Fighting Challenges with Effective Strategies

A Foodservice Manager's Cheatsheet

Christina Bodanza

Director of Food and Nutrition Services

Millennial Healthcare Services LLC

CHALLENGES

AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TAKING THEM ON

A career in food and nutrition can be like a ride at the county fair: some days there are highs, some days there are lows, and some days you experience both—even at the same time. Keeping a clear head and attitude in such an environment can demand a strong set of unique tools. Here are some tried, some tired, some true, and some more distinguished techniques to help you come through looking like the confident and in-control leader that you are.

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

We’ve all had them. Frequently, they go badly. One party comes away feeling wronged, the other more wronged, and neither side gets closure. The whole team suffers. Pots are thrown, feelings are ruffled—well, you get the idea.

First, let’s unpack the idea of having the “conversation.” Successful results often occur without the added drama of stress. Therefore, remove the formality and add honest, supportive input. Take a walk with the participant and ask about family and friends. Then approach the area of conflict and ask for their input on how to create a successful solution.

If the conversation is difficult due to performance issues, then the process needs to be formal, concise, and practiced. However, referring to past positive performance can remove some of the tension and make improvement more likely, or separation less dramatic.

Lastly, if the difficult conversation includes two associates in conflict, then first and foremost, create separation and have a manager who is more closely aligned with each party hold separate conversations. Including policy from the handbook and clear expectations for ending the friction between both parties will serve you well down the road. In this case, immediate, time-stamped documentation is vital. Send an email, even if it is to yourself, with all the particulars and details of the event.

(POOR) PERFORMANCE

The first step here is deciding your goal. Is it to create improvement or to foster termination? The next step is creating a pathway for success. Heading into either conversation without concrete and clear guideposts is a guarantee for disaster. In both instances, have integrity by including the low performer in the structure, asking for their input, and incorporating their concerns. This physical, living document will be a lifesaver if the situation proceeds to HR.

In the case of the ultimate goal being termination, don’t overlook opportunities to turn the situation around. You most likely hired this individual. What did you see as the value in the hire? Are they well positioned for success? Have they had the tools they need? Or would they be a better fit in another position or department? If none of these questions result in a “yes,” then stop the pain, advance full speed to the nearest exit, and remove the challenge to your team’s proper functioning.

STAFFING BELOW ACCEPTABLE LEVELS (SHORT STAFFING)

This must be the number one meme on the internet. We can laugh about it, rage against it, or go into the walk-in and cry dinosaur tears, but it is a challenge that won’t be leaving anytime soon. Part of the issue is in the name: food service. Service requires just that—people. Without them, we are just food in a storeroom that needs to be prepared and served.

The top strategy for combating call-offs and poor retention is culture. A winning culture, with a management team that builds confidence and fosters teamwork, will beat benefits, PTO, and compensation every time. Performance improves, attendance rates go up, and customer and patient satisfaction scores go through the roof. But culture can take time.

Immediate strategies include staggering cross-trained associates to cover when an earlier scheduled team member calls out. Next is providing materials to ease the workload, whether that includes changing the menu, altering service areas, or reducing daily output. The last resort should always be pulling a manager to fill the gap, because then they can’t—well—manage.

TIME MANAGEMENT

The reason so many struggle with this is because we don’t actually manage our time; somehow, it manages us. And that is probably due to an environment of crises rather than an environment of objectives.

Culture: Empower associates to problem-solve disruptions within their scope.

Education: Is the solution as simple as proper education so that the skills of a manager aren’t needed? Educate, educate, educate.

Tools: Is the only set of Phillips-head screwdrivers in your office? Why? Go to the dollar store.

Rounding: Rounding before, during, and after service will save you from emergency requests when your time is most limited. And don’t just offer empty promises—place the service call, follow up on it, and post updates on a message board. Your peace of mind will thank you later.

CAREER GOALS

During COVID, existing associates tended to stay put, which is part of why new hires were so hard to find. Now, staff are eager to move up the ladder—and you may be too. How do you make time for the necessary tasks to accomplish this, or pay for the education?

Many employers offer programs and financial support. Ask HR, or seek out an employer who does. The workplace has become more competitive for top talent, and this is often an easy win.

Creating time in your day, or your associate’s day, is as simple as taking the steps for time management. A last resort is an extra fifteen minutes a day, added at the beginning or end of a shift, to hit the books or take that online class. Remember the saying about how to eat an elephant? Education works the same way—one bite at a time.

NEVER GIVE UP

Perseverance is essential. Don’t abandon your team, your departmental goals, or yourself. All are significant and worthy investments, which is why we entered leadership in the first place. Foster an environment that emphasizes solutions over problems; promote a culture of empowerment and accountability; and provide opportunities for individual and team growth.

If these fundamentals are lacking, and exhaustion has set in, it may indicate that the fit is no longer right—even if it once was. Be honest with your team members and with yourself. Provide support and resources. Online platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, along with organizations such as the American Culinary Federation, are readily accessible and just a mouse click away.

Christina Bodanza, CDM, CFPP, CEC, CDP, PCII; Director of Food and Nutrition; Millennial Healthcare, North Campus Rehab, Leesburg, Florida.

Christina has been a CDM, CFPP since 2013. She is also a Certified Executive Chef with the American Culinary Federation, has achieved Pro Chef Level II from the Culinary Institute of America, and is a Certified Dementia Practitioner with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.