Ten ways you can make your food and beverage business a great place to work

Have you ever noticed how great service in restaurants and cafes can make your day? It’s all thanks to the fantastic employees who enjoy their work. When bosses in food and beverage places make their workers excited about their jobs, it can lead to happier customers.

Why happy workers matter

Think of happy employees as the special ingredient that makes a food and beverage business successful. They work with a lot of energy and care, which makes customers love their meals and drinks even more. We’ve compiled a list of 10 ways to bring out the best in your employees. These recommendations are based on trends we’ve seen in the industry and the clients we support. While every business is different, these tips can help you bring out the best in your food and beverage company.

1. Create a positive work vibe
   When bosses make the workplace respectful, workers tend to feel happy. It's about being kind, listening to each other, and saying "Great job." These things help workers grow and feel proud of their work.
   
   
2. Explain what's expected
   When workers understand their jobs and what they're supposed to do, they can do even better. Setting clear goals and communicating them makes workers feel important and ready to give their best effort.
   
   
3. Always be teaching
   As bosses teach workers new things, it can show that they truly care. Giving lessons about how to serve customers well, knowing the menu, and doing the job with skill makes workers feel valued and ready for bigger challenges.
   
   
4. Balance work and fun
   When workers can do their jobs well and still have time for fun outside of work, they stay happy. Having time to relax and enjoy life helps them do an even better job.
   
   
5. Say "you're awesome"
   When bosses say things like "You're doing a great job" or give performance-based rewards such as money or gift cards, it can add to workers’ sense of pride and drive them to do even better. This boosts everyone's spirits and makes people feel good about their work.
   
   
6. Focus on teamwork and good times
   When team members work together and have fun, they can become like friends. Doing activities together and working as a team can make workers like their jobs even more.
   
   
7. Give workers a say
   If workers can make decisions and share their ideas, they feel like they're part of something important. This excites them and helps them come up with cool new ideas for the job.
   
   
8. Listen to what workers think
   Bosses should ask workers their thoughts about the job and how things can be improved. This shows that workers' opinions matter and helps make the job even better.
   
   
9. Keep workers healthy
   Bosses should make sure all workers, whether they work a lot or a little, get health benefits. This keeps workers happy, healthy, and ready to do amazing work.
   
   
10. Get help from those who know best
    Sometimes, the right idea is to seek out people who know a lot about these things to help. Professionals such as those who help with your health care plans can give ideas to make workers happy. They are likely a good place to start understanding macro trends in your workforce.

Food for thought

Food and beverage businesses are most successful when workers are joyful and excited about their jobs. When bosses create a fun work vibe, teach workers what to do, and say "Awesome job," everyone feels happy. We’ve only scratched the surface of how to make your workplace one people want to be a part of. To dive deeper into this topic, read our report on shifting workplace expectations and how you can begin to address them. 

If you’re unsure where to start working on using these ideas in your organization, Marsh McLennan Agency is here to help. With us, you get a one-stop shop for solutions that help keep your people happy. Reach out to one of our colleagues today to learn more.