How learning contributes to consistency

4th February 2015

Do you struggle to maintain consistency across your business?

In the hospitality industry, consistency in product and service delivery is incredibly important. Yet, maintaining consistency can be a little difficult, particularly for multi-site businesses.

Consistency is needed in all business processes, from the way Front of House staff greet guests to the way chefs present each dish on the menu. What general managers and area managers must do is work to ensure that operations are standardised across the board; but just how do they do that?

It could be argued that consistency starts and ends with a company's employees. Staff will enforce and drive consistency in the workplace, but they must first learn how to do it.

Learning plays a huge role in achieving site consistency. Staff working at all levels need to learn the company's compulsory standards, as well as any specific standards relating to food and service. From dealing with complaints to laying table settings, the same processes must be followed in each site to ensure uniformity.

This, of course, means that each employee must learn the exact same standards. New employees will need to undergo the same level of training so they can familiarise themselves with all processes. This learning needs to be continuous and existing employees may need 'refresher' training sessions to help reinforce their knowledge. Additionally, if the business undergoes any changes or developments, each and every employee must be informed.

As well as being continuous, learning is also collaborative. If, for instance, a mystery guest provides constructive feedback after their visit to a restaurant, then it's important all employees are aware of it. They must work together to address any issues and make sure any necessary changes are applied across all sites.

Collaborative and continuous learning helps to ensure that staff are aware of the fundamental steps of a company's operations. This way, they can align processes to ensure a consistent experience is delivered to every guest.

GEMacademy is ideal for hospitality businesses looking to benefit from a structured learning management programme. Find out more about GEMacademy here.