According to the Industry of Choice Report, employees consider that feeling like they do their jobs well is such an important issue that they would quit over it. “Feeling like everybody does their part,” “Feeling like the company is well managed,” and “Feeling like I do my job well” are also among the top issues that drive employee satisfaction and are directly influenced by training. Some thoughts:

* Training employees typically falls to managers. The Industry of Choice Report shows that there are often gaps in managers’ own education. Make sure that they have the skills they need to be successful, especially in areas of suggestive selling, marketing, and basic computer and language skills, which the report found to be lacking.

* Employee training begins the first day on the job and is often the most important of all. Along with training specific skills, orientation is also a chance to familiarize new hires with the history, values, and culture of your company.

* It is important to offer cross-training opportunities. This not only keeps the job interesting and increases productivity, but learning new skills gives employees confidence to take on added responsibilities. Recognition that employees have attained higher skills and competencies-with increased wages or bonuses or with titles-is key.

* Encouraging employees’ professional development is also a powerful tool for motivation, productivity, and retention. Provide opportunities for employee education through work exchanges, trade shows, off-site seminars, and college-level courses (management, culinary). Consider tuition reimbursement, scholarships, and other ways to be supportive of employees, including students and those getting their GEDs.

* Language is a critical issue to the restaurant industry. According to the Industry of Choice Report one out of every six foodservice workers speaks a language at home other than English. Of these, one in three has poor or nonexistent English skills. Restaurants that offer some degree of a bilingual environment are more attractive to many employees and are better able to train and promote those workers. Fostering better understanding-through verbal and written communications in languages other than English, encouraging managers to learn a second language, and/or making English as a Second Language classes available-helps employees work better with each other and with customers.

Graduation Present – Golden Corral, Charlestown, WV

Whenever employees pass their high school equivalency test (GED), Golden Corral GM John Hendricks congratulates them with $50 in cash. For college graduation they receive $100. “When I came to this location, I discovered some crew members couldn’t read or write and that most had not graduated from high school,” says John. He found out where GED classes and tests were held and encouraged employees to attend. Many employees have passed their GEDs and received diplomas.

Impact: John says getting their GED has given those employees (all of whom are still with him) added confidence at work and in all aspects of their lives. “Most importantly, they realize they have opportunities and choices and that they are a lot smarter than they thought they were,” says John.

Advanced Degrees – Mitchelli Family Restaurants, Seattle, WA

Employees (full- and part-time) who have been with Mitchelli’s for two years may apply for a tuition grant to attend a two-year college program specializing in culinary arts and hospitality management. If employees maintain a specific grade point average and take a certain number of credits each year, Mitchelli’s pays half of the tuition. If employees continue to work at the restaurant for a year after graduation, they are reimbursed for the second half. “Our hope is that these employees will stay on and continue to grow with us,” says Daniel J. Mitchell III, owner. “I believe we have a responsibility to educate people and elevate them within our industry.”

Impact: “Offering tuition reimbursement has helped stabilize turnover and create a higher level of commitment among our staff,” says Daniel.

Language Skills – Cancun Taqueria, Berkeley, CA

Every employee at Cancun Taqueria is eligible to take free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes that are taught year-round on premise. Because classes are held at the restaurant-three times a week in the afternoons-almost all employees take part at one time or another. Teachers are hired from the nearby University of California for $10 to $12 per hour. “The purpose is to help employees improve their language skills, which ultimately helps them in their daily lives beyond work,” says Jorge Saldana, president.

Impact: Not only does learning English help employees communicate better with customers, but Jorge says it makes them more confident in everything they do. They see the classes as a real benefit to working at the restaurant and many have been with him since he opened nine years ago.

Work Exchanges – The Settlers Inn, Hawley, PA

The Settlers Inn encourages employees to continue their professional education by sending them to cooking and wine classes, organizing work exchanges with other inns (employees travel to another inn and work for a week) or inviting chefs to come to The Settlers Inn to work for a couple of days. Work exchanges are arranged through a national group of innkeepers that Settlers belongs to and via innkeeper Jeanne Genzlinger’s personal network. Sending employees to classes and other inns costs an average of $5,000 per year. Lodging for visiting chefs is taken care of by each inn.

Impact: “Employees love the opportunity to learn more skills and to see how other places and people work. It gets them energized and they come up with lots of new ideas,” says Jeanne.

* A survey of more than 5,500 current and former foodservice employees nationwide sponsored by The Coca Cola Company in partnership with the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation.