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Tag Archives: Work Ethic

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK – THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR

18 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, importance of work, kitchens, work and value, Work Ethic

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There are a handful of lessons in life that shine true for everyone, that stand tall as ultimately important for our existence, and that set people on a course of completeness that is so essential. One of those lessons is the significance of work – regardless of what that work might be. Work is important on so many levels and for so many reasons. In particular – the relationship of work to understanding the value of a dollar and the knowledge that pay is recognition for effort, expertise, knowledge, and commitment is so significant and indicative of a person’s character.

“Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.”

-Gordon B. Hinckley

These relationships go both ways, of course. The individual who learns early on that work is important to them and to those around them, should also be recognized in the same manner by those whom they work for. Effort for pay and proper pay for effort are equally important.

When people learn that there is a need to earn what you make, then there is a different level of appreciation for what they have and the opportunities before them. This may sound like one of those hollow lectures from an older generation, but I am convinced that these words have merit.

The earlier that a person realizes that he or she must put forth the effort to enjoy privilege, then this relationship with work ethic has a chance to establish roots. I applaud those 14 year olds with a paper route, the high school freshman who is excited to sign up for early working papers, and even those even younger who know the relationship between chores and an allowance. I truly admire kids who grow up on a farm and understand that before their day slips into a normal flow – there is farm work to be done. When individuals from a very early age understand that “of course I will work before I play”, then this effort becomes a habit and the habit becomes part of their personal culture.

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When that $500 cell phone is given to a 15 year old as a right of passage rather than something that is earned through hard work and effort, then its meaning as something of special value is diminished. When there is no relationship between what we have and how we worked to earn it, then everything becomes a right instead of a privilege.

So, where am I going with this? Everything in my world eventually turns to a relationship with the food business and this article is no exception. I will not generalize and point a finger at an entire group of people, but rather reference those within many generations since the late 1940’s (yes, this is a somewhat subjective observation on my part – although someone must have entertained a statistical review of this observation) and how they view this work/value relationship. Parents have always felt that they have a responsibility to provide for their family and to set the stage for children to have a better lifestyle than they enjoyed (or suffered through). This is an admirable goal and an understandable responsibility, but to live this goal without instilling a feeling that personal effort is an integral part of this, is a real problem.

When people fail to understand the work/value relationship then their desire to earn a living, to know how important it is to treat the opportunity for employment with respect, the need to find their passion through hard work, and to approach every responsibility with vigor, is diminished. The results are evident in their efforts in school, their level of enthusiasm for finding a calling in life, their appreciation for what they have and what they are able to provide, and their willingness to find a way to constantly improve, is diminished.

The restaurant industry is truly challenged today, more so than ever before. It has always been hard to earn a profit in a business of pennies, it has always been challenging to attract a steady flow of customers and keep them coming back, and it has always been challenging to hit the mark with the right product and service, but it has never been this hard to find and keep staff.

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When restaurants limit their hours of operation, modify their menus, and even close their doors, not because the location was wrong or the quality of their product missed the mark, but simply because they couldn’t find or depend on their staff to show up and give a reasonable effort – then we have a societal issue that is very disturbing. Yes, there are other factors: 3.7% unemployment means that there are more jobs than people and less incentive to work extra hard, the work in restaurants is unusually hard, and the pay is not in line with effort and skill, but I really believe that much of the blame falls on the shoulders of this lack of work/value respect. These problems with the restaurant industry must be resolved – fair pay for effort is essential, but pay alone will not solve this problem.

Those farm kids may not want to get up at 4 a.m. to feed the chickens, and the 14 year olds probably groan when their parents wake them up at 5 a.m. to deliver papers, but they know that the work is there and it is their responsibility to put in the effort. When that effort results in a paycheck or an allowance there is a sense of accomplishment that has real value. Those same individuals at the age of 18, or 25, or 40 will never consider not showing up to work, or arriving late without any remorse. These same individuals in a kitchen will always be ready when those first tickets grind off the POS, and will always give 100% effort with “best effort” quality work throughout the day whether it is peeling onions or reducing a sauce. These same individuals will never punch out without feeling that they earned their pay.

Restaurants need to do a much better job of training and caring for the people who work in their operations. Creating a more realistic work environment, treating people with respect, and paying a fair wage are all significant issues that must be addressed, but the lack of attention to this should never justify a lack of work/value effort on the part of employees. When a property fails to recognize positive effort then the employee is always justified in looking for better opportunities, but when individuals relinquish their responsibility for being dependable and doing a good job, then the problem becomes cultural rather than the responsibility of a property or specific operator.

I am not sure there is a quick fix – the work/value core is a character issue that starts in the home and in the community. This challenge is now societal and has been festering for decades. There should be a relationship between the rewards of living and the commitment to effort. We all share a responsibility for this.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

 

 

 

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORK ETHIC IN RESTAURANTS

28 Friday Feb 2014

Tags

chefs, hospitality, restaurants, Work Ethic

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORK ETHIC IN RESTAURANTS

Work ethic is one of those concepts that has been frequently thrown around when discussing the foundations for individual and group success. There are likely as many books written on the topic as there are styles of management but that does not stop others (including myself) from promoting the importance of this basic premise: “a strong work ethic is paramount to professional and personal success”.

The question at hand is whether or not people are genetically inclined towards work ethic – is it part of their DNA, or can work ethic be taught? Is a strong work ethic environmental, cultural, a result of strong family values, built through a progressive educational system or representative of something that is encouraged by others whom an individual respects?

Work ethic is certainly apparent in many fields from construction to engineering, from the medical profession to Wall Street and from the farm to the household. The focus of this article is to point out the need for and the definition of a strong work ethic in food establishments. One of my favorite quotes relates to work ethic and states: “the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” To this end, the dictionary defines work ethic as: “a belief in the moral benefit and importance of work and its inherent ability to strengthen character.” This, of course, goes beyond the benefits of dedication to a given profession, it promotes work ethic as being an essential part of a person’s character. Does this mean that the opposite of work ethic is being lazy and shiftless? Is a lack of work ethic a character flaw that permeates every aspect of a person’s life? Does a lazy person, considering this definition, lack worth and/or character? Actually, Bill Gates was quoted as saying that he would always hire a lazy person for they would spend their time finding the easiest way to accomplish a task. In any respect, work ethic is harder to define than one would think.

There are a handful of characteristics of a strong work ethic that I feel are important to seek out in food service employees. These characteristics are, by far, more important than the specific skills required of a position. I would go so far as to say that these are the attributes that should be sought from any staff member, should be the focus of the search process and the interview and should, to a large degree, be what an employee is evaluated on.

Amelia Adams identified five components of work ethic in a Small Business article for Demand Media: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-factors-demonstrate-strong-work-ethic-15976.html. Each of these certainly applies to any industry (Integrity, Responsibility, Quality, Discipline and Teamwork) – including foodservice, but I would add a few more specifics: a member of your food team should have an unwavering commitment to Service, a true appreciation for the Source of the Raw Materials that they use and a desire to Constantly Improve their Skills.

Back to the question at hand – is a person born with a strong work ethic or is this part of character development that comes from the environment that a person is exposed to? Work ethic is, for all intents and purposes, a behavior not a condition. Behaviors can be molded through the example and action of others. Our work ethic will help our children and our staff members establish a standard in their own performance. Chefs are teachers and as such need to set the example for others in the kitchen to follow.

Here is the reality check: if a person wants to pursue a career in food operations he or she must understand that the commitment is unique. Yes, other careers do require a strong work ethic, but foodservice is unusual in that the requirement for work typically exceed what one would normally expect. It is what it is and will not likely change. Here is why: we work so that other people can play. This is our charge, this is what is required and is the nature of hospitality. Holidays are busy days in restaurants – there is no getting around it. Dinner happens after 5 p.m. when others are done for the day – this is the time when we gear up for a long night. Weekends are not for foodservice staff – in fact our weekends are typically Monday and Tuesday, if at all. Accept it – this is what we are about. Food positions are not for the weak at heart. No matter what some might promote as a need to change, this is the reality of work in hospitality. Now, all that being said, those who can make that adjustment will share in the lifestyle of a unique, very special group of people who are hard-working and fun loving – people who are committed to service and do enjoy making others happy. Those who do not fit will move on to something else, those who stay are the heart and soul of the service business and the nurturers of others enjoyment. Work ethic in foodservice must include an understanding and acceptance of this.

Hire work ethic, be upfront with those who apply, enjoy the company of those who are willing to commit and celebrate the dedication that they have to the enjoyment of others.

Strong work ethic is the price of admission in food service.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC
Restaurant Consulting and Training
http://www.harvestamericaventures.com

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