New restaurant managers are also new restaurant trainers. In this role, you may not be responsible for creating an overall training plan, but implementing your restaurant’s plan definitely falls under your job description. If you’re new to restaurant management, you already have your hands full, but be careful not to fall short on your training responsibilities. Follow these tips for restaurant trainers:
- Set goals at multiple levels. To effectively manage an employee training program, new restaurant trainers need to be able to see the program from different angles. In the big picture, training goals should be tied to overall company objectives. At a more micro level, trainers must also consider the benefits individual employees will gain from the training. For example, say you want to increase appetizer sales. Your big picture goal is to make more money by having every server recommend an appetizer to every table. For that to happen, though, servers must first complete training on topics such as sales skills and product knowledge. You can’t expect training success if you don’t approach the program incrementally.
- Use all the bells and whistles in your LMS. You may be a skilled mentor and on-the-job coach, but managing online courses is a very different prospect. One mistake many new restaurant trainers make is to overlook critical tasks in online learning management, such as scheduling, tracking, and reporting. Make sure you put your company’s investment in a learning management system (LMS) to good use. You’ll quickly find the benefits of online training make the rest of your job as a trainer much easier.
- Apply blended training principles. While some new trainers may not use a learning management system to its full potential, others may rely on online training too much. Successful employee training requires a balance of online training, on-the-job training, and ongoing mentoring.
- Follow up with trainees. New restaurant trainers should ask employees for specific feedback about training topics as way to both improve the process and recognize any learning gaps. All training requires follow up to ensure that it is being implemented correctly.
Online Courses for New Restaurant Trainers
New restaurant trainers can set a solid foundation for employees with the Service That Sells! online restaurant training curriculum delivered through our easy-to-use learning management system. Learn more here.
