1. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 1 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Objectives At the completion of this module, participants will be able to:  List factors that can affect the work environment.  Design an action plan for improvement of their work environment.

2. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 2 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Definitions Work environment- the combination of physical and cultural conditions under which particular tasks are performed to achieve an organizational goal.

3. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 3 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Personal Check-In: Effective Work Environment Creating an effective work environment will require planning and resource utilization. Reflect on a position or work environment other than the current one in Child Nutrition. Use a colored sticky note to record: 1. Your expectation of an effective work environment at that job. 2. Was your expectation met? 3. Why or why not?

4. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 4 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Icebreaker: Road Signs ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

5. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 5 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Icebreaker: Road Signs ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

6. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 6 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Icebreaker: Road Signs ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

7. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 7 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Developing a Positive Environment: Leadership  Leadership – The manager’s role is to provide direction through modeling and vision, to motivate, and to build an effective team. Leadership must be based on mutual respect.

8. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 8 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Developing a Positive Environment: Honesty  Honesty – Be straightforward and up front in all dealings with employees. Managers must be truthful in everything they say and do. Avoid double standards.

9. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 9 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Developing a Positive Environment: Morale  Morale – Morale is the emotional condition (such as enthusiasm, confidence, and loyalty) of a team with regard to the task at hand. It is critical to develop an environment where the morale is high and the team can work effectively. Maintaining high morale is something the manager will have to work on constantly. One way of keeping morale high is to let employees know their contribution to the team is significant in meeting the department’s objectives.

10. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 10 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Developing a Positive Environment: Recognition  Recognition – The timely recognition of individual achievements is critical in the development of an effective work environment. As manager, you want to set the parameters, communicate them to your employees, and ensure the employees understand them. Always consider recognition for the individual, even if you have a team project.

11. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 11 Effective Kitchen Environments: Kitchen Layout  Kitchen Layout Often it is not possible to change the layout of the kitchen unless it undergoes renovation. New kitchens provide equipment on wheels and incorporate modular designs. Still there may be some pieces of equipment that can be moved around to improve the work or traffic flow. Strategies for an Effective Work Environment

12. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 12 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Effective Kitchen Environments: Kitchen Layout  Kitchen Layout The principles of kitchen efficiency include: 1. Store at point of first use. 2. Use reach-in refrigerators for items used repeatedly in production. 3. Evaluate the efficiency of repetitive tasks like sandwich and salad preparation. 4. Analyze the present layout and determine what can be moved or rearranged in order to eliminate fatigue.

13. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 13 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Effective Kitchen Environments: Equipment  Equipment Consider pieces that are no longer in use because of menu changes. When possible, remove those pieces of equipment from the production or service areas. 1. Keep catering service equipment stored in a clean area away from equipment used daily. 2. Sufficient handcarts should be available to aid with the transport of supplies and food to and from areas. 3. Consider the final user when installing equipment. 4. Maintain the equipment in good working order.

14. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 14 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Effective Kitchen Environments: Storage  Storage Storage areas should be located near the receiving entrance and as close to the production area as possible. These areas should accommodate the average worker. Make employee safety a primary concern and store heavy items where they are easily accessible. Have sturdy stepladders to avoid overreaching. Use shelving units on wheels if space is limited. Keep all floors clear of standing water and debris. The same is true in refrigerator and freezer units. All storage facilities should be kept efficiently arranged, keeping food safety (adequate rotation) in mind. They should have adequate ventilation, good lighting, and adequate temperature controls in those required areas like the walk-in refrigerator and freezer.

15. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 15 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Effective Kitchen Environments: Other Considerations  Other Considerations 1. Ventilation 2. Lighting 3. Fatigue

16. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 16 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Reality Practice: Case Study #1 Happy Valley Elementary School 1. Describe some of the external circumstances affecting Happy Valley Elementary School. 2. What changes could you put in effect to make the working environment more comfortable? 3. How could you as a manager maintain good workplace morale in this situation?

17. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 17 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Reality Practice: Case Study #2 West Middle School 1. What characteristics do you see in the work environment at West Middle School? 2. The fundraiser involved a great number of people. As the manager, what could you do to recognize the efforts of your department? 3. Ms. Smith, the baker, stands out for her efforts not only to coordinate part of the fundraiser activity but to excel in the number of pans sold. Does Ms. Smith deserve special recognition? How would you ensure she is rewarded for her efforts?

18. Building Human Resource Management Skills National Food Service Management Institute 18 Strategies for an Effective Work Environment Checking Out: Action Plan What three things could you change or rearrange in your kitchen that would increase productivity and performance? Taking into consideration the management issues discussed: What three things are you doing to help improve the workplace environment? What three NEW things can you do to make your Child Nutrition Program a more effective workplace?