we made a great move." Now, 21 months later, no one could have imagined the damage this virus has done to the restaurant industry and the people working in it. Nor could anyone have imagined the cracks the tremors COVID would reveal. My industry, our industry, the industry that brings life to our communities is critically ill and shouting for help. But it’s not just the COVID pandemic at fault and, importantly, there’s a cure. As COVID closed restaurants and kicked workers to the curb, many chose jobs outside the industry for better pay, better hours (who wants to work weekends?) and more. It wasn’t just that there were no restaurant jobs. Times have changed, and the demands of today's restaurant workers have changed, but the restaurant industry has been slow to respond. Many of the workers who lost restaurant jobs because of COVID are simply not going back to those jobs. The sacrifices a restaurant career demands are no longer appealing. I have worked in this industry for more than 25 years. Opened or operated a dozen restaurants of every kind. What motivates workers now is not what motivated workers in the past. Remember when parents told their kids ‘Go to work! Work hard! No complaining!’ Some parents still deliver that message, but what you do and who you do it for is more important than ever. Today's workers are looking to make a difference and to be a part of something bigger. They have ideas, they are smart, savvy and mission driven. It’s not enough to just work hard and collect a paycheck and, besides, there are jobs offering that and more. During the past two COVID years there has been a lot of smart thinking about how to rescue and rebuild the restaurant industry. Bold, courageous changes have helped many restaurants stay alive, yet too many remain on the critical list and now face a new COVID surge threatening their workers and discouraging their customers. Lasting impact demands that the very culture of restaurants change. Restaurants are a business, after all, yet their unique culture comes with a unique set of rules. A typical restaurant worker starts early, stays late and works double shifts. That’s 12-plus hours on your feet, non-stop. Kitchens are hot, and the fast-paced, often stressful work can take a toll. Shift drink please! Lastly, and most important, there is a clear divide between your front and back of house workers – between the people out front serving customers and the people back in the kitchen. Although that gap has been bridged somewhat, the wage difference remains. Work-life balance is discouraged, often impossible. I have first-hand experience in a recent role as a consultant turned General Manager of a popular Cambridge restaurant. When I look through my family photographs taken during that time, I am noticeably missing from many. Work above all else. Thanks for everything, bye. Look where that culture has left us. Adapt or die. But adapt how? First, if restaurants want to attract and keep talented workers, they need to put their team above all else. Above profits, above sales, and yes, above their customers. Restaurant teams are comprised of individuals who have goals and dreams of their own. Working as a prep cook or server may not be the job you dream of as a kid, yet for many, it is the job they need to survive, and even, to support a family. What about the dreams of these workers? Their goals? Part of putting your team first is to develop and teach them. Teach them about your business. Share your vision with them and help them feel the same way you did when you decided to open a restaurant. When you tell them what to do, be sure to tell them why it is important. Teach them about the impact it has on their colleagues, the success of the restaurant, and their customers. Help them connect the dots. It takes time and patience but the reward is loyalty that translates into more learning, and a stronger commitment to shared goals. If you own or are running a restaurant, get your employees involved in the day-to-day operations of that restaurant. And, there is much for you to learn from your front-line workers. Ask your team “What do you think?” or “What would you do?” when faced with challenges. Bring them in and make them a part of something. People are emotional beings and need to feel like they are a part of something bigger. Make them a part of your success. Share the reward. A focused, energized team, one that works together toward a common purpose, is a force to be reckoned with. Your top line, your bottom line and every line in between will thank you for it. You will also be able to pay a higher wage, one that will help move your employees one step closer to their goals and their dreams. Get involved and give back. Restaurants are supported by their communities, and it is important to support your community in return. Socially conscious businesses are business that are appealing to today’s young workforce. What causes are important to your team? Support these causes and give your brand a boost at the same time. On a busy night, with a full dining room, a busy bar and a team buzzing around, working the line, laughing, genuinely smiling as they take care of their customers, I will often stop for a moment, look around and take it all in. Restaurants create space for people to spend time together, to laugh together, to share together, to nourish together, to work together and to grow together. We created that space together, as a team. There is no hierarchy in a restaurant, everyone contributes equally. And if you have ever had a dishwasher quit on a busy Friday night, you know exactly what I mean. It is tougher now – harder than ever – to keep a restaurant alive, to find and keep strong staff, and to get customers in your seats. There are inflation pressures, raising the cost of everything you want to serve, labor and overheads are more expensive than ever and new – almost constantly changing – rules defining how you stay open. And, importantly, a new way of thinking, educating, and engaging your staff. Management can’t do it alone, you need your team, now more than ever, in order to make it through this challenging time. For everyone who loves eating out and all those who love preparing the food for these diners – we all need to recognize there’s no future imaginable without our restaurants. ##
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