Like interviewing techniques and training, staff retention is one of the nuts-and-bolts human resources concepts that can make or break a foodservice department team. Short of nailing people's feet to the floor, how do you get them to stay? Not surprisingly, there are as many approaches to retaining qualified workers as there are foodservice directors to deploy them. These range from simple motivators like perfect attendance incentives to deep-rooted cultural philosophies that reach through the entire organization. "It's got to start at the top," says Gary Gunderson, director of dining and hospitality services for MBNA, the banking concern in Wilmington, DE, and a 2004 Silver Plate recipient. "The programs we have in place stem directly from my personal philosophy about career planning."
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