1 DEVELOPING A GOOD F & B TEAM

Retention of staff is becoming a global issue in the industry, yet it is astonishing just how little effort companies put into ensuring that their teams are motivated and stimulated enough to want to stay.

According to experts, there is a global lack of cooks and service personnel entering the industry, and as more and more businesses start on a regular basis, this issue is getting worse. New openings run the risk of dedicating all their energy to the concept, the look, the menu, yet overlooking one important ingredient to ongoing success – the staff. Induction training and expansion plans are a key factor in keeping team engaged and incentivized.

To developing a good F & B Team following can be considered:

1. Induction

The first 3 weeks for a new team member’s employment is important when they are at their most vulnerable. An employee decides whether or not they enjoy this company at this point. They might not depart right away, but a good first impression counts for a lot.

No matter the size or nature of the business, it is imperative to create a structured induction plan for each employee that explains the organization's goals, how it operates, who the other team members are and what they do, the facilities available, and the equipment they will need to do their jobs. A clear probability of what is expected of them as well as what is intended to be delivered must also exist.

introducing a "Buddy system" in which each new hire is paired with an employee from their department or region who will guide and instruct them on what to do and where to go. Making a straightforward Induction sheet or booklet is also worthwhile. Among the crucial topics to discuss are:

2. Key Performance Indicators - KPI’s

These will and ought to vary depending on the position in the company. They often first appear in the job description and later in periodic reviews. KPIs are, to put it simply, the top 4-5 performance goals you have for this person/position.

Examples: Being able to lead their team, cultivating the quality of the food/service, create innovative and creative menus, manage the financial margins of food/ beverage.

By giving each person clear KPI’s, they can be evaluated on a steady basis and any advice or support required to help achieve these targets, can then be provided. By keeping a record of these KPI reviews with dates and times with of what was agreed along with a desired action date, the employee will know about care and have a desire to improve their skills.

3. Avoid repetition
Boredom is one of the most common reasons for seeking employment elsewhere. Doing a tedious and monotonous job that has no chance for one to develop and grow will soon wear thin with even the most loyal employee. Ensure that a team does not have to do the same tasks in the same location on the same shift all the time. Move them around into different areas of the restaurant/kitchen. Try to create a structured “Development plan” for each member of the team so you and they can track what they have learned and see how they have developed.

4. Praise and Recognition- Individual
Everyone wants to be seen and praised. A person needs to know that they are loved and appreciated most of the time and that their efforts have been acknowledged by making sure that they are publicly and privately commended when they perform admirably, excel in their role, or go above and beyond their typical call of duty. Appreciations can be done as depend on what they have done, but try to be consistent with the level of praise in regards to how far they have excelled.

I Making sure that the team receives constructive criticism is also crucial. Continuously praising one team member could lead to jealousy and resentment among the other team members.

5. Praise and Recognition – Team
Team recognition is enormously powerful and when done well has a huge influence on many people at the same time. Celebrate with a gesticulation of food or drink, such as buying everyone an ice cream for a great service on a really hot and challenging day.

6. Get to know the team
Every week, try to counsel one or two members of the team. Try to learn more about them and their interests outside of work rather than only discussing their jobs. Try to keep in mind the names of their kids, family, and pets, and learn more about their interests and hobbies. After the meeting make a note of these details (not during your meeting!) and keep the record on file to refer.

7. Birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions
It is great ideation to keep track of special day of teams lives it is extremely powerful to personally to know it and mention it to the them and the team if suitable. However, remembering everyone’s birthday apart from one person could have a negative effect on them, so do try to be consistent.

8. Social events
To create a good team spirit team events outside work are a great opportunity, whilst everyone gets to know each other better. Sociable events such as get-together, dinner, interactive fun games tend to work much better than the cinema.

9. Message-board
Display employee of the month, news, successes, and events only positive communications on work message-boards. Celebrate with positive terminology on all messages. Create competitions for instance. Dish of Month, best up-seller of the month to entice people to contribute to the success and innovation in the business.

10. Lead by example
Never expect any member of the team do anything that you would not do. Occasionally step up to the mark and show your team that you are not afraid to roll your sleeves up and do it yourself when needed. Every now and again is more than enough, the team still need a leader and one cannot lead them by “Being one of the boys.”

Create a fun and friendly environment, whilst ensuring everyone knows who is in charge.

2 ALLOCATION OF WORK, TASK ANALYSIS AND DUTY ROSTERS

2.1 Allocation of Work

1. Track all resources on one page

On a project management software, one can view a report of any specific resource. When we have a comprehensive overview of all resources, it can easily plan the project. It will be able to see the specific resource, its status, last login, count of assigned projects, milestones, overdue, and open tasks of that person. All this will help to view available or unavailable project resources, and build reports and can share it with your executives, clients, or stakeholders.

2. Enter resource leveling—and scheduling improvements

"Any type of schedule network analysis where resource limitations influence scheduling decisions."

Resource levelling makes resource allocation simple, preventing team members from grumbling about having too little or no work to perform. Resource levelling must be investigated by a project management team. Teams are now able to allocate work more transparently and balance the workload of resources thanks to cloud-based collaboration systems.

3. Keep accurate time logs

Many times, people forget to update their records when working on regular activities. As a result, keeping track of task-related time is difficult. However, using time tracking software makes the process quite simple; whenever someone begins working on a task, they only need to click the time to begin keeping track of the minutes they spend on it. This daily estimate of logged time can aid in more precise project planning for the future..

4. Adjust your team's workload

This is yet another crucial aspect of managing resources in a project. You must modify the workload of the team in situations where a task is running behind schedule in order to ensure that delivery is completed without delay. With Proof Hub, you can determine which team members' schedules are crowded with tasks and which schedules have more capacity by looking at the task list. After identifying all the hazards, reorder jobs to maintain workload balance and shine a light on crucial regions.

5. Estimate risks

The benefits of identifying potential risks in advance for a project are astounding. Even if the worst case scenario materialises, you will be able to provide outcomes on schedule because to it. The assignee can set the risk for a certain task as high if it is likely for that task to go over budget or experience any risks that could hamper the project's progress. This will assist in identifying the issue and recommending a solution. Keeping these significant jobs together can also help to prevent them from getting lost.

2.2 Task analysis

Task analysis examines how a task is carried out and includes a thorough description of both manual and mental activities, task and element durations, task frequency, task allocation, task complexity, environmental factors, required clothing and equipment, and any other particular elements involved in or necessary for one or more people to carry out a given task.

Origins of task analysis

Since the Industrial Revolution, when employers started paying attention to breaking down work into the specific activities necessary, task analysis has been researched. Frederick Winslow Taylor, the author of The Principles of Scientific Management, which was initially published in 1911, was one of the very first true pioneers of task analysis. Taylor used critical thinking in the workplace by looking for the most effective approach to complete tasks and/or duties and rewarded employees who came up with solutions that made achieving that goal easier.

The results of a task analysis can subsequently be used to make a variety of decisions, including those about automation, automation, tool or equipment design, automation, recruitment, and training. Task analysis and user analysis are related, despite being separate.

Task analysis may be of manual tasks, such as bricklaying, and be analyzed as time and motion studies using concepts from organisation. Cognitive task analysis is applied to current work environments such as managerial control where little physical work occurs, but the tasks are more related to decision making, situation assessment, and response planning and execution.

Task analysis is also used in teaching. It is a model that is applied to classroom tasks to discover which program components are well matched to the abilities of students with learning disabilities and which task amendment might be necessary. It identifies the tasks a person still struggles with and the information processing requirements of easy or challenging tasks. A complex behavioural sequence is broken down into phases in behaviour modification.

The results of task analysis are often represented in task models, which clearly indicate the relations among the various tasks, An example notation used to specify task models is Concur Task Trees, which is also supported by tools that are freely available.

Objectives / purpose of task analysis:

· What are goals; what employees are trying to achieve

· How a workplace's physical environment affects employees

· What employees actually do to achieve those goals

· What experiences (personal, social, and cultural) employees bring to the tasks

· How employee’s previous knowledge and experience influence:

How employees think about their work
The workflow they follow to perform their tasks

Types of Task Analysis

There are several types of task analysis but among the most common techniques used are:

1. Hierarchical Task Analysis is focused on decomposing a high-level task subtasks.

2. Cognitive Task Analysis is focused on understanding tasks that require decision-making, problem-solving, memory, attention and judgement.

2.3 Duty Roaster

How employers affect employees A work schedule is a list of the actual tasks that must be completed by an employee during a specific shift and the allotted amount of time for each activity.

The following documents are included in the work schedule:

1. Job title of the worker

2. the operational region

3. The deadline by which the employee must complete the assigned assignment.

4. It's time to finish up and tidy up the equipment.

5. Meal times, breaks, and other special jobs

A physical environment

A work schedule should be expressed in clear, uncomplicated terms. When workers arrive for work, the schedules should be given to them. Well-planned duty rosters are crucial to ensuring employee happiness.

Every department in the hotel has a duty roaster or work shift schedule that displays the normal workload for staff members working in that specific division. The hours that employees work may differ from hotel to hotel and change depending on the occupancy and busiest days. Additionally, the duty roaster makes sure that the workforce has enough time to plan their work week or month ahead.

Generally hotels plan their work shifts for various departments as 5 sections:
1) Morning : 7am to 3pm
2) Evening : 3pm to 11pm
3) Night : 11pm to 7am
4) General : 9am to 6pm
5) Break Shift : 7am to 12pm and 6pm to 11pm

Supervisors typically create the duty rosters for departments, which are then approved by the managers or heads of departments. Duty rosters are posted on the departmental notice boards once they have been authorised. To keep the HR department informed of the continuing staff schedule of the departments, individual departments also send a copy of the duty roaster. Employees are not permitted to alter the duty rosters; if this is necessary, the HOD or Manager must once again approve the adjustments. The duty roaster can be updated on a weekly or monthly basis, noting the employees' vacation days.

3 PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

A performance measure is a numeric description of an agency's work and the results of that work. Performance measures are based on data, and tell a story about whether an agency or activity is achieving its objectives and if progress is being made toward attaining policy or organizational goals.

Aims of Performance measures

A performance metric is a numerical description of the efforts and outcomes of an agency. Performance measures are based on statistics and provide information about whether an agency or activity is accomplishing its goals and moving closer to achieving organisational or policy objectives.

Performance measurements' objectives

A common phrase used to describe the routine measurement of inputs, activities, outputs, results, and/or consequences of an intervention is performance measurement (a project, program, collection of activities or a policy). The focus is on routinely gathering a small amount of data to identify areas where improvements might be made.

There are a range of other purposes performance measurement can serve, such as:

· Value for money– is the organisation achieving results in the most cost-effective manner?.

· Transparency about results – is the organisation achieving what it should be achieved, to what extent, for whom?

· Accountability– is the organisation doing what it should be doing, at the levels it should, with the quality it should, and, at the cost levels it should?

What are the characteristics of good performance measures?

Good performance measures are:
• Understandable
• Reliable
• Relevant
• Timely
• Cost effective
• Comparable

Performance indicators

When operating consistently in the restaurant industry means maintaining an average or better than average profit margin year after year, employerand managers are facing increased pressure to control costs and improve operational efficiency.

Ø Key performance indicators (KPIs), it presents the data in a way that offers decision makers the serious business perceptions they need to overcome challenges and drive their restaurant forward.

Basket Items

Ø food cost

Ø Kitchen Labor

Ø Seating

Basket Items:

Examine drill down data to see what morning coffee drinkers order. How many items are evening diners ordering before dinner and after dinner? Is there room for upgrading in upselling? Become aware of patterns, capitalize on the profitable ones and curtail those that are harmful to your profit margin.

Food Costs:

Food purchases can be calculated against food sales. A food cost per head can be determined to establish the profit margin per customer. A taget can be set to highlight in red if the % goes above a certain amount. The ability to minimise to exact food elements, such as cheeses or sauces can be useful to determine if there is excess usage on particular menu items.

Kitchen Labor:

Kitchen labor can be calculated against food sales. Minimizing hours per section is a great way to report on productivity. Manager may find it can scale back on labor during certain days of the week or shifts.

Seating:

How often tables being turned over? Is high-turnover affecting the customer service? These numbers are great to evaluate all areas of turnover time. Minimize table clearing time and cooking time. Perhaps more staff is required to improve the cleanup time.

These are just a few of the techniques KPIs that can help you boost profits. Customized reports, scorecards and alerts can also go a long way toward helping you gain better insights into the restaurant, cut costs and improve sales.

4 CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Customer relations is the process your company uses to communicate with customers in order to enhance their experience with the brand. The aim of customer relations is to get customers to engage with what your brand has to offer.

There is no doubting the significance of customer service to a small or mid-sized company. Customer loyalty to your brand and company will either increase or decrease depending on the quality of that service. Customers anticipate quality when they make product purchases; otherwise, your company's reputation will suffer.

There are several obstacles to overcome in order to operate a successful business, including managing inventories, meeting consumer expectations, adhering to rules, and maintaining safety. These issues within the food and beverage sector call for more consideration and focus while maintaining the desired level of product quality and flavour.

Process to provide excellent customer service in a F & B Service department:

· First impression is constant impression, do good attainment of guest

· Greet your guest the minute they walk in the door.

· Use respectful titles – sir, ma'am and miss whichever is most suitable

· Don't interrupt.

· Listen intently and pay attention to what guest want.

· Know every item on your menu by heart. To make sure you follow their instructions, ask them questions and repeat them.

· Ensure rechecking with guest

· Take feedback

5 STAFF ORGANISATIONS AND TRAINING

The secret to any sanitation program's effectiveness is employee education and training. Ineffective cleaning techniques can actually spread filth and bacteria rather than remove them, and improper use of cleaning agents can weaken or eliminate their effectiveness, endangering both visitors and workers. Each new hire should receive continuing training, as should every time a piece of equipment or cleaning supplies is introduced.

Properly training employees, at every level, can help eliminate these risks and give employees a clear understanding of why thorough cleaning is vital, and how to make sure their efforts meet the most rigorous of cleanliness standards. Proper training can also increase employee safety by ensuring that products are being used correctly and reducing rewash (exposure to chemicals) and miscalculation with mixing.

To achieve the highest levels of content retention, training programs should be developed with content that is highly visual, auditory and tactile like videos that show and tell employees how to complete a task, including the opportunity to learn by doing. P&G Professional and Clemson University recently completed a study to determine the effect of a multi-phase, motivation-based educational intervention to improve the cleanliness of surfaces in a commercial kitchen. Validating that the trainees understood the content during the initial training sessions was one of the most important outcomes of the study, and this goal was achieved through use of multiple choice questions that were graded and documented in real time. Knowing they will be graded, trainees pay more attention to the content.

There are a variety of training tools that can be successful in reaching food service employees, including using active managerial controls to help improve managers’ ability to train and sustain a cleaning program and individual training for food safety/compliant cleaning. On-demand tools that offer written procedures or training videos are also ideal. For example, P&G Professional’s online university site regularly monitors and records knowledge intake.

Objectives of Training Staff

· Minimize legal accountability in the case of a foodborne illness

· Drastically reduce the risk of food poisoning for your customers

· Protect the business’s reputation

Self-Monitoring and Feedback

Implementing regular, documented inspections will help ensure information retention and can be utilised for retraining, which is also a crucial step in improving overall cleanliness. The checks system should not be overwhelming to implement and should take no longer than 10 minutes of a manager’s time. Measures can primarily be sensory (visual, touch, and smell) with established check points such as tables and chairs (not sticky and visually clean).

Additionally, when issues are noted, the manger should retrain employees on proper procedures using demonstrations, as well as visual and auditory training materials and techniques. The manager should also retrain staff members on right practices when problems are discovered utilizing demonstrations, as well as visual and aural training tools and methods. Your cleaning supplier can help develop a self-monitoring program that makes sense for your business.

An End-to-End Approach

Food safety requires an end-to-end cleaning and sanitation regimen that is continually monitored, and where constant feedback is provided to achieve the overall goals of the program. By evaluating your facility and equipment needs, with an eye toward safety and ease of cleaning, and selecting the most effective sanitizing and disinfecting products, you can have a dramatic impact on food safety, as well as productivity.

Training for restaurant servers is crucial since it helps the staff provide exceptional customer service. Additionally, it inspires them and instils best practices across the workforce.

Steps: Training Food & Beverage Handling staff.

1. Start with orientation

2. Create and upgrade your training plan

3. Guidance and observation

4. Implement upskilling

5. External training

6. Train the staff to use the latest technology.

7. Honor your best workers

8. Conduct employee reviews

9. Keep employee records Implement team building exercises

Make a chart

The 4 C’s: Front and Back of House Focal Points for Best Food Safety Practices

Front and Back-of-House staff have the same responsibilities to maintain high standards of food safety. Though they serve different roles from organization to organization, food safety practices are standard regardless of operation.

You and your staff can manage your food handling practices by breaking them down into these four basic categories:

1. Cross-Contamination

2. Cleaning

3. Chilling

4. Cooking

Training Methodology

Here are a few particular methods you may use in your kitchen to properly conduct food safety training.

· Use an online health and food safety-training program (such as ServSafe) and ensure every staff member takes the time to complete and sign off on it. Make sure you have a current food handling certificate, as well as your management.

· Create a health topic calendar to deliver one health and safety issue per week at a staff huddle: ice & ice machines, proper serving temperatures, etc.). Keep the sessions short, implement the strategy, and set the expectations for the coming week.

· By law, visual cues and signs are required to be posted at crucial areas of the restaurant (such as hand-washing signs near sinks and in restrooms). Go above and beyond and post reminders and check lists at stations throughout the restaurant. It helps to create accountability for all.

6 SALES PROMOTION

A sales promotion is a form of marketing plan that uses various incentives or prizes to persuade clients to make a purchase during a predetermined window of time. A sales promotion strategy frequently includes a product discount, but it can also use techniques like bundling, extra services, or gifts to draw people.

Sales promotion activities are a terrific approach to draw in new clients and keep your current ones interested in your products or services, regardless of the justifications you give them for making a purchase.

Sales promotion, this can be described as a stimulation sale can achieve through contest, special offers, discounting and trade shows. Before a restaurant could do sales promotion, there are number of things to be put into consideration.

Some of it is the target group, aims and objectives of the sales promotion.

1. Level up customer service
2. Add healthier options to your menu
3. Get into branding and social media
4. Provide special offers to entice customers into coming back for more
5. Use science with menu design and psychology
6. Make waiting time less painful
7. Use Data to Improve Management and Save Time

For more Hospitality academic notes please visit

www.ehospitalitystudies.com

Specialised F & B Service Management

Beverages Service
Paperback
January 2020 Edition
Author:
Dr. Deepa Prasad Venkatraman
Ulhas Chaudhari

Food & Beverage Services Practical & Techniques
Paperback
January 2020 Edition
Author:
Dr. Deepa Prasad Venkatraman
Ulhas Chaudhari

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT IN FOOD & BEVERAGE SERVICE

1 Developing a good F & B Team
2 Allocation of Work, Task Analysis & Duty Rosters
3 Performance Measurement
4 Customer Relations
5 Staff organisations and Training
6 Sales Promotion