When values aren’t clearly defined, culture takes on a life of its own. It becomes dictated by personalities or necessity. The personality quirks of the GM or the chef define the culture. It becomes whatever walked in the door that day.  Maybe the necessity to turn a profit trumps the need to pay people a living wage. Urgency trumps any attempt at thoughtful hiring. Serving food and surviving as a business takes priority over culture building. Ironically, building a great culture is the key to creating a thriving business.

Culture must be intentionally created as an expression of values. Those values must take into account the changes we wish to see in the industry. If you wish to see this industry throw off the 100-year-old reputation for toxic culture, you must begin by defining values and then look closely at where your culture is succeeding at being an expression of those values.

People often ask me, “But what does that look like in real life?” Here are a few examples:

A posted Code of Conduct – I’ve been encouraged to see establishments post in clear view, a code of conduct. It’s a list of expectations and behaviors that are expected of anyone who comes into your establishment. I’ve seen these posted in the hallway near the restrooms.
Regular and consistent schedules that respect everyone’s needs
Clearly articulated wage scales and pathways to advancement
Policies that are clearly designed to protect everyone from harassment, that state what will happen if anyone violates these policies. And they are universally applied.A created culture document. Something that clearly states to everyone what you stand for.
I once asked a restaurant owner, who could never retain his staff, “What is your culture?” His response was telling.

“Well, we pay people really well – we offer one of the highest wages around. And we have some healthcare. And we have family meal.”

THAT IS NOT CULTURE. Those things should be a given. No wonder they had a terrible reputation in town, and closed less than 6 months later.

The things I listed above cost next to nothing. Yes, paying a fair and livable wage does cost something but that should only be a piece of the puzzle. Being intentional and consistent does not cost money. These things go a long way toward keeping people happy.

Please, if you want more ideas and want to learn more, reach out to me.