Maximizing Shift Efficiency for a Quality Operation

1. Managing Shifts to Ensure a Quality Operation • Human Resources Management and Supervision 9 OH 9-1

2. Standard Operating Procedures and Standards • Standard operating procedures define what steps people should take to do something. • Standards indicate levels of quality, speed, food safety, or hospitality that employees must demonstrate while doing their work. • Standard operating procedures and standards are needed to establish a foundation of “how things are done.” • Tools can be developed to ensure these procedures are completed and standards are met.

3. Checklists and Communication Logs • Checklists • Help staff to remember and complete all tasks necessary for a successful operation • Communication logs • Record information about what happens on a shift • Allow managers to share information with managers on future shifts • Please turn to page 206 in text, for examples

4. Standards of Service and Quality • Operating standards identify correct ways of doing things. • Managers communicate standards when they provide employees with information about what to do and how to do it. • Let’s look at the Service Standards in your text on pages 208-214 OH 9-5

5. Standards of Service and Quality continued Hopefully, there is only one way to properly set this table in this dining room. The proper way is defined in standards, and staff are trained to use these standards every time every table is made ready.

6. Setting Shift Goals Examples of goals, which allow supervisors and managers to be prepared and pro-active to business needs and requirements • To ensure quality service • To reduce breakage • To increase sales • To decrease customer complaints • To reduce food cost

7. Planning for a Shift Address the following questions. • Is there anything new or different? • Are there any special meals? • Was the room booked correctly? • When do we expect the highest demand? • Will reservations impact work flow? Distributes work according to volume of business

8. Principles for Scheduling Staff Consider the following information. • Forecasted covers • Actual reservations • Historical customer patterns • Other unusual situations Planning for shifts and scheduling staff, staggered schedules might be a solution. What is “staggered schedules”, as described in the text?

9. Labor Charts Help with Scheduling • Help calculate the number of hours for which employees are scheduled. • Help assure that the correct number of hours are available to match estimated business volumes. • Schedules are the placing of employees to fill the position requirements

10. Checklists • Restaurant managers are busy, and the use of checklists can help them to remember what and when tasks must be done. • At your place of employment – are there any checklists? • Who developed them?

11. Checklists Help to Ensure Quality • Checklists can be designed for • Specific times (example: before the lunch shift opens) • Specific areas (example: dining room) • Specific roles (example: dining room manager)

12. Opening and Preshift Checklists • These help to ensure that everything is ready before a shift begins. • Managers should conduct a walk-through of assigned areas to ensure that all items on the applicable checklist are completed.

13. Opening and Preshift Checks for the Facility • The interior and exterior of the operation must be clean, safe, and presentable. • Safety hazards must be identified. • The restaurant’s exterior including entrance must be clean and attractive. • The restaurant’s interior including restrooms must be clean and ready. • Examples on page 221 – 223

14. Opening and Preshift Checks for Front of the House • Tables are ready. • Menus are clean and presentable. • Music is on and lighting is adjusted. • Side stations and self-serve stations are stocked, cleaned, and ready. • What other things might be included in this checklist?

15. Opening and Preshift Checks for Back of the House • Equipment is clean, sanitized, and ready to use. • Appropriate ingredients are in workstation areas. • Menu specials are entered into the computer system. • Items are prepared according to production sheets. • What other items might be included?

16. Opening and Preshift Checks for Income (Cash) – Fiduciary Tasks Examples • Counting cash on hand • Double-checking change in cash drawers • Reviewing the point-of-sale (POS) system • Issuing serial-numbered guest checks and recording this information (if handwritten checks are used)

17. Preshift Meeting These employees are participating in a preshift meeting so they will be ready to serve the customers when the operation opens.

18. Midshift Checklist • Assures that all staff are working effectively and efficiently, and that the facility remains in good order • Done by the dining room manager (front-of-the-house) and by the chef (back-of-the-house) • Managers must monitor the handling of money during the shift. • Other suggestions/checks?

19. Shift-End and Closing Checklists • For front of the house • For back of the house • For money handling tasks • For the facility • Examples pages 229-230

20. Evaluating Shift Performance • Near the end of each shift as it slows down • Make notes about what happened. • Review security system camera information (if applicable). • What else could be documented regarding shift performance?

21. Communication Logs Benefits • Help people communicate across shifts • Capture information that can identify patterns • Capture information to help protect the operation from liabilities Communication logs may be maintained • By the chef • By the dining room manager • By the banquet and catering manager • By the manager

22. Information for Communication Logs • Operational information • How events have affected or will affect daily operations • Critical incidents—events that should be recorded in case of a potential claim or lawsuit • Accidents • Incidents • Emergencies • Food problem reports • Forms should be developed to assure you document information. What should be included?

23. Managing During Shift Changes • Managers from the ending and next shifts should meet to discuss anything that affects the operation. • If possible, the incoming manager should read the log completed by the previous manager. • After-shift meetings can be conducted to discuss events and to provide feedback to staff. OH 9-25

24. Key Term Review • Banquet and catering log—communication log kept by banquet or catering staff when the operation provides such services • Bleeding the register—same as cash drop • Cash drop—counting all the cash periodically during the shift, and depositing some of it in the safe • Chef’s communication log—place for the chef to record information about number of covers, recipe ideas, customers’ reactions to specials, allergic reactions, unusual equipment performance, and reminders for the next shift

25. Key Term Review • Communication log—document in which managers record information about what happened on a particular shift for the purpose of sharing information with managers of the next and future shifts • Covers—number of people fed during a meal period • Critical incident—event that needs to be recorded for historical purposes in case of a potential claim or lawsuit • Day part—same as service period

26. Key Term Review continued • Dining room log—same as dining room manager’s communication log • Dining room manager’s communication log—place to record information about anything that affected dining room service during a specific work shift • Fiduciary—term relating to activities dealing with managing income (money) • Labor chart—used by managers to calculate the number of hours needed for positions and/or individual employees

27. Key Term Review continued • Manager’s communication log—record of general information that affects the operation, including some information recorded in other types of logs • Manager’s report—detailed report of all financial transactions for the day • Operating standards—ways of doing things in the manner that managers want them done • Point-of-sale (POS) system—computer-based system for recording orders, sending them to the kitchen, printing bills, and recording information for management reports

28. Key Term Review continued • Postshift meeting—gathering of shift personnel to discuss what happened during the shift • Postshift review—feedback about accomplishments, failures, and behaviors provided by managers at the end of the shift or on the day after the shift • Preshift meeting—gathering of the shift's crew to verify readiness and communicate important information • Production sheet—document explaining what food will be prepared for a specific shift

29. Key Term Review continued • Reservation log—same as dining room manager’s communication log • Service period—breakfast, lunch, or dinner or other shift • Side work—work in addition to the main job of serving customers • Skimming—theft of small amounts of money by an employee from a cash register. Note: the text definition (page 229) is incorrect.

30. Key Term Review continued • Staffing chart—same as labor chart • Staggered schedule—employee schedule in which staff members start and stop at varying, overlapping times • Standard operating procedures (SOP’s)—statements about the steps that people should take in certain circumstances

31. Key Term Review continued • Standards—statements that indicate the level of quality, speed, food safety, or hospitality that employees are expected to demonstrate while completing their work • Subpoenaed—legal requirement to do something when mandated by a court of law • Work schedule—listing of who reports for what shift on what days for what duty • Z report—report generated after zeroing out a register or cash draw