Ask Dave
March, 2000 

Where you get a real answer, not the watered-down corporate response. 

A regular feature of Dinersoft.com

Please send your questions to dave@dinersoft.com

Q. "Dave, I am a single-unit GM, working for a large chain.  Every year, the labor crunch gets worse.  It is harder to find good people and we are making the people we have do more and work harder--making it harder to find good people!  What can I do?"

A. There are many ways to find and keep good people. First and foremost is to be a manager that people enjoy working for.  Treat people with respect.  Word of mouth spreads that people enjoy working for you.  By this I mean create a work environment that allows people to feel good about themselves, make money and have fun.   Ask yourself if you would enjoy working for yourself. Remember you don't have to be everybody's best friend to be a good manager. In fact if you are everybody's best friend chances are you aren't the best manager.

Be creative with incentives. Offer a $50 or $100 reward to your employees for referring someone that works for a minimum of 3 months. Call other restaurants to see if you can share workers, you may have someone on your staff that fits their needs also.

Also, offer benefits that maybe others in your industry can't offer. I had a trade out with a local fitness club that allowed our employees to workout for the cost of eight dinner gift certificates a month. Try being more flexible with your schedules than other restaurants. Don't be afraid to hire someone who wants to work just 3 set days if you feel they are worth it. 

Q. "Dave, I just met the woman of my dreams.  The trouble is, she works for me!  I am a district manager in a multi-unit chain, and the policy is clear: No Fraternization!  What are my options and which one should I take?"  

A.  I would need to know a little more about your situation before I can offer advice you can take action on, but here are two scenarios that are possible:  

If she feels the same way, you can proceed with a plan together.  In this case one of you should request a transfer to an area where there would not be a conflict. If you were to both go to your supervisor together and ask for a transfer that gives the company an option. Hopefully your company knows that with as many hours that are required in this industry it makes it tough to meet people outside it and they will respect you for coming to them. If they don’t, do you really want to work for that company anyway? 

If you haven’t yet told her how you feel yet that makes it pretty cut & dry. Because you are her supervisor you have leverage over her and making advances could be considered harassment even if  it is just a simple “Can we go out sometime?”  In this case if you really feel this way about her you must quit, get transferred or wait until she does.  Sometimes life isn’t fair!!!!