Culture is not something that can be implemented, contends Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America, which is growing the Pepper Lunch brand in the U.S.
“Culture is something you seed and it grows. But you have to consistently water it,” said Hooper, speaking on a panel on cultivating culture at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix on Tuesday.
And nurturing a strong culture pays off. The return on that investment is higher retention rates, which lowers cost, as well as boosting employee productivity and improving both guest and worker satisfaction.
For employers, it’s vital to provide the tools to allow a culture to take root, said Hooper. Give it language, or even physical tools. But whatever you do, be operationally consistent, he said.
“This is something that grows with time and consistency,” said Hooper.
The operators on the panel talked about how the needs and desires of workers have changed over the generations.
Young Gen Z workers, for example, care about the “why” they might be asked to do something. They don’t want to be told what to do, said Kevin King, president and CEO of Donatos Pizza.
Those younger workers also want recognition, more than Boomers or Gen X. They also look for work-life balance and value time off, he said.
Donatos hires workers as young as 14, in some cases, so this is often their first job, and the chain tries to teach some basic life skills, along with training on quality, guest engagement and core values.
“Employing kids that young, it’s unbelievable how many stay with us for a decade or longer because someone gave them a chance,” he said.
Another thing younger workers want: Pet insurance, said Cameron McNie, founder and executive chair of Hawaiian Bros. Island Grill.
Hawaiian Bros. also has a generous benefit package for career-level managers, with the company paying 100% of healthcare premiums for the worker, their spouse and kids.
“I wanted health and wellness to be something that meant something to them,” he said. I wanted them to feel how much we cared about them, and so we went and sourced a great health insurance plan,” he said. “There is no line item [for health insurance] on our employee’s paychecks.”
Fundamentally, if you want workers to act the right way in your business, if you want them to treat the customer right, and treat each other right, you have to show them how much you value them, McNie said.
Lisa Ingram, chair and CEO of White Castle, agreed, saying it’s important to walk that talk.
She looks for opportunities to jump on the line in restaurants and work the grill. That shocks and surprises some workers, she said.
“But I want them to know that, even as CEO, I’m willing to jump on the grill and help them out during lunch time,” she said. “I think that sends a very clear message about the kind of culture that you have, that every job is important, and every job contributes to the overall success of the organization in equal measure.”
The 104-year-old White Castle brand has many employees that have been with the chain for decades. Ingram said those who reach year 25 are celebrated with a trip to the home base in Columbus, Ohio, for a special dinner at the Ingram home and first-class treatment.
“For some, this is the first time they’ve been on a plane or out of their city, so it’s a big, big deal in our organization,” she said. “So again, figuring out how to manifest important things for the culture is really important, and it does start at the top.”
Hooper offered actionable advice to employers who are looking to cultivate a better culture for their brand:
“Ask them. Don’t ask your executives. Don’t create a committee. Don’t sit around and pontificate,” he said. “Go to the store. Work the grill for three hours, and you lean over and ask them, ‘Why do you work here? What do you like about it? What can you do better?’ Ask a lot of questions, and don’t stop asking. This is not a one-time exercise.
“Let them tell you what they want, what they need, what they care about, and what you can do to connect,” said Hooper. “It’s about treating them as humans.”
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.