How To Make Your Business Profile More Attractive To Candidates

How To Make Your Business Profile More Attractive To Candidates

by | Mar 13, 2017 | Sirvo Stories

Making your business profile attractive involves a bit of strategic thinking and includes standing out in print, online, and through good old word-of-mouth. There are a number of ways to do this and, depending on your business strategy, it can get very in-depth. For now, we’re just going to touch on the three major components to drawing attention to your business while making sure talent flows your way. These are your website, your social media profiles, and a well done Sirvo profile.

Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

1. Make sure your website is on point.

These days, your website should be displaying more than just your hours and menu.

You want it to show exactly what your establishment is all about. People want to see appealing high-resolution shots of your food, cocktails, and the atmosphere. The foodie culture wants to engage in it all. Customers and employees have a lot of choices these days, so all of these things can help influence their decision.

People want to see appealing high-resolution shots of your food, cocktails, and the atmosphere. The foodie culture wants to engage in it all.

For more help on what you should include on your website, check out our blog post: Five Tips for Taking Your Restaurant Website From Good to Great.

2. Be present on social media.

Remember, social media is a way to interact with and engage with your community. Build your following on all relevant social sites and stay active. Keeping your social profiles updated daily is a great way to make your business stand out.

Most businesses understand the need for a social profile, but very few actually use it correctly. Whether we admit it or not, social media is a powerful marketing tool that you can use to take the temperature of your community, stay on top of trends, network with other business owners…the list goes on and on.

The trick is managing your social media well. If you’re not clear on how to do this or need some extra help, contact us. Sirvo offers a marketing package specifically for restaurants to help manage their social media – just shoot us an email at [email protected] for pricing.

3. Set up the perfect Sirvo recruiting page.

With the first two requirements complete, your Sirvo profile becomes an easy task. Let’s be clear, the first two take the most work, but they’ll allow us here at Sirvo to focus on placing the right talent into your business so you can worry about running your business. Filling out your business profile on Sirvo is a very easy process.

From the Home Page, log in or register for a business account.  To create your business page, select “Pages” from the left side menu and then select “New Page”.

You’ll be taken to a screen that looks similar to your personal profile dashboard. From here you can customize everything. We’d advise you to put a high-resolution image in your background header that highlights an aspect of your business you’d want others to know you for or be impressed with. Add your business logo for the main profile picture to complete the header.

Add a high-resolution image in your background header that highlights an aspect of your business you’d want others to know you for or be impressed with.

Make sure to give a short but interesting synopsis of the establishment. Describe the atmosphere, vibe, food, etc. Use this space to really attract the type of person you want. A good rule of thumb is to use the same branding on your Sirvo profile as your website and social media.

 

NEXT, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Head over to the Settings Page to add your business address.

If you plan to post jobs on Sirvo (which you should be!), then making sure you have the proper city or address is vital! Since we push out your jobs to other affiliated job sites and social media feeds, whatever city and state you have listed in the settings is attached to your job listing across the web. Jobs that do not have address information receive far fewer applicants than ones that do (by a lot!!!).

Jobs that do not have address information receive far fewer applicants than ones that do (by a lot!!!).

If you’re business or concept with multiple locations, simply create another Page for free and specify the location in the Page Setting and by using an identifier in the Page Name (ex: Bobs Bakery – Boulder). This will allow you to specify jobs with different addresses and allows for better organization between hiring managers.

The last piece of the puzzle it to make your job listing stand out. Luckily, we know how to do that, too!

These days, it’s all about your online appearance. That can be as important as your business’s actual appearance. Looking good in the right places feeds into bringing the right kind of people into your building and to making you’re the place everyone wants to be.

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How To Get Your Team To Show Up On Time

How To Get Your Team To Show Up On Time

by | Mar 8, 2017 | Business Toolkit, Management

Everyone has those days when they’re running a few minutes late, but tardiness becomes a serious hazard to your business when your staff starts coming in habitually late. Late employees equal decreased profits and revenue for your restaurant, not to mention unhappy customers who might be left waiting for service during a shift change.

Here are some ways to motivate your team to show up on time:

1. Tell them the why.

Employees (and people in general) are more likely to respond to requests when they understand the purpose behind the request. When you’re talking to your team about being on time, give them a better reason than “because it’s your job.”

The real reasons you need your team to show up on time have to do with how you run your business. Team members who show up late can cost an individual restaurant thousands of dollars annually in lost business and overtime for those employees who wind up staying late to cover part of their co-worker’s shift.

In addition to lost revenue, habitually late team members lower the overall morale of the team. Tardiness disrupts the usual flow of each shift and breeds mistrust and hard feelings among the team. These bad feelings can get in the way of the service you’re providing, which can reduce the overall experience for your diners.

2. Set the standard.

Now that team members know the why behind your tardiness policy, it’s time to set the standard. If your policy isn’t already clearly stated in your employee handbook, add a section that details it. Make it clear when you will take action, whether that’s after the first tardy, after 3 tardies in 3 month period, or whatever makes the most sense to you. Have new employees sign an agreement that they will follow the policy and they understand there will be disciplinary action if they don’t.

Have current employees sign the same agreement, even if you discussed tardiness during their training. Talk to each employee individually about the policy, have them sign the agreement, and notify them when you will take disciplinary action.

3. Follow through.

This is the part that can be the most difficult for managers: following through with the policy. The key to enforcing a tardiness policy is making sure you follow through on your end, even if it means terminating an otherwise good employee when they fail to adhere to their end of the tardiness agreement.

4. Come up with intermediate steps.

Termination doesn’t need to be the first, or even second, recourse. You can have intermediate disciplinary actions that give employees a wake-up call, but also give them a chance to figure out what they need to do on their end to show up on time. Here are some ideas of how to take disciplinary action:

  • The late employee needs to buy the team coffee (or donuts, bagels, etc.) the next day
  • The late employee is responsible for taking out the trash (or some other task nobody wants to do) for a week

5. Reward promptness.

Take the time to reward employees. You can do this individually, but to get the whole team to show up on time, put them to work on a goal. Make a team-wide goal for the month or quarter, and add an incentive. For example, if the entire team can go a whole month without being late, you’ll take them out to the movies or for ice cream. Talk to your employees during your next team meeting to come up with an incentive together that will encourage them without breaking the bank.

Late employees can hinder restaurant operations and cause friction among your staff. Use these ideas to get employees to show up on time and build some trust among your team.

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How To Deal With Coworker Conflict

How To Deal With Coworker Conflict

by | Mar 3, 2017 | Career

Coworkers are like family: you don’t (usually) get to choose them. Instead, coworkers are typically, and dare we say hopefully, hired because of their resume and not because of their easy-going personality. What this inevitably means is that a good portion of your professional life is going to be spent sharing a space with individuals you’d rather never see at all. Not only is that bad news for you, it’s bad for business because coworker problems inhibit productivity and customer service.

When CPP Inc., publishers of the Myers-Briggs Assessment and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, commissioned a study on workplace conflict they found that U.S. employees spend an average of 2.8 hours dealing with conflict on a weekly basis. That’s the equivalent of 385 million working days! Thus, no matter how laid back you are, it’s only a matter of time before you have to deal with some coworker friction.

Here are the three major ways coworkers clash, and what you can do to solve it.

1.) You have the same goal, but a different perspective on how best to make it happen.

Maybe you went to two different culinary schools that stressed two different techniques to do the same job. Maybe your coworker is a tank, and they can’t handle any job or conversation if it isn’t done in the most efficient manner possible. Or maybe you’re the tank, and your coworker gets so caught up in the details the food starts turning cold.

Despite the fact that there is conflict, it’s because both of you care a lot.

If you’re in this situation, where all parties ultimately are hoping for the success of the meal service but are struggling to make it happen due to differences in style or opinion, take heart. Despite the fact that there is conflict, it’s because both of you care a lot.

In this situation you need to:

A.) Value the strengths your coworkers bring to the table, and act like it. If Bill’s plating is the best in the city, tell him. Tell him you appreciate his eye for detail, and his commitment to excellence.

B.) Compromise, because that’s what adults do. If you’re able to recognize that your coworkers are gifted individuals you will promote unity, you will learn from them, and you will see the strength in multiple talent sets. Work through a practical and doable compromise that will allow Bill to plate, without ruining the quality of the food.

C.) Communicate, communicate, communicate. It’s likely that if you talk to Bill with respect and appreciation, he’ll do the same. It’s likely he’s a reasonable professional who recognizes that his plating skills will be in vain if the food isn’t served promptly. So talk to him about the aforementioned compromise like you’re talking to the plating prodigy he is.

2.) You don’t have the same goal at all.

Maybe Bill isn’t actually concerned with having a stellar meal service, maybe all he cares about is his plating and making sure he gets credit for said plating. Or perhaps you’re dealing with an individual who doesn’t have thick skin and refuses to let things go even at the cost of the kitchen running smoothly. If this is the situation you find yourself in it’s going to take a bit more gumption.

Here’s what you need to do:

A.) Give them a chance. The reality is that sometimes people don’t actually realize how they’re influencing everyone else. It can seem impossible, but it’s true. So at a time when you are calm and collected, with as much kindness and gentleness as you can muster, explain the situation from your perspective. Maybe, they didn’t realize. Maybe, you’ll learn about some hard things in their personal life, and they’ll be willing to talk through some solutions. But maybe not.

B.) In that case, it’s time to bring management into the situation. Rory Rowland, an expert on the subject says the most important thing to do in workplace conflict is to, “recognize that ripping the bandage off is painful, but after it’s done everything is all better.”

In his own company, he employed that method by bringing both individuals together to act as a third-party. “One of the techniques I used was you couldn’t restate your own position until you stated the other person’s position to their approval. When you’re angry and hurt, the last thing you want to do is restate the other person’s perspective.”

“One of the techniques I used was you couldn’t restate your own position until you stated the other person’s position to their approval. When you’re angry and hurt, the last thing you want to do is restate the other person’s perspective.”

But what he found was that often when people make themselves see the situation from the other side it creates an understanding between individuals. And while understanding doesn’t always lead to total acceptance, it does often lead to politeness and respect. So ask management to act as a third-party, and make it clear that your hope is that everyone involved will thrive.

3.) Sometimes, they’re just a jerk.

Unfortunately, the workplace is full of people who only ever have their best interest at heart. Perhaps you have a coworker who isn’t satisfied with succeeding, unless everyone else around them fails. Or perhaps you’re sharing a shift with an individual whose main priority is doing as little as possible, while still getting paid. In that situation follow the steps for type 2 and then:

A.) Let go. We know–let what?! How do you let go when what you’re really hoping to do is give them a piece of your mind? You do it by realizing you have very little control over what other people do. If you have taken the steps to neutralize the situation and you have made management aware, then do not let them ruin your chances of success or happiness. Take control of what you can, namely your attitude and performance, and reap the rewards of doing so.

Every conflict is an opportunity; it’s a chance to refine your problem-solving skills.

The good news is that every conflict is an opportunity; it’s a chance to refine your problem-solving skills. It’s a chance to prove to your superiors that you have what it takes to be in charge. And it’s ultimately a chance for you to impact the people around you in a positive way.

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5 Ways Restaurants Can Show Appreciation for Employees

5 Ways Restaurants Can Show Appreciation for Employees

by | Mar 1, 2017 | Business Toolkit, Management

It’s very easy to place little value on employee recognition and consider it as a time waster or unnecessary additional expense.  But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Businesses, especially restaurants, that frequently show that they appreciate their employees benefit tremendously through higher productivity, improved morale, loyalty, and better customer service.

According to a Bersin and Associates research study “companies with recognition programs highly effective at improving employee engagement have 31 percent lower voluntary turnover than their peers with ineffective recognition programs.” This statistic speaks volumes. Appreciating your employees builds a positive company culture that translates to longevity and profits. Here are five ways you can make sure your restaurant employees feel appreciated.

Peer-to-Peer Recognition

Why not involve all employees in the employee recognition process? Manager recognition is important, but businesses have found even more success with peer-to-peer recognition. Giving employees a voice and creating a weekly forum where they can speak freely about each other’s strengths and talents creates cohesiveness within the restaurant. If some employees may not enjoy being publicly praised, consider using a system that allows them to share their positive feedback with each other anonymously.

Manager recognition is important, but businesses have found even more success with peer-to-peer recognition.

Plan a Holiday Party

In office environments, holiday parties are almost a given. But how many restaurants take the time to throw a holiday party for a job well done? This can be a whole new experience for your employees and gives them a chance to connect and relax in a fun setting that shows your restaurant is willing to do something different and special.

Get Creative With Your Rewards

Try not to get stuck in the rut of doling out pens, gift cards, or coffee mugs. Make the reward more personal or more unique. Giving something someone doesn’t care about is not a motivator. If possible, try to learn more about that individual’s likes and dislikes and reward accordingly. And rewards don’t have to cost a lot of money. In the restaurant business, managers can recognize an employee’s hard work by allowing him or her to choose a preferred shift time for a week or allowing for extra breaks.

Make the reward more personal or more unique. Giving something someone doesn’t care about is not a motivator.

Take Advantage of Social Media and Websites

Most businesses these days have a website or Facebook page. Use them as tools for showing just how much you appreciate your employees.  Perhaps devote a page on your website to showcasing dedicated and hard-working employees. Or use Facebook to post the outstanding employee of the month. Not only does this send the message to customers that you care about your employees, but public recognition also makes employees feel that much more special.

Get Customers Involved

Implement a customer feedback card program where happy customers can praise a particular employee for a job well done. They can be put at the front of the restaurant or on individual tables. Customers can then drop them off in a box when leaving and the manager can collect them at the end of the day. Managers can then discuss the compliments and praise publicly at the next shift meeting. Take it a step further and collect the cards over a time period such as a month and then pass out gift cards or cash bonuses to those employees with the highest number of cards. They are also handy for including in an employee’s personnel file or using towards performance evaluations.

Retaining top talent in a fast-paced, high turnover environment like the restaurant industry gives your business a competitive advantage. Appreciating and recognizing your employees can help your business both financially and culturally. With a little investment and strategizing on your part, you can reap the benefits of happy and content employees.

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Restaurants Should Always Be Looking For Fresh Faces. Here’s Why:

Restaurants Should Always Be Looking For Fresh Faces. Here’s Why:

by | Feb 27, 2017 | Business Toolkit, Management

Restaurants invest a lot in labor when they hire people. They train, sign employees up for food-safety certifications, and put money towards their health insurance. All this is a lot of work, but it is worth it to keep hiring throughout the year. In fact, you want to always be hiring. Why? Well, consider the following:

1. Fast Turnover

The hospitality industries have a high turn-over rate. Over half of all the people you hire will be gone before the end of their first year. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, the turnover rate for restaurant staff tends to be higher than other private-sector industries. This will leave you short-staffed often if you have only just enough to cover all the shifts. This is especially true at the start of the busy season, when you will likely have to scramble to replace people.

2. Capture New Talent

Restaurants are people-oriented. They rely on stellar personalities that can work tables. You want to always be on the look-out for such a person because you never know when that star will be asking you for an interview. That person’s energy and loyalty will brighten everyone’s attitude, bring in more customers, and bring new ideas to your business.

3. Being Prepared For A Change In Business

Your restaurant can be dead one month and super busy the next. It is tempting to let hiring slide in those slow months, but then you find yourself playing catch-up in the busy months. The smart move is to keep hiring throughout the year so that you always are well-staffed. You can always decrease the hours of several staff members during the off-season, and you can start new employees out with only a few hours. You just need backup for when you get an influx of customers.

It is tempting to let hiring slide in those slow months, but then you find yourself playing catch-up in the busy months.

4. Gives You Chance To Drop Sub-par Employees

Some folks just aren’t going to cut it in the fast-paced food business. They have a bad attitude, they are clumsy, or they are slow. They are students who are only doing this job until they finish school or get what they consider their ‘real’ job. Your restaurant deserves to have staff that shines. Having competent and energetic new recruits allows you to lay off under-performing employees, even during the busy season.

5. Lets You Promote Internally Whenever You Need To

Restaurant owners should be able to promote employees that show real promise to management positions. You know that one server that shows real leadership potential? Or the chef who is just itching to take the next step in his or her career? You can garner their loyalty and all the perks of having someone you personally know is qualified by promoting them, but then you wind up short-staffed where it counts. You have to scramble to find the chef or server to take the promotee’s place.

That is, you do unless you have backup servers and sous-chefs already lined up and ready to start work. Then you can promote whenever you feel like it and never miss a beat.

6. Lets You Be Flexible In Your Scheduling

One of the big draws for a restaurant employee is flexible scheduling. It means the world to many servers and chefs to be able to ask for time off or particular hours. Many employees will stay with you for just that reason. If you are always hiring, you can meet your employees scheduling needs without worrying about staffing shortages. You will have a pool of employees to ask to step in whenever someone needs some time off.

If you are always hiring, you can meet your employees scheduling needs without worrying about staffing shortages.

While it is tempting to stop hiring whenever you have enough employees for your current needs, your restaurant really benefits from a continual influx of new faces. From the chance to get a star worker on board, to the flexibility that extra staff provides, always hiring is the very best thing you can do for your restaurant.

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read more

Experience Sirvo for yourself

Sign up now to find hospitality jobs and hire top industry talent.

Sign up