Today’s frontline restaurant employees’ attitudes towards work and training differ so much from past generations that trainers are having to rethink training strategies. “Employees today like to know why they’re being asked to do specific tasks. They want to be involved and knowledgeable about the company they work for,” says Claire Schooley, senior analyst, Forrester Research, Inc. Carol Daniel, senior vp, restaurant operations, Kimpton Restaurants & Hotels, agrees that employees want to be kept in the loop, so Kimpton staff attends quarterly and annual employee meetings where future goals for the company are discussed. James Dunne, president, VinoU and Service Dynamics, adds that, ”Employees today don’t follow blindly, they want to know what’s in it for them.” Most experts agree that training which includes both the hows and whys results not only in learning new skills but a feeling of being vested, which leads to increased staff retention. Today’s employees will stay with a company as long as they feel there is an opportunity to grow and contribute to its overall success, notes Susan Lumb, vp education and leadership, Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

James observes that one of the biggest traps trainers fall into is trying to be the “authority” and that today’s workers want to hear from someone who has been in the trenches and has done what they’re being asked to do, including co-workers. “We’ve tapped some gm’s and chefs throughout the company to teach about our company culture, including our hospitality standards,” adds Carol.

In terms of how employees learn, James advises using a variety of training methods, especially interactive ones, and breaking up segments to address reduced attention spans. Ruth’s Chris Steak House has found that a blend of video, personal coaching, and self-managed modules works well. “The self-managed training modules are particularly popular – we use a card system that allows employees to learn additional skills at their own pace,” says Susan. Once employees have studied a module, they ask to be paired with a coach and certified on the specific skill. “This type of learning is very appealing to today’s employees, who are extremely self-sufficient and like to be autonomous,” she explains. “And, it works for us, in that we have a lot of employees who are cross-trained in several areas, like server and bartender, and can fill in or move up as needed.” At Ruth’s Chris Steak House and many other companies, technology plays an increasing role in training, given that most employees grew up on computers and use technology in their private lives. “Plus, online courses support our culture of self-managed training and development,” says Susan.