The Burn: Running a restaurant post COVID

Rachel Sykes

I Work with Stressed Out Professional Women | Licensed in Massachusetts

Rachel C. Sykes, LMHC, LLC
Rachel@rachelcsykes.com

Running a restaurant is a lot of work

One of my favorite fine dining restaurants in our area just posted on Facebook that they were unable to open for dinner service that night due to an unexpected staffing shortage. I see big signs outside local restaurants advertising job openings, even promising higher pay. It looks like demand for dining out is pretty strong---The National Restaurant Association projects that the foodservice industry will achieve revenues of $997 billion this year. Regulations such as food/menu labeling are coming back into focus and will require ongoing efforts. Will masking mandates re-emerge and how will that affect demand for dining experiences and employee morale? Lots going on here.

Working in the hospitality industry has always been a challenge. Long hours and irregular shifts that run late into the night, high employee turnover, working with a staff dependent upon tips, standing up and running around for your entire shift without time for a break---most folks who have never worked at a restaurant have no idea. The work is hard for anyone but it takes a toll on the body as one gets older. Running a restaurant post COVID, however, is increasingly complex.

The public

While there are some wonderful, understanding patrons out there, I have seen many customers taking their frustrations out on servers and other staff. It seems worse to me. With the high levels of inflation and unprecedented supply chain issues, the cost of eating out has gone up and people don’t like it. Servers, bartenders, and other client-facing staff have always had to cope with rude customers in a professional manner to keep their jobs but these days, workers have reached their limit and sometimes decide to move on to another employer or to look for opportunities in other fields, even if they have to take a short-term cut in pay.

drink up

Photo by Michael Discenza on Unsplash

Let me be candid – there are a lot of bad habits going on here and you and I know what they are. Perhaps due to the long shifts, late nights, and intense pressure, a lot of staff use what I will call unhealthy coping techniques to blow off steam. Late night drinking, some cocaine to power through a long shift, irregular sleep patterns that all contribute to exhaustion and even burnout. You know that stuff only helps relieve stress in the short term and creates a bigger problem over time.

Some ideas

Managing staff

It’s great when you can hire staff with extensive experience that require very little training time up front but, you know what – they probably will be more successful if you provide training anyway. Let them understand the nuances of your establishment and be clear what the terms are for success. Are you present on the floor to fairly measure employee performance? What is your tipping policy? Are you incenting all staff to work together or are you encouraging them to be lone-wolf superstars to make the best money? I've heard it said that money does not make you happy but that was probably said by people who already have it.

Train staff on healthy ways to deal with the pressures they will likely face. Encourage them to take meal breaks (you can schedule around peak times). Be consistent and fair – please hold everyone to the same standards and keep relationships professional. I know this one is hard – provide regular, formal feedback mechanisms to address any growing resentments or misunderstandings before they become job-ending. I realize management does not have a lot of spare time for meetings but if one of your responsibilities is to retain staff and you are not meeting that goal, maybe try things differently.

Have you heard one about the temperamental chef/restaurant owner who screams constantly at staff? Is this an unfair stereotype or does it in fact happen in your workplace? I am a big fan of high standards but not of humiliating people and stressing them out so much they are prone to make more mistakes. I also know that restaurants often employ younger workers and a lot of hiring managers in different industries are finding that more recent entrants to the workplace have different job expectations and may simply not take a job where they are yelled at. There’s no point in the old trope “Kids these days. In my day, we used to walk uphill both ways to school, and we liked it…”. Times change and being cranky just makes you unhappy. Furthermore, even if you are able to hire staff that can work in an old-school style, I imagine that many of your customers will be proud members of Gen Z, so you may need to adjust.

Photo by Austin Ban on Unsplash

Is the customer always right? Personally, I don’t think so. After the pandemic shut down and many false starts, staff is tired and may find it more difficult to accept rude treatment by customers. I realize that staff is being paid to take care of customers but you may be able to build employee loyalty by letting customers know that there are limits to bad behavior. Let staff know that you support them.

Benefits that encourage healthy choices

I realize that funds are not endless but you may find that investing in staff through a good benefits program to be cost effective in the longer term. Benefit plans that offer discounted gym membership, mental health services, and tax-advantaged retirement savings plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) might encourage healthy behavior by staff and retain skilled employees. This might be too much but have you considered offering staff meals or forming your own baseball or soccer team and joining a local league? I realize that a lot of teams meet at times that conflict with business hours but restaurant staff comprise approximately 10% of all workers in the country, so there could be enough people for a late morning practice.

Don’t let your own bad habits set a poor example

I am sure that those reading this blog have no bad habits or unhealthy coping mechanisms but if you know people that do, don’t let that set the standard. I realize this won’t make me popular but is it really okay that staff are sneaking drinks during their shift? Is it a good idea to let everyone decompress in your bar after work? I am not saying that employee camaraderie is bad (in fact, it's good) but what if it was clear that your restaurant was just about business, and partying and socializing takes place elsewhere?

So…

Ultimately, well-managed restaurant staff should be able to offer better service and hopefully get fairly recompensed. Staff that feels well-prepared and respected should be in a better position to meet your expectations. You work in a hard field but there is a lot of demand for what you do. Please step back and take a look at your management choices and see if anything needs a tweak. Lead by example and model the kind of professionalism you want your staff to show to customers.

Do you need support for yourself or for your staff? Consider whether therapy may help you be successful at work while still maintaining some semblance of a happy home life. It’s tough to balance your priorities but it’s not impossible.

Contact me

Are you interested in seeing if I may be the right therapist for you?* I suggest you check out my website, request an appointment, or call/email to ask for a free 15-minute consultation.

Contact me

email: Rachel@rachelcsykes.com
phone: 617.804.6471

* I am licensed to work in Massachusetts.