The much-publicized sexual harassment charges against celebrity chef John Besh and his restaurant group underscored many serious industry issues, not least among them that Besh Restaurant Group—a company with more than 1,000 employees—did not have a dedicated human resources director.
The motivation behind BRG’s lack of a full-time HR chief is unknown. But what is known is that many emerging chains and restaurant groups struggle with how (and when) to add operational layers to their organization—and how to make those additions cost-effective for the brand.
Tender Greens recently used of some of the capital it received from an investment by Union Square Hospitality Group to hire experienced executives familiar with adding layers of complexity to growing companies.
“Someone needs to know what a vice president of real estate or marketing or a chief financial officer does,” says Erik Oberholtzer, CEO of the fast-casual salad chain. “Me and my partners, this is the first time we’re doing this and we’re way outside of our comfort zone.”
But not all emerging chains have the budget to recruit industry vets to the c-suite. As it has grown, Goodcents Deli Fresh Subs sought creative ways to fill out its org chart without breaking the payroll budget. Here are some tips from the 80-unit quick-service concept, which currently has 15 full-time corporate employees.