What?
- This is a plague in almost every, single restaurant
- Departments are naturally siloed
- Very much like a sibling rivalry
Why?
- While ultimately interdependent, they are incredibly independent in their operations.
- By nature, there is a line drawn between departments
- The plight of misconceptions in a sales organization:
- FOH deals with customers, makes promises and gets the credit for success (tips/commission)
- BOH gets no say on what is promised but has to fulfill them yet gets no credit for success, tends to be expected
- FOH makes more money and stays clean
- BOH makes much less money and has a very dirty job
- FOH enjoys flexibility in schedule and less hours
- BOH gets ground down via long weeks and inflexibility
- BOH is an artistic playground with snacks and freedom to be themselves
- FOH is an airconditioned beauty pageant full of smiles, loads of cash and no stress
….on and on
- The reality? Both jobs are very hard
- FOH has to perpetually put on a show, wear a fake smile and tolerate tough customers in real time, face to face.
- Constantly running food, clearing tables, and dealing with the interpersonal dynamic
- Has to tolerate surly speech from leadership, especially BOH
- Not treated as integral aspects of the organization
- Money is not guaranteed
- Has to be accountable for any BOH mistakes while doing a song and dance
- BOH works in a very hot pressure cooker-type environment
- It’s dangerous – burns and cuts are constant
- Hours are long and grinding
- Environment is greasy, smelly and grimy at times
- FOH has to perpetually put on a show, wear a fake smile and tolerate tough customers in real time, face to face.
How to Fix It.
- Exemplified EMPATHY
- The worlds are joined at the ticket machine on the expo station
- The expo is the bridge that connects the two worlds
- The bridge needs to be wider, more accessible
- The expo is the bridge that connects the two worlds
- Training
- Education on how the machine requires all gears…and that EVERY gear is integral
- Cross-training (Passing the Plate)
- Mandated behavior
- Real-time corrective action
- Communal meals; daily activities
- Team building (Cheesy, I know)
- Holiday parties
- Retreats
- Outings
- It’s a culture thing and the leaders are the examples
- The Chef/KM sets the tone for BOH on when and how to talk to FOH
- Walk it, talk it and uphold it
- The Dining Room Manager sets the tone on when and how to talk to BOH
- Walk it, talk it and uphold it
- The Chef/KM sets the tone for BOH on when and how to talk to FOH
- The divide is fundamentally created or bridged at the top of any organization!
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