Recruiting, Selecting and Induction Policies: Emperor Garden Restaurant - Case Study Example

Recruiting, selecting and Induction in a Restaurant Policies followed by the Emperor Garden Restaurant Student Name University name Introduction The Emperor’s Garden is one of the finest oriental dining establishments in the New South Wales region. Over the last thirty years of its existence the restaurant has built-up a steady clientele consisting of both business and family diners. Feedback garnered from diners has given it a rating of over eight in the areas of food quality, service and ambience. In addition, the restaurant has continuously won awards which have enhanced its reputation and also given recognition to its efforts in offering a fine dining experience. These awards included the American Express Restaurant Award, Best Restaurant New South Wales, Restaurant & Catering NSW Award and so on. From a meagre beginning of eight tables serving an average of 70-80 customers during lunch or dinner, the restaurant has grown to now accommodate 70 tables serving over 300 customers at the same time. Revenues have increased from USD 20,000 a year in 1994 to USD 4 million in the year 2008. A major part of this growth and reputation is credited to the people who run and manage the restaurant on a daily basis. The vision of the restaurant since its inception was to have a clear policy for Human Resources as the management recognized early on that staffs that is trained, motivated and passionate will be the true route to success – the hospitality business being highly dependent on human resources. In addition to winning awards as one of the best restaurants in the region, the restaurant is also credited with a few awards as the ‘Best Hospitality Employer’ in the years 2004 and 2006. These awards are recognition of the fact of the Emperor Garden’s exemplary standards as an employer and its HR policies. The HR policies laid down by the restaurant have been honed over the years in order to be relevant in the modern world and still ensure that the restaurant remains as one of the best employers in the region. The restaurant currently employs 145 people directly. The restaurant employees have been divided into four departments who have their own hierarchy and reporting structure. The restaurant is led by an able General Manager who manages all the four departments of the organization. The departments are – food & beverage service, food production (kitchen), sales and operations. The operations department consists of the finance, purchase, admin and HR functions. Each of the departments is led by an able manager. The Human Resource department at the Emperor Garden restaurant is manned by a well trained and experienced staff of three people including the HR manager. The two employees in the department look after the daily functions of the department in addition to managing the recruitment process, the selection process, managing orientation programmes, and the overseeing performance reviews and appraisals. In order to efficiently accomplish all the above tasks, the employees in the HR department need to be highly experienced and skilful. They have been trained to ensure that the processes and quality of the HR department are maintained at all times. In this essay we look at the individual functions of the HR department in detail and understand the reasons as to the exemplary status of the restaurant as one of the best employers. The functions we will be looking at in detail are the recruitment process, the selection process, the orientation programme and performance reviews. Recruitment process The Emperor’s Garden seeks employees who are passionate to be a part of our exemplary team. The standards and qualities that are expected from employees are of the highest benchmark. At the outset, the Emperor’s Garden restaurant expects employees to be of the highest integrity, trustworthy and disciplined. These are what we call as uncompromising qualities and anyone found even slightly in violation of these are not tolerated. In addition, we seek the best of employees with extremely strong skills and moreover, a positive mental attitude. (Dale, 2003, pp. 1-5) We have been able to maintain a healthy attrition rate at the Emperor’s Garden restaurant, which currently stands at 2%. Most of the recruitment requirement at the restaurant has increased due to the growth that it has been posting and the need for fresh staff as it grows. The recruitment process consists majorly of five stages - recruitment requisition from the department, creation of the job description and necessary approvals of the same, resume collection and short listing of candidates based on their matching to the job description, preliminary interviews and tests, interviews with the initiator’s department or the technical interview, secondary HR interview / documentation and finally the offer letter stage. We take one example from one of the departments of the restaurant and explain in detail the recruitment process at the Emperor’s Garden restaurant. (Williams, 2003, pp. 153-154) To explain the recruitment process, we chose the kitchen department and the requirement is for a sous chef in charge of the overall functioning of the kitchen operations. Recruitment requisition: the requisition for this vacancy has come from the executive chef who heads the kitchen (food production) department. The position is vacant as the previous sous chef moved to another restaurant after being at the Emperor Garden’s restaurant for more than five years. Preparation of the job description: the job description is perhaps the most critical part of the recruitment process. Taking a look at the terms, job means a combination of responsibilities and tasks that an employee is responsible to carry out in that role. Next, a  task can be defined as the unit of work, that is, a set of activities that are required to produce a result, such as the writing of a memo, sorting out your mail and so on. (Dale, 2003, pp 23- 47) However, there are some positions in an organization which are complex in nature and generally have a large number of tasks that need to be carried out, which are called functions. A job description consists of a list of all these functions, tasks and responsibilities of a particular position. Typically, the job description also includes the name of the person the employee is going to report to, precise specifications like the qualifications required, compensation range and so on. These job descriptions are generally created after conducting a detailed a job analysis, which would include examining the sequences and tasks that are necessary to perform the job. Job descriptions are generally created to advertise an open position, a basis for performance reviews for advertising to fill an open position, determining compensation and as a basis for performance reviews. (Dale, 2003, pp 23 – 47) Not everyone believes that job descriptions are highly useful. A typical job description for a sous chef is as below: Position Title: SOUS CHEF Reporting To: Executive Chef Position Summary: the primary responsibility of the sous chef is being in charge of food production, he being the second in command of the kitchen. Primary responsibilities of the sous chef include: In the absence of the executive chef, take charge of all kitchen operations Schedule manpower and the duty roster Able to develop new products, plan menus and reengineer menus Solely responsible to standardize recipes, dishes, portions and yield management Establish codes of practice especially in the areas of hygiene and cleanliness Conduct regular training programs for the kitchen staff in culinary skills Control quality of food and inventory for both stores and the kitchen Qualifications and experience: Degree / Diploma (three years) in hotel management from a reputed institute Specialization in food production during the course necessary 5-6 years experience in a specialty restaurant preferably Chinese Impeccable knowledge of the Chinese cuisine and its various forms (Lundberg, 1955, pp 186 – 198) Preliminary interviews / written tests: these are conducted by the HR department and judge the propensity of the candidate to test his skills. Interviews with the initiator’s department / technical interview: in-depth interview with the executive chef to judge the candidate’s skills. A trade test is also conducted at this stage, where the candidate is asked to plan and prepare a full-fledged menu. Secondary HR interview / documentation: once the candidate is shortlisted and selected, the second round with HR begins, which is the stage for the negotiation of salaries and documentation. Offer letter: self-explanatory, is presented once all the above criteria and requirements are in place. It is necessary for the candidate to accept the offer letter and have a signed copy of it submitted to the HR department. (Dale, 2003, pp 94 – 108) Selection process At Emperor’s Garden, the most valuable assets are our employees. We recruit and train people who thrive in our culture and support the restaurant’s goal and values. The restaurant uses a combination of tests and interviews in order to find the best talent. Recruitment is not solely based on academic achievement, though this does have weightage in the overall interview process. There are mainly four aspects that define the weightage for each position – trade skills (culinary skills in the case of the sous chef). Our recruitment is not based solely on academic achievements. Candidates seeking to work with the Emperor’s Garden restaurant need to fulfill a broad range of criteria in relation to their ability that will bring a positive change and make on-going contributions to the organization. (Lundberg, 1955, pp203 – 210) Though the precise timeline of selection and the number of steps for each position may vary depending on the position and the department, the general standard procedure followed in the selection process is as follows. The recruitment and the selection process go hand-in-hand and we will keep referring to the recruitment procedures that have been explained above: Advertisement: after deciding on the job description and the requirement, the next step is to advertise for the job in order to attract the best candidates. The communication of the job offer is done through several ways. The first is an advertisement in and Australian Chinese daily and the Sing Too Chinese newspaper. Apart from these, we also approach HR outsourcing firms, which usually have a database of applicants ready at any point in time. In addition, we also have a referral policy where existing employees can recommend their friends to join the Emperor’s Garden. If selected, they are given a referral bonus to the tune of 10% of their monthly salary. Application: interested candidates are urged to fill out a form which has all the basic information regarding them and some more advanced information regarding their part experience and some selected contributions. Short listing: once the basic information and forms are in, then begins the short listing process. We look through each one of the applications to see who matches the profile and they are then invited for the next round of the selection process, which is the aptitude test. Aptitude test: this test ascertains skill sets such as theoretical knowledge of the individual and others such as logical deduction and so on. The major part of this test consists of questions such as devise a four course table d’hôte menu for six people and so on. Interviews: The interview process is an opportunity for us to get to know the individual and vice versa. This detailed interaction ascertains certain aspects of the applicants and is highly technical in nature. This is probably the main part of the recruitment process and is chaired by a panel including the executive chef, the restaurant manger and the general manager himself, since the position is quite senior. Assessment: in the assessment stage, the HR department collates information from all stages and gives weightage depending on the performance of each applicant and shortlists the top three of them. Employment Screening: in this process the HR department does reference and background checking. (Dale, 2003, pp 145 – 167) The information generated from the above selection process and assessment, combined with other aspects and information gathered during the process, is used to a get a comprehensive view of the applicant and his match with the position and the organization. An offer is made to the top applicant and then moved to the others in case he does not accept it and so on. Orientation programme The orientation programme is perhaps the most critical for any new employee in the organization. It is here that he is briefed on all aspects of the organization, not restricted to, his role and job functions, expectations from his position, measurement metrics, appraisals and increments basis, bonus, HR policies, safety and health policies, the running of the business, promotions and training, reporting structure, and last, but not the least, values, mission and objectives of the organization. (Dale, 2003, pp 189 – 204) A new employee orientation programme is designed to assist new employees to adjust to their jobs and work environment and instil a positive attitude and motivate them. The main objective is to provide information that will make employees understand: The vision, mission and culture of the organization Responsibilities and functions of their respective units Business support requirements from the individual The orientation programme at the Emperor’s Garden restaurant is divided into three main aspects, produced here for a typical sous chef joining the organization Day, date Time Department, person Main aspects covered Day 1 10 am – 1 pm HR Manager Briefs the employees on all aspects of the organization including Vision, mission and culture. Detailed policy guidelines Compensation, benefits, promotions and appraisal systems Holidays and leave policy, Grievances redressals systems Discriminatory policies and disciplinary actions Other HR related aspects 2 pm – 3 pm Executive chef and HR manager Introductory phase: Tour of the facility – kitchen, restaurant and other areas Meet the heads of all the departments and general introduction to the staff members 3pm – 4 pm Finance, purchase and operations Handling of purchase and finance Introduction to the suppliers in the chain 4 – 6 pm Restaurant Restaurant Manager Tour of the restaurant Explanation of the clientele and the market Areas of operation Day 2 10 am – 12 noon Sales Manager Explanation of the market and the clientele of the restaurant Marketing aspects handled by the department 12 noon – 5pm Executive chef Introduction to all areas and brief on all aspects of the kitchen functions, responsibilities of the sous chef in keeping with the job description plus additional aspects such as : Compensation, benefits, bonuses and increments Expectations from the executive chef and his team 5 – 6 pm General Manager Briefing from the General Manager on all aspects of the restaurant and expectations from the sous chef (Dale, 2003, pp 204 – 210) Performance review projects In the case of the sous chef, his performance will be primarily judged on the satisfaction of the restaurant clientele and the various aspects laid down in the job description. The performance review will be carried out by the executive chef and contains several elements in it. The people who will judge this are: The General manager Executive chef Restaurant manager from the management side From the staff side, it would be the sous chef’s colleagues and staff who report to him directly to evaluate his performance as a manager. In addition, there would be weightage for special projects undertaken by the sous chef, in terms of a proactive changes in the menu, special packages or products launched in the restaurant that have impacted the business positively and so on. (Dale, 2003, pp. 310 – 325) Conclusion One of the main aspects that we, at the Emperor’s Garden restaurant, would like to accomplish is to provide an environment of immense job satisfaction for the employees. They are encouraged to innovate and bring out new ideas that help the organization differentiate ourselves in this crowded market, for which they are suitably recognised and rewarded. In addition, we provide a cohesive environment that consists of training programs and development programs that ensure that no employee feels bored or tired of the job he holds during his tenure. We have managed to maintain the attrition levels at 2% and thereby ensuring that our clientele’s experience remains the same in the restaurant. We, however, would like to innovate and bring in better HR policies that ensure that all our staff are satisfied with their jobs and positions at the Emperor’s Garden restaurant. Bibliography Dale, Margaret (2003). A Manager’s Guide to recruitment & selection. 2nd Edition. Kogan Page. Williams, Gertrude (2003). Recruitment to Skilled Trades. 1st Edition. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. Lundberg, Donald E (1955). Personnel Management in Hotels and Restaurants. W.C. Brown & Co. Read More