Ex: Critical Analysis of Arbitrary Systems, Protocol, and Ethic - Work Environment

“Parking Lot” Notes from Goro Trainer Meeting 02/15/2018 - TEXT ONLY

1) Specials:

Steven’s solution to a better-informed server by providing a print-off of the description of the

special. The description could possibly include tasting notes, a concise description of Chef’s

inspiration to make the dish, ingredient details, cultural attributes, etc.

2) Pre-shift Meeting Info/In-times:

Pre-shift meeting info could be consolidated to stress a regulated number of issues. While

pre-shift meetings currently emphasize key points regarding the techniques used to maintain

the excellence of the restaurant over the duration of a week, pre-shift meetings still lack

consistency in many ways. The suggestion for the format of future pre-shift meetings is as

described:

 Pick an arbitrary number of policies to address during the meetings, but always

have this number to rely on as a consistent quotum so that the knowledge

acquired by the group of servers is equal. This standard will also ensure that

learning/knowledge acquisition can be represented more accurately with a

positive linear or positive exponential line graph (as opposed to the potential

erratic negative and positive spikes in knowledge acquired that may occur

throughout the week. In short, consistent behavior creates structure, neural

pathways are more easily formed, and the overall benefit for the server, and

thereby the restaurant, is achieved. This process is methodical and was very

common in early psychology experiments. The process is proven to work and it

can be ambiguously referred to as “conditioning” for the purpose of this

document.

 To reiterate the first subpoint’s importance, there is a link provided below this

text:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4641615/

This article captures a lot of useful information, but for the context of pre-shift

meetings, there is a particularly key detail to analyze:

“Average Mind wandering reports was 48% (SD = 23%) during the Live lectures

and 49% (SD = 27%) during the Video lectures. A paired-samples t-test revealed

no significant effect of Lecture Style, t(275) = -.81, p = .42.”

This quote is to serve as a reminder that 48% (nearly half of the students engaged

in a lecture) reported not paying attention at some point during the lecture. Other

studies indicate the varying durations of “mind wandering,” but for our purposes,

we just have to know that it happens

There are many techniques on how to approach engaging students better (see link

below):

https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-tricks-for-capturing-students-attention/

But what should be considered from the research and reporting of professionalson the matter is that we must provide every opportunity to engage the server, so

that they feel compelled to learn new information. With background knowledge

and technical information, the server could increase their odds of selling the

product that they learned all about during the pre-shift meeting. Furthermore, if

the server is engaged in the learning process, their confidence is enhanced, mood

either heightened or stabilized, and they will go out to the dining room with

every bit of information they need to have an excellent shift.

 Lastly, the current in-times for servers sometimes do not allow for the most

beneficial pre-shift meetings. For example, servers often face anxiety when

entering the door for a PM shift because the AM servers would like to relieve

themselves of their tables so that they may complete their checkout and leave. It

is arguably rightful of the AM server to think that they are entitled to relief – they

have been working in a high-volume restaurant that sometimes does not stop

even when we as server do. However, in the example of the anxious Incoming

server, the rule has been established that one cannot take any tables until they

have participated in the pre-shift meeting for the shift. That said, there are two

ways (that I have considered) to approach the situation:

o Inform all servers that the AM shift does not have a scheduled “out-time”

meaning that all servers are responsible for the duties to the guests until a

proper transition is able to occur

o Declare the AM end-time to be 4-4:30 (Merely suggested times) and

change the in-times for the PM shift to 3:30-3:40 (more suggested times)

so that the server is able to take tables immediately at 4pm after a

wholesome and very informative pre-shift meeting.

3) Trainer Classrooms

Hiring new staff and cross-training other FOH staff is a strength of Goro’s management team.

Consequently, individuals that apply for a serving position at Goro tend to stay and become

experienced and valuable team members. The training team supplements the managers’

strategies by displaying outstanding service, stressing the importance of the restaurant’s core

values, and also by establishing a sense of comradery with the trainee. Still, Goro and the rest

of the projects run by 84HG are constantly seeking improvement to enhance the experience

of the guests and the experience of the team member. Improving the level of service and

depth of knowledge with trainees is dependent upon what the trainer has learned themselves –

whether it is knowledge derived from experience, classes, or information provided by a more

knowledgeable party (typically management). To maintain the overall experience of the

guests and team members it is important to stay knowledgeable of important information. To

enhance the experiences, however, would be to better educate even our most knowledgeable

and experienced servers.

This short list of key points serves as a list of suggestions for the betterment of the training

program, and thereby the betterment of the restaurant:

 New staff is not hired frequently enough to sharpen the skills of the training team

as it currently exists. The lull in hiring provides an excellent opportunity for

managers and trainers to meet in a classroom setting to become more educated on

how to perform serving techniques desired by management. During the meeting,

it was suggested that trainers could be incentivized to attend classes/meetings by

receiving an arbitrary amount of money on the following week’s tip check, but

no such suggestion is contextual with regard to this document.

o “fine-dining” and “silent service” have been vaguely discussed recently,

but no such level of service can be achieved without proper education on

the matter.

o Learning more as a trainer means that the trainer is constantly sharpening

their tools for the next group of trainees, but the trainer also able to

impart new knowledge to the rest of the servers (Note: since “trainer” as

a title is indicative of the server knowing what they are doing, the other

servers will appreciate guidance from a trainer who has already

established a meaningful connection with the coworker).

 The classes/meetings could be scheduled in advance to account for availability

and other issues which may impede upon all trainers’ attendance. It could even

be that the schedule for the week of the meeting could be made specifically to

keep all trainers available for the day.

 In the first subpoint of section two it is suggested that pre-shift meetings could be

regulated and consistent. The subpoint also has a scholarly article attached to it to

stress the importance of consistency in the learning process. Applying the same

logic to trainer meetings, the classes could have an approximately 45-minute

length, leaving 15 minutes for questions at the end of the class if necessary.

Suggestions for useful methods not provided by the aforementioned links and

articles earlier in this document are as follows:

o Powerpoint presentations

o Step-by-step guides to fine dining service

o Role-playing exercises

o Relevant literature and reading due dates

o Discussion exercises (including managers)

IMPORTANT:

These are only some of the possible ideas for building a curriculum. This list was consolidated in

order to expedite the communication between the trainers and management. All suggestions made by this

document were solely mine and I do not claim to have had anything more than a vague discussion on any

of this topics with the other trainers.