When Barry Ladell opened Nanaimo's Longwood Brew Pub & Restaurant five years ago, he know that those actually carrying out the daily operational tasks would be "the ambassadors of my business," and that treating them as "a disposable commodity" would be the path to failure.
It's an attitude that has had a positive effect on the Longwood's bottom line. Nearly 50 per cent of the staff who worked the 150-seat pub, 150-seat restaurant, brewery and kitchen on its first day are still employed there. This low turnover has meant substantially lower annual training costs, with the added bonus of a staff familiarity that many customers appreciate. That translates into greater popularity and, ultimately, more revenue.
Recruiting
Barry says that before opening he recruited a top management team, all four of whom worked closely with him in the staffing decisions. They started the process by whittling 400 resumes down to 200. Then came a two-staged process of panel-style interviews, when he and the management team selected the opening staff, but the weeding-out continued for another two months until they were fully satisfied with their team.
Training
Barry believes that once a business has the cream of staff, good HR management means working hard to make sure it doesn't sour. During a two-week training period, new staff learn the functions of all aspects of the operation, not just their own area. (The tasting and style evaluation of what he calls "Brewing 101" are a favourite part of training, Barry says.). They also familiarize themselves with a well-defined policies-and-procedures manual, as well as firm guidelines about expected dress and behaviour.
Retaining
Training can be an expensive process, so retaining staff makes good business sense. To do that, Barry says it's critical to "stay in touch with your staff and constantly be involved." Longwood management know their people, go out of their way to fit schedules around the need for things like daycare and school, and have a policy of sharing available hours during slow periods, rather than laying people off. Above all, Barry believes it's important to maintain staff confidence by "being there to make the important decisions and to take responsibility for those decisions."
Involving
He also says it's important to give people the opportunity to be actively involved in more than their narrow sphere of responsibility, because good management means recognizing and immediately addressing behavioural changes. He says having a "bored, beer-loving bartender" spend a shift in the brewery "kegging, cleaning, and learning a new aspect of the industry reflects hugely on his performance when back on the bar."
Trusting
Barry encourages his people to learn more about the business, believing that if staff is to trust management, management has to trust staff. If employees are not entrusted with some of the company's performance data and given some insight as to why the business is, or is not, working, then they will resist helping with changes that could maintain or increase business. This also means doing them the courtesy of listening to their ideas for improvement.
Appreciating
In short, Barry believes that his staff is the reason for Longwood's continued success. He feels he has a responsibility to them to do the best job possible in guiding the business, while acknowledging their contribution. "A simple 'thank you' given daily, individually or collectively, reinforces that you care and are grateful," he says.
"A sense of self-worth is one of the highest attributes we as employers can instill in our employees, and it goes without saying that the benefit to the business is magnified with each genuine smile my patrons receive."
