Chapter 8 Management Essentials

Diversity Diversity refers to the great variety of people and their backgrounds, experiences, opinions, religions, ages, talents, and abilities. In a diverse environment, people must learn to value and respect others, no matter how different they are: Stereotypes are generalizations that individuals make about particular groups that assume that all members of that group are the same. Prejudice is a general attitude toward a person, group, or organization on the basis of judgments unrelated to abilities. Many groups of people, however, have common beliefs, such as religion, or share common ways of acting. These groups have cultural tendencies to do some things based on their beliefs and their habits. Managers should set a climate in which employees honor cultural tendencies and break down stereotypes. Building a work environment in which people are honored for their contributions makes a real difference in an operation. 8.1 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Diversity (cont.) To promote a culture of mutual respect and realize the benefits of diversity, a manager needs to help break down the stereotypes that people hold and manage activities that impact diversity. Managers should model expected employee behavior. A manager who encourages and honors diversity helps to establish a hospitable and welcoming environment for all employees. Creating an environment that values all people has many benefits. Encouraging and honoring differences can mean a larger and higher-quality labor pool, a more enjoyable and productive environment, improved public relations, and ultimately, more guests. Encouraging positive cross-cultural interaction, or meaningful communication among employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds, helps break down stereotypes and prejudices, and improves the workplace environment. 8.1 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Respectful Workplaces Two critical aspects of a positive work environment are respectfulness and equal treatment for all employees. Harassment happens when slurs or other verbal or physical conduct related to a person’s race, gender, gender expression, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability interferes with the person’s work performance or creates an unhealthy work environment. Most companies have some type of harassment-free workplace policy that provides guidelines and procedures for how to behave in the workplace. Managers have significant responsibility for addressing harassment in the workplace. They are legally liable for maintaining a harassment-free environment. 8.1 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Teamwork A team is a group of individuals with different skills and experience levels who are working to complete a task or meet a goal. Teamwork uses each member’s strengths, so the group has more success working together than working alone. The most successful teams respect each other’s opinions and find ways to work together to create positive results. People on successful teams are also more likely to feel a responsibility to their team members to achieve the goals. 8.1 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Section 8.1 Summary In a workplace environment, employees’ performance determines whether or not they get a raise or promotion. Stereotypes are generalizations that individuals make about particular groups that assume that all members of that group are the same. Prejudice is a general attitude toward a person, group, or organization on the basis of judgments unrelated to abilities. Diversity in the workplace creates a more enjoyable and productive environment. In a harassment-free environment, complaints are handled appropriately, which results in a workplace that respects all employees on an ongoing basis. Teamwork uses each team member’s strengths. Working together, the group has more success than working individually. 8.1 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Leadership Leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate employees to behave in accordance with the vision of an organization and to accomplish the organization’s goals. Good leaders demonstrate these behaviors: Provide direction Lead consistently Influence others Motivate others Coach and develop others Anticipate change Foster teamwork People skills are also known as interpersonal skills. A person who possesses good interpersonal skills is a person who can generally relate to and work well with others. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Motivation Motivation is comprised of the reasons why a person takes action or behaves in a certain way. A leader motivates and influences other people through his or her own actions every day with every decision. Employees respond to and are more easily motivated by managers whom they respect and trust. Managers need to understand the importance of communication and how communication or lack thereof can affect an operation. Professionalism is the combination of the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior a person shows while performing a job. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Problem Solving Successful managers recognize a problem when it occurs. Then they define it, come up with a solution, and implement that solution quickly. Problem solving depends on an intentional process followed in a logical sequence. It is critical that managers follow a problem-solving model to explore all of a problem’s potential causes: Define the problem. Determine the root cause. Determine alternative solutions and consequences. Select the best solution. Develop an action plan. Implement the action plan. Document the problem and solution for future reference. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Professional Development Professional development is the sum of activities a person performs to meet goals and/or to further his or her career. Managers must keep pace with changes in the workplace. Continuous learning is key to professional development and goal setting. A good development plan includes: Written plan identifying two-year, five-year, and ten-year goals, and beyond Written assessment of professional goals Assessment of what is needed to meet these goals Time line establishing key milestones for achieving these goals 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Ethics Ethics are a set of moral values that a society holds. Ethics are typically based on the principles of honesty, integrity, and respect for others. Workplace ethics serve as guiding principles that effective leaders use in setting the professional tone and behavior in their operations. Many establishments have created written codes of ethics. These codes act as a safety check for evaluating decisions before making them. Knowing that their organization practices ethical decision making helps them to make choices with integrity and honesty as well. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Organizational Goals Goals are statements of desired results. Management uses them to measure actual performance within an organization. Organizational goals provide structure and a destination for an operation, and function like a yardstick to help evaluate the operation’s progress. An objective is a specific description or statement of what a manager wants to achieve. A vision statement describes what an organization wants to become and why it exists. A mission statement refines the vision statement by stating the purpose of the organization to employees and customers. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Section 8.2 Summary Ethics are a set of moral values that a society holds. Good leaders provide direction, lead consistently, influence others, motivate others, coach and develop others, anticipate changes, and foster teamwork. Problem solving depends on an intentional process followed in a logical sequence. Professional development is important to help meet your goals and advance in your career. Motivation is comprised of the reasons why a person takes action or behaves in a certain way. Organizational goals are statements of desired results. Employee roles and responsibilities are based on the vision, mission, and goals of the organization. 8.2 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Job Descriptions A job description is a document that defines the work involved in a particular assignment or position. A job description includes the position title and the responsibilities or duties of a position. The responsibilities include both essential and nonessential functions performed by the person holding that position. Many job descriptions also include educational and legal requirements for holding the position. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Interviewing Job Applicants The interviewer’s job is to ask questions and think about how well that person will fit in to the operation. The process of selecting and interviewing applicants is strictly regulated by laws that protect the civil rights of job applicants. All hiring and interviewing practices must be fair and directly related to the job. To avoid charges of discrimination, or making a decision based on a prejudice, employers should use identical application forms and tests for everyone who applies for the same job. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Interviewing Job Applicants (cont.) Interviewers need to keep all job requirements and interview questions directly related to the job. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other government agencies enforce laws that ensure everyone, regardless of race, age, gender, religion, national origin, color, or ability/disability, gets a fair chance at any job opening. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Interviewing Job Applicants (cont.) Hiring tools used by managers include: Job application Screening interviews Cover letters and résumés. Some applicants go through a series of interviews as part of the screening process for a job. This is known as successive interviewing. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Lawful Hiring Practices Managers for restaurant or foodservice operations need to know the legal and regulatory environment in which they operate. There are numerous laws and regulations governing the restaurant and foodservice industry. Many of these laws protect employees from discriminatory, unsafe, unfair, or unethical treatment. Antidiscrimination laws can impact many aspects of daily operations, including job descriptions, recruiting, screening, hiring, employee development, training, and promotions. A zero-tolerance policy means that no violation is forgiven. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938, as amended, established various occupational protections primarily related to wages, but it also established provisions for child labor. Generally, child labor laws restrict the hours young employees can work and the type of work they can do. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Onboarding Onboarding is the process that a company uses to integrate new employees into an organization. Onboarding programs give companies a better chance at making sure the people they hire stay in their jobs. There are typically four phases of onboarding: Hiring Orientation Training Scheduled follow-up An onboarding program demonstrates the hospitality and customer service standards that all employees should meet. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Orientation Orientation is the process that helps new employees learn about the procedures and policies of the operation and introduces them to their coworkers. The purpose of orientation is to make new employees feel comfortable in their new jobs, to know what their responsibilities are, and to make them feel part of the team. The type of orientation employees receive depends on the size of the organization. Orientation programs usually have two focuses: providing information about the company and providing information about the job. An employee manual contains general information about employment, including company policies, rules and procedures, employee benefits, and other topics related to the company. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Section 8.3 Summary A job description is a document that defines the work involved in a particular assignment or position. Managers are responsible for knowing the laws to ensure that the operation complies with all laws. Managers must avoid discriminatory language and use the same application forms and tests for everyone that applies for the job. Onboarding is the process that a company uses to integrate new employees into an organization. During orientation, employees can expect to fill out paperwork, hear lectures, and receive printed materials such as an employee manual. An employee manual generally includes employment policies, employee benefits, rules and procedures, and other information about the company, such as mission of the company. 8.3 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Training Training improves the skill, knowledge, and attitude of employees for their jobs. Effective training is essential to the productive functioning of an operation. Training helps employees do their jobs better. For training to have the desired effect, the trainer must be a qualified expert in the subject, and should also be good at training others. Being a good trainer helps employees reach the next level. The ability to train replacements is a critical skill in the restaurant industry. Cross-training is when employees learn the functions of another job within the operation making them more productive. 8.4 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Training (cont.) On-the-job training (OJT) is appropriate for teaching skills that are easily demonstrated and practiced. The trainer should make sure to explain to new employees why it is important to learn the skills being covered in training. Before trainers can demonstrate a task, they themselves must be able to perform the task very well. Group training is usually the most practical choice when many employees need the same type of training. Group training is also ideal for training a group of new employees or many temporary employees who must begin working right away. 8.4 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Performance Appraisals An employee performance appraisal is a formal evaluation of a person’s work performance over a specific period of time. Formal evaluations give the manager and employee an chance to communicate, discuss how well the employee is doing, and set performance goals. The most effective way to rate employee performance is to use a performance appraisal form. 8.4 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Management Equipment Understanding the purpose of restaurant and foodservice operation office equipment and how to operate it is key to effective restaurant management. Point-of-sale (POS) systems allow servers to enter orders and prompts for other order information. POS systems also allow managers to track the number of menu items sold and employee activity, and analyze worker productivity. Advanced POS systems are networked and integrate with inventory tracking and purchasing systems. 8.4 Chapter 8 | Management Essentials

Section 8.4 Summary Training improves the skill, knowledge, and attitude of employees. Cross-training provides backup for operations, lets employees discover different interests and career goals, aids in scheduling, reduces overtime and turnover, and boosts teamwork and morale. On-the-job training involves learning something new by doing it under the supervision and guidance of an experienced employee with training skills. Group training is most practical when many employees need the same type of training. An employee performance appraisal is a formal evaluation of an employee’s work performance over a specific period of time. Chapter 8 | Management Essentials 8.4