Shift Meetings

Welcome back to Running Restarants 101!  Today we'll be taking a look at the value of conducting shift meetings with your staff.  It's a great way to rally the troops and make sure that everyone has any special information they need for service.  The value doesn't stop there, though - shift meetings can be a whole lot more.
If you haven't conducted shift meetings on a regular basis at your restaurant, it may be hard to implement them initially.  After all, your staff will need to be in uniform and ready to get to work about 15 minutes earlier than usual.  In the beginning, it may be necessary to adjust scheduling to get people into the swing of things, but the slight bump in labor costs will prove its worth immediately.
Some of the wonderful benefits of shift meetings are the following:

• Increased Teamwork - Letting everyone on the staff know about shiftly goals and creating a game plan prior to a shift can make things flow much more smoothly.
• Attention to Detail - You may not have noticed the glob of guacamole smeared across a server's apron had your team not assembled in front of you before the shift.  This is an excellent time to check that uniforms, smiles, and attitudes are in proper order.
• Increased Professionalism - Use pre-shift meetings as an opportunity to educate your staff on the shift they are going into.  Giving the staff an opportunity to taste the daily specials and ask the chef questions dramatically increases the ability to suggestively sell to guests.  This is also a good time to go over the books in order to anticipate rushes and lulls during the ensuing shift.
• Break Down Walls  - Include all members of the staff in your meetings to build comradery between the back and front of the house.
• Learn From Mistakes and Successes - Occasional post-shift meetings can help to untangle the knots of shifts that don't go exceptionally well, and to share insights and experiences when they go exceedingly smoothly.
• Have Fun - Try to interject some humor and rapport building in your meetings.  This is a great time to have a laugh or two before the real business commences.

Taking the time and effort to make shift meetings a part of your restaurant's routine can pay serious dividendes when done correctly.  Contact me and I'll teach you how to get the most out of your time!  Thanks for stopping by, and until we meet again...mangi bene e sia bene! Grazie!