Greener pastures
Some restaurateurs would argue that the industry is scaring workers away. David Howard, president of Neighborhood Dining Group, says staffers are going anywhere but restaurants. “As an industry, when we ask why people are leaving our companies—but then we ask them to work 14 hours in a 90-degree kitchen with no windows and a high-stress environment—we need to be self-critical,” says Howard, whose group operates chef Sean Brock’s Husk, McCrady’s and Minero. “We have to do better.”
Kevin Johnson, owner of the The Grocery in Charleston, S.C., has seen workers move to higher-paying work for distributors. “The industry itself has diversified, and a restaurant chef is not the only option now,” he says. Howard, too, says he has seen staffers who have been in the industry for 15 years decide to take outside jobs, like at aerospace company Boeing, for example. To prevent that talent and experience drain, the Southeastern restaurant group has a policy against managers working more than 55 hours a week. To enforce the rule, managers are not allowed to schedule themselves. And as an added measure to lessen stress, the group is starting to focus more on mental health. It is considering bringing in outside consultants to teach staff about communication and time management.