Restaurant training manager Omari was tasked with finding a long-term solution to the current staff issues. Omari has always advocated for his team because of his strong understanding of the service industry's challenges. He balances the managerial, financial, and legal expectations and standards of his role. Given his unique perspective and position, Omari was best qualified to find an affordable program that would be truly effective for his team.
Over a decade in various restaurant roles gave Omari insight into the root causes of many of the restaurant staff’s issues. After asking for employees’ input on the biggest issues, Omari discovered five key areas that needed major work.
Team Challenges
The restaurant was not operating efficiently due to an unstable workplace culture, a lack of support for employees’ well-being, and stress. The following needed to be addressed in the team training chosen by Omari:
- Managers find it difficult to build a consistent team culture, particularly when turnover is high
- Minimal training beyond initial onboarding leaves employees feeling undervalued and like there are little or no opportunities for advancement
- The fast-paced and high-pressure environment leads to burnout and stress
- Fatigue due to the physical demands of the job
- Unhealthy work-life balance due to irregular hours and demanding schedules
Why GettaMeeting?
Omari decided on GettaMeeting because it prioritizes employee empowerment, team building, and wellness of all types of teams. The promise of boosted productivity and time saved was a huge bonus as Omari kept very busy and had limited time to prepare for extra training.
He decided on the “Improve Time Management: Rapid Refocus” meeting module from the Leadership Development Series because it included topics directly related to Omari’s concerns. From the turn-key meeting, team members (and Omari himself) would:
- gain helpful tools and insights to design significant, measurable results that hit the target every time
- understand how to perfect skills to move quickly from one activity to the next while minimizing distractions
- determine the best uses of their time
- learn how to complete projects faster and consistently achieve goals
- discover how to create opportunities to experience a better quality of life
...and more
How Omari Used The “Improve Time Management” Module
Preparation
Because restaurant staff often worked either morning or evening shifts, Omari decided to host the training session twice, once for each shift.
He purchased and downloaded the module and then ordered essential takeaway items, like notebooks and pens for each team member, from the Enhancements PDF provided.
Next, Omari printed the inspirational quotes from the Enhancements PDF and pinned them up in the back of the restaurant by the schedule and announcements. He also purchased one of the book recommendations and put it in the break room for anyone who wanted to borrow it or read it on breaks.
Then, Omari coordinated with a local charcuterie business to provide two snack boards (one for each session) based on the Pinterest inspiration provided.
He chose two of the suggested team-building games and ordered the few items needed for them, plus four of the suggested prizes (two for each session).
Facilitation
About a week later, Omari dedicated a day to training. He gathered the morning shift an hour before their usual shifts to facilitate the quick yet impactful meeting. As the team entered the break room, they were encouraged to enjoy the charcuterie snacks that Omari had picked up the day before. Omari then began by passing out the notebooks and pens before playing the presentation video, pausing after each topic to follow the icebreakers and prompts.
After the video ended, Omari quickly transitioned into the team-building games. Once prizes were awarded, Omari asked his team how they felt about the meeting and what they appreciated about it. A common theme from his team was that the meeting felt refreshing - not like the other meetings they were used to. The employees actually enjoyed the activities and could understand and absorb the new knowledge because of the thorough video and consistent theme.
Omari repeated the same process with the evening crew after closing. They had similar responses, some found the meeting to be a pleasant way to end their shift.
Results
The days and weeks following the meeting shocked Omari. He saw his team become more efficient, motivated, and level-headed. He watched the major issues become minor and, in some cases, solved. The biggest shifts Omari recognized following the Improve Time Management module were:
- Tasks were completed quicker, which made the team feel more prepared when opening the restaurant, and the closing shift started going home earlier due to a more efficient closing process. This helped the team find a better work-life balance
- Fewer employees calling out of their shifts due to sickness, burnout, and fatigue
- Higher morale and quality of life among all employees with palpable optimism around promotions and career development
- Less dependence on management and leaders for guidance, more independent and collaborative problem-solving
Not only did GettaMeeting’s comprehensive module solve the restaurant’s biggest issues, but it also set a new tone for the team that granted employees feelings of control, autonomy, calm, and collaboration.
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If your team needs easy, accessible professional development options, head to our Modules page to find the perfect modules for your team.
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