Many people in the restaurant industry talk about a labor crisis, about how hard it is to find people to fill the jobs that they have. “We are looking at an industry that has a reputation for offering zero benefits, low wages, people having to work off-the-clock… why would you choose a job in that path? That doesn’t sound like a career. That’s why it’s so important that we figure out a way to offer more for our employees because we need to make the restaurant industry a career.”
For an industry that has the highest rate of substance abuse of any profession, a high rate of suicide, and almost 75% staff turnover, wellness programs can improve morale and retain employees, benefitting the bottom line as well as mitigating the mental and physical toll that comes with working in restaurants.
What do we refer to as wellness?
- Physical health.
- Proper meals.
- Exercise regularly.
- Mental health.
- Balanced lifestyle.
- Stress management.
- Rest and recovery.
- Socially connected.
- Family life.
- Financial stability.
- Employee benefit programs.
The list above is a guideline, do not be surprised as one glove might not be for all, and each of your staff might have their own special requirements. It is a good idea to formulate an employee questionnaire. You can set this up with the help of your staff and get every employee to fill in his own copy. Now you will have a pretty good idea of what the needs are.
Rome was not built in one day, start to implement your wellness plan systematically and slowly build it up to become a meaningful working tool in your business.
Author: Marius Joubert
Founder of Restauranthub.co the first true community for the restaurant and hospitality industry.
