Building the Team - Staffing 101

You're getting ready to open in a few months. (Or you're ready to bring in some new help to your existing business.) How do you find the right managers, bartenders, servers, kitchen staff, and other necessary staff? While it might seem like an easy task to just post job listings and hire the most qualified candidates, you're going to want to follow some of my key guidelines. I've been interviewing and building teams for 25 years, and there are a few do's and don'ts to the process.

Be Specific - When you're posting job listings, don't cast a wide net to "see who really wants to work." Detail the location, concept, job description, hours, pay, and potential tip earnings range. Explain how the interview process will go and what your hiring timeline looks like. Millennials and Gen Z don't waste their time with "local bar seeking bartenders, send your resume with a head shot" kinda posts. Secret tip, corporate restaurant chains and hotels have exemplary job listings. You don't have to copy all the corporate policy jargon, but focus on the descriptions, requisites, and expectations.

Mind the Team - You can go out and hire all the best applicants with the most experience, but that doesn't make the most cohesive team. Think about any team sport. You have stars, role players, rookies, coaches, as well as administrative personnel. Putting together a bunch of stars usually ends poorly (Sorry, LA Clippers fans.) Every successful team needs players who have complementary strengths. Naturally, sometimes you just need bodies to keep the business going, but always be on the lookout for strong candidates even if you're "fully staffed." Just because the schedule is handled doesn't mean your job as hiring admin is finished.

Yes, You Need to Check References - Don't get burned. Everyone lies on their resumes. They exaggerate the timeline of work, the level of responsibilities, and even about the conditions surrounding their departure from previous companies. Keep these things in mind when reviewing applicants, and take notes for the interview process, so you can snuff out the BS and get to the core of the worker's experience. That said, request references and follow through. I know it's a pain in the ass when you're dealing with contractors, suppliers, day-to-day operations, and all the other responsibilities that attack you all at once in the opening/operating process. Networking is one of the key aspects of your job as an owner/operator, so learn how to reach out and develop the skills in talking about potential candidates. Those operators and managers are likely going to be reaching out to you in the near future too!

Pay that Man His Money - Offer Competitive Compensation - I know I don't really have to list this one, but if you want to best team in your market, it's gonna cost you. Simply build it into your pricing structure. A few percentage points on labor might seem heavy early on, but it'll pay for itself in droves very quickly. Workers in the industry talk, and if you become the "cheap owner," it'll take a while to rebuild your reputation. Be aware of the wage laws in your area, and do your research on what similar businesses are offering.

Train Hard - Trial by fire, shadow shifts, and other lazy training techniques will bite you. I recently had a project where no one on staff knew the standard pour for the company! You can imagine what their liquor costs looked like. Develop a training system that you can rely on. Have a grasp on what your customers will experience from the moment they call to make a reservation until they see the payment on their bank statement. The next generation of workers LOVE structure and organization. They rely on habits and clearly defined expectations. (Remember when you posted the job listing with all those details?) Structure, accountability, and hierarchy make for a well-run business in any industry. Ours is no different.

Say Thank You - This is my own personal management philosophy. These are the men and women who are helping you execute your vision. We all have a lot of different motivations for starting a business, but without expressing the proper gratitude where it's deserved, you're going to miss out on a big part of the fulfillment of running your company. Even if they're just doing their jobs, make sure to say 'thank you' to your staff for their work. There are few things as valuable as expressed appreciation.

Finding and hiring the right team is crucial and requires more than just posting job listings and hiring the most qualified candidates. Be specific in your job postings and set clear expectations. Building a cohesive team involves hiring individuals whose strengths complement each other. Diligently checking references ensures you bring in honest and capable staff, while offering competitive compensation keeps your team motivated and loyal. Proper training is essential for maintaining high standards and efficiency, and expressing gratitude fosters a positive and committed work environment. By following these guidelines, you set the stage for a well-operated establishment that exceeds customer expectations, ensuring the long-term success of your business.

-Arthur (IG: @arthurthebardad)