Spirit Award winners share best practices in human resources

CHICAGO —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“They’re our asset,” said Arie Ball, vice president of sourcing and talent acquisition for contract operator Sodexo, which employs 120,000 people across 6,000 facilities. “They are critical to our success.” —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Ball was among the representatives of the latest class of Spirit Award winners, who spoke on a panel about best practices in human resources during the National Restaurant Association’s annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. The panel was moderated by Dina Berta, the human resources editor at Nation’s Restaurant News. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

The Spirit Awards, presented by NRN and the NRA Educational Foundation and sponsored by the Coca-Cola Co., honor excellence in employee recruitment and retention programs in the foodservice industry. The winners, selected last fall, include Sodexo in the on-site category, Morton’s The Steakhouse in fine dining, Carino’s Italian Grill in full service and Qdoba Mexican Grill in quick service. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

The panelists discussed their various strategies in recruitment and retention, as well as how social media and a new generation of workers have impacted their jobs. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Kate Shehan, vice president of human resources for 80-unit Morton’s, said the company’s goal of providing genuine, not forced, hospitality is dependent on its 5,000 employees. The company uses a variety of tools to train workers, but encourages employees “to promote themselves” and offers clear career paths for all aspects of the restaurant. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

For example, an employee who begins as a line cook can follow the path toward becoming a sous chef and ultimately a chef. Similarly, a server knows what it takes to be promoted to captain and then to assistant manager, she said. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Mike Speck, vice president of human resources and training for Qdoba, said the 484-unit chain also urges employees “to drive their own careers.” He said the company makes a point of telling employees that all the senior managers in the restaurants began as hourly workers. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“The restaurant business is a career choice,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle choice.” —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

The 160-unit Carino’s Italian chain works to create a sense of family among its employees, said Vici Wilkerson, human resources director. If workers feel like they are part of a family, they’re more likely to take ownership of the brand, she said. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

She said the company has a “hire to retire” mentality, which includes developing workers both inside and outside the restaurants, with such activities as community service. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“They are still representing our company regardless of what they do [outside of work],” she said. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Carino’s also works to stay competitive as an employer by regularly benchmarking its compensation and benefits, Wilkerson said. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Social media outlets have emerged as powerful new tools for recruiting employees, and Sodexo is leveraging online networks in multiple ways, Ball said. The company began using social media two years ago, hosting online job fairs on SecondLife.com . The company now reaches out to past, present and future employees on a variety of networks, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“We used to use [social media] to be connected with Gen Y,” Ball said. “Now it’s changing. It’s moved to the mainstream, and it’s multigenerational.” —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Sodexo is deliberate in its use of social media, training recruiters to use the various tools. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

With Twitter, recruiters learn how to do “value-added tweets” that drive traffic to recruitment sites. In addition, Sodexo’s recruiters on Twitter have targeted followers–one focuses on the military and another on those in the culinary field, for example. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Social media are helpful in recruiting workers, but the panelists said that when it comes to training, personal, face-to-face interaction is essential. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“These kids get technology, but what really thrills them is when a manager sits down and talks to them,” said Speck of Qdoba. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Ball agreed, and she noted a generational shift in how employees like to hear positive feedback. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“Gen X loves to hear from their boss,” she said. “Gen Y wants to hear from their boss that ‘everyone says…’ —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“They work in groups,” she continued. “They love to hear that there’s a buzz about them.” —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

Shehan noted that new technology will help with some aspects of training, such as compliance training and certification, but it can’t replace traditional teaching methods. —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.

“We’re in the people business,” she said. “I can’t imagine training hospitality online.” — [email protected] —As restaurants face the most challenging operating environment in years, recruiting, training and developing a strong team of employees has never been more important, according to a group of award-winning human resources executives.