HR Solutions: Rewarding restaurant staff can keep them working

The restaurant industry is known for high turnover in hourly associates. Survey after survey reveals the No. 1 reason employees remain with a restaurant is because they feel appreciated.

Recognition programs increase retention by communicating the value of team members and thanking them for a job well done. Rewards fall into one of two categories: person-to-person and "things."

Expressing gratitude begins and ends with management. At times the simple things matter most, and a sincere, verbal "thank you" goes a long way. Prepare written notes providing positive feedback and consider mailing them to the home.

Complete "You Done Right" certificates and distribute them often. Create an achievements scrapbook and place it in the lobby or break room. Design posters and banners for the break area.

Involve peers, also. Create an Achiever of the Week for the person who goes above and beyond the call of duty. Receive nominations from colleagues and leave the final selection to the existing Achiever of the Week. Create an official award, such as a quirky statuette, book or gift certificate. Request that coworkers document positive behaviors witnessed and place the notes in a fish bowl. Read each one at a monthly meeting. Allow the laborer who prepared the memo to expand upon the situation. The last one read receives the restaurant credit card for dinner with a guest.

Provide staff members with sticky notes or small slips of paper to write brief thank yous to colleagues. Employ-ees then redeem the notes for gifts.

Customers also provide positive feedback. Compose verbal compliments into a letter and post it on the bulletin board. In addition, be sure to assign bulletin board space to actual correspondence from customers.

"Things" include objects, gifts, services, and monetary rewards. Initiate a unique, symbolic trophy and generate extensive hype to establish an allure of importance. Supply stickers to place on uniforms and allow team members to trade them for gifts from an approved catalog. Provide gift certificates to an activity of interest to the worker. Place photographs in the restaurant newsletter. Furnish trophies and ribbons.

Hold a breakfast in honor of the jobholder. Name a space in the restaurant after an associate, such as the John Doe Hallway. Provide a special parking space. Create a Wall of Fame and employee recognition plaques.

Present a percentage of the cost savings realized from staff member ideas. Bestow a service for free, such as housecleaning, a car wash in the restaurant parking lot, or dry cleaning picked up and delivered at work.

Permit attendance at a seminar or special conference that is paid for by the restaurant. Extend lunch or break time. Do your subordinate's job while giving him an hour, half a day or full day off with pay. Rent a billboard and display the worker's photograph. Give tickets to plays, sporting events and theme parks. Pay for a weekend trip to a destination selected by the worker.

Only your creativity limits the amount and variety of reward programs offered. Develop a committee to brainstorm new ideas and constantly change the members to keep awards fresh. Survey jobholders to determine the preferences of each person. Begin reward programs today and watch retention begin increasing tomorrow.

(Lynne Haggerman is president/ owner of Haggerman & Associates, a retained search, outplacement, management training, and human re-sources consulting firm.)