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With great power comes great responsibility. In a restaurant setting, the leadership qualities (or lack thereof) of the boss can have a huge impact on the overall atmosphere of the establishment. A great boss can help foster good employee morale, which can lead to greater productivity and an overall happier workplace. A bad boss can create an atmosphere of fear and resentment, where employees don’t have the space to succeed. Not only does this create an unpleasant work atmosphere, but it can result in poor service, which can lead to unhappy customers.
Happy and healthy employees make for a more productive and profitable workplace. Here, we’ll discuss 8 ways to be a better boss to your restaurant employees, so that you can create an atmosphere which allows your restaurant to succeed and flourish. 
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- Know your employees. Taking the time to get to know your employees is your chance to show respect on the most basic (but arguably most important) level. This means taking the time to know their name, what their job function is, and who they are both inside and outside of the workplace.
There are fewer things that make an employee feel less appreciated than having their boss ask their name, or delegating a task that isn’t in their job description. Really take the time to know who each employee is and what they do for you. After all, they are helping make your business a success, and they deserve to be acknowledged. - Pay them fairly and on time. Offer your employees an appropriate wage for the job they perform. This will vary based on their job, whether or not they work full-time, and the wage laws in your town or state. Do your research so that you can pay a fair wage to your employees, and always pay them in a timely manner. There are fewer things that will get you on the “bad boss” list faster than paying your employees late.
- Listen to your employees. When your employees voice concerns or offer suggestions, listen to them. Hear them out. You may be rewarded with wisdom that can improve your restaurant. For instance, say a server has a suggestion based on repeated customer requests. By listening to what the server has to say, you might have an opportunity to install a new service or menu item that will improve your business.
Be open to complaints and criticisms from employees, too. If an employee has an issue, be sure to hear them out and to try to help them come to a resolution. It might not always be easy, but it will help you reduce the potential for resentment or bad feelings among employees. - Show your employees that you appreciate them. Everyone likes to be noticed and appreciated for what they do. Take the time to provide this invaluable service to your employees, who work so hard for you.
There are many ways in which you can make restaurant employees feel appreciated. Some easy ways include feeding them or offering them a post-shift drink, providing quality uniforms, or giving them bonuses. By taking the time to show your appreciation frequently, you’ll create a far more positive workplace.
(Source: Flickr) - Remember that your employees are people. Yes, your employees work for you. But that doesn’t mean that they are your property. Remember that your employees are people, with lives, responsibilities, and needs of their own. Respect that they need time off, that they have things going on, and that they need space. Don’t constantly do things like ask them to stay late just as their shift is ending, or ask them to come in on their days off. Respect that they have lives, and give them time and space to conduct them away from the workplace.
- Take care of your employees. When things get tough or a customer complains, are you quick to throw an employee under the bus? You’re going to need to work on that if you want to be a good boss.
When an issue presents itself, don’t automatically blame an employee. Always try to listen to both sides of the story, and support your employees as representatives of the establishment. Of course, if the employee did something wrong, they should be held accountable, but don’t blame them before you know the full story just to placate an unhappy customer.
(Source: Flickr) - Give employees space. Don’t be a helicopter. Give your employees, especially the ones who have proven themselves, the space to properly perform their job duties.
Trust them with small responsibilities. For instance, servers might be given the ability to comp an appetizer or dessert as they see fit, which can help provide better customer service. Or a cook might be given license to purchase ingredients with petty cash without asking for approval.
Do be responsible with how you delegate, but don’t be afraid to give some responsibility to top-achieving employees. It will make them feel appreciated and trusted, and will strengthen your bond. This is the type of thing which can make employees feel committed to you, and will reduce turnover. - Be nice. This tip might sound painfully obvious, but it’s so important that it absolutely bears mention. Be nice. Always try to be a good, kind, and fair person to your employees. Treat them with the same respect and kindness which you would expect if you were an employee. What goes around comes back around, and if you give your employees kindness and respect, it’s exactly what you will get in return.
Conclusion: Being a great boss isn’t always easy. It requires a lot of energy, patience, and diligence. But by taking the time to really cultivate good habits as a boss, you will reap great rewards in employee performance. By working on the methods detailed above, you will help foster a more joyful and respectful workplace, which means that your employees will be happier. Happier employees provide the best service, which means that you will be making a strong investment in the success of your restaurant.
What do you think makes a great boss?