Out of the Weeds: Cross-training as a Strategy to Reduce Restaurant Labor Pains

Every restaurant shift is like a stage performance that relies on each staff member to show up and play their part. Every operator has experienced unexpected turnover and finding out that a scheduled employee has not arrived on time – or not at all – but “the show must go on.”

Cross-training restaurant employees is one way to ensure that all critical roles are adequately covered. Cross-training can also help make working at your restaurant more interesting by offering your staff new experiences and skills. That said, it needs to be managed properly to avoid creating a whole new set of problems. Here we highlight several upsides and caveats of cross training your restaurant crew.

Cross-training not only ensures guests will receive consistent service regardless of staffing, but it also benefits restaurant employees, too. When employees are trained in other roles, team cohesion builds naturally. Rather than gripe about a shortage of silverware if the dish machine is backed up, a food runner might jump in to assist the dishwasher. A new table is set promptly, waiting customers are shown to a table and order quickly, they have a great meal and decide to return - and the benefits trickle down. When you can schedule someone in different roles, they may pick up more hours. A guest is likely to stop the first person they see when they have a question.

Cross-training is a win–win–win situation. Trained employees win because they feel valued, the trainers win because they have had an opportunity to share their expertise, and the organization wins because employee satisfaction has increased and continuity of service has been enhanced.
– Leslie Gordan

If a customer asks a hostess about a drink, and they can answer the question for the customer, it leads to a better guest experience. And satisfied guests return to your restaurant.

Consider which roles are a good fit for cross-training before you implement a program in your restaurant. For example, servers take on running duties, bartenders take tables, servers train on the bar, and hosts and runners cross-train. There may be management tasks that front-of-house staff can do during their downtime. Line cooks can learn new stations and dishwashers and prep cooks can fill-in for one another. Service staff can move to the kitchen and vice versa, though it is usually not practical to assign an employee to cross-department roles (like hosting and washing dishes) on a single shift. Runners and bar backs with suitable dispositions can move into the back of the house, taking on expo shifts. Prep cooks might try bar back or food runner shifts.

In the rush to train workers on additional stations, never overlook safety -- both food safety basics and personal safety. Front-of-house staff stepping into food handling positions could hurt themselves if they do not learn basic knife skills. Pushing someone to learn and apply new skills backfires if they don’t have adequate familiarity with the duties. They might be pressured to agree to the role before they feel ready. Follow best practices in restaurant operations by adequately training staff before handing them new responsibilities.

While some cooks might want to try front-of-house roles and vice versa, keep staff cross-training within the same department to start since it simplifies record-keeping. If a cook takes a couple of tables, there are labor issues to consider that stem from tipped versus hourly wages. You will want to make sure that good intentions do not create issues for your employees or your business taxes.

While cross-training is highly beneficial, too much of a good thing can backfire. As with all things, finding balance and understanding what works for your concept are key. Be wary of how cross-training might hurt staff morale. When operators indulge in scarcity or fear-based thinking, people become protective of their knowledge. Sometimes there is a fear among management that staff will gain valuable skills then take this new knowledge elsewhere. If workers are taking on added responsibility in new roles, consider giving them incremental raises as they train.

Interested in starting a cross-training program in your restaurant but don’t know where to start? Read Could Cross-Training Be Your Secret Weapon Against Labor Shortages and watch our webinar How to Create World Class Employee Training Programs for Your Restaurant to learn more about cross-training benefits, tips, and strategies.

Have a profitable week!

The RestaurantOwner.com Team