Four Priorities, One Solution: Upskilling Insights from the Restaurant Sector
EnGen connected with dozens of fast casual and quick service restaurant leaders in Dallas at this week’s #WFMSummit -- including our long-time partners at Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, who joined us in a sold-out lunch and learn session about the sector’s challenges and opportunities.
Even with the diversity of experiences, geography, and cuisine represented in our conversations, we heard consensus on four key priorities:
1/ Start with people. People are the heart of the restaurant and hospitality industry -- which is why it's so concerning that the sector sees up to 80% turnover each year. Restaurant leaders are eager to connect with solutions that promote employee retention, engagement, and advancement.
2/ Make time for skills. Restaurants have long been leaders in skills-based hiring and on-the-job learning, approaches that are gaining momentum across other industries too. Yet time is often limited in fast-paced restaurant environments – and for people who work multiple jobs. On-demand, mobile-based microlearning opportunities are gaining traction in an industry that runs 24/7.
3/ Know that English matters. Even in an industry focused on skills, English skills are often an afterthought. Yet English proficiency is vital for communication, safety, and productivity in a sector that employs multilingual people from all over the world. Rather than a “nice to have” program, English instruction is a core talent development strategy for the restaurant industry. It is often the key to moving workers from “back-of-the-house” to “front-of-the-house” jobs, which delivers both employee retention AND worker mobility. A win-win.
4/ Build bottom lines. Investing in employees reaps huge returns for restaurants -- in the form of improved customer service and better bottom lines. Workforce training helps employees parlay strong technical skills into excellent customer service. And research tells us that businesses with engaged employees are more profitable – 23% more so – than those with disengaged workers.
Taziki’s commitment to upskilling with English is helping them deliver across all four priorities, driving results across their business.
But don’t take our word for it. Taziki’s employee Dayanna has been promoted – not once, but twice – since she improved her English skills. She’s now General Manager of a Taziki’s restaurant in Virginia. Here’s her story:
“EnGen has truly changed my life. Now I don’t need a translator to communicate with my coworkers or friends. Because of my English training, Taziki’s offered me a new position – now I take orders with customers and I chat with them.” – Dayanna, General Manager at Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
Stories like Dayanna’s are becoming the norm in our partnerships with employers in the restaurant sector and beyond. When employers invest in their employees, everyone benefits.
EnGen partners with employers in the restaurant sector and beyond to drive business outcomes. Learn how EnGen can work for your organization: https://getengen.com/demo