People Leave. That Doesn’t Mean You Failed.

One of my coworkers at Better Buzz is leaving. She’s moving to a different state to pursue a dream job. Another employee had an idea for her last day: take one of our retail shirts and pass it around the team for everyone to sign.

It’s nothing elaborate. It’s a T-shirt covered in messages from the people she’s worked beside for several years.

It absolutely matters.

She’s moving to a new place, starting a new chapter and beginning a new part of her life. I hope years from now she finds that shirt tucked away somewhere, smiles, and remembers the people she worked with here.

More importantly, nobody told us we had to do it. One employee had the idea. Everyone else wanted to participate.

That’s culture.

And there’s something else I like about it: We’re celebrating someone who’s leaving.

Restaurant leaders spend a lot of time talking about employee retention. We want good employees to stay. Of course we do! Experienced employees make our restaurants stronger. Constant turnover makes everything harder.

But eventually, people leave. They move. They find new opportunities. Sometimes the job that was right for them a year ago isn’t right anymore.

That doesn’t always mean something went wrong.

Restaurant Employee Turnover Is a Metric, Not a Verdict

Turnover is an important metric. But it isn’t a verdict on your leadership.

High employee turnover can absolutely tell you something is wrong. If people consistently leave because they’re unsupported, burned out, poorly trained, or don’t trust their leaders, you need to pay attention.

But a turnover number can’t tell you the entire story. Sometimes a good employee has simply reached the end of their time with you.

The goal shouldn’t be to keep every good employee forever.

The goal should be to build a restaurant where good people can do great work while they’re with you, and an operation strong enough to keep moving when it’s time for them to go.

That’s why the way people leave can tell you something about your restaurant culture too.

One of the most frustrating exits in restaurants is the employee who simply stops showing up. No call. No conversation. They’re just gone.

There can always be circumstances we don’t know about. But sometimes that kind of exit can be a sign that the employee never felt particularly connected to the team in the first place.

Compare that with a team passing around a shirt because they want someone who’s leaving to know she’ll be missed.

Those are very different employee experiences. And they aren’t captured by a turnover percentage.

Strong Restaurant Culture Goes Beyond Employee Retention

You should work to keep good people. Pay them fairly. Support them. Develop them. Give them what they need to meet your expectations. Build a culture they want to be part of.

But don’t make retention the only definition of success. Sometimes a successful employee experience ends with the employee leaving. When that happens, you still get to decide how the story ends.

• Celebrate what they contributed

• Thank them for the time they gave you

• Ask what they learned, and what you could have done better

• Let the team say goodbye

• Leave the relationship intact

Because an employee who leaves can still recommend your restaurant to someone else. They can still speak highly of their experience. They can still come back someday.

And years later, they might still remember the people they worked beside and the culture they helped create.

People leave. That doesn’t always mean you failed. Sometimes it simply means it was time for them to go.

This Week’s Rhythm: Recognize a Long-Term Employee Before They Leave

Think of one person on your team who’s been with you long enough that you’ve started taking their presence for granted.

Don’t wait until they’re leaving to recognize what they’ve contributed.

Tell them this week.

Be specific about what they bring to the team and why you’re glad they’re there.

The goodbye shouldn’t be the first time someone hears that they mattered.

Rooting For You,

-Colby

Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Employee Turnover and Retention

Is high employee turnover always a sign of bad restaurant management?

Sometimes. High turnover can signal problems with leadership, training, compensation, workload, or restaurant culture, and it shouldn’t be ignored. But turnover alone doesn’t explain why employees are leaving. Look for patterns in the reasons people leave and in their experience while they worked for you before deciding what the number means.

How can restaurants improve employee retention?

Start by creating an environment worth staying for. Set clear expectations, give employees the tools and training they need to succeed, recognize their contributions, hold people accountable fairly, and create opportunities for growth. You won’t keep everyone, but strong restaurant leadership can prevent good employees from leaving for reasons you could have addressed.

What should a restaurant manager do when a good employee leaves?

Have an honest conversation about why they’re leaving, thank them specifically for what they contributed, and give the team an opportunity to say goodbye. When appropriate, an exit interview can also uncover useful feedback about the employee experience and opportunities to improve your restaurant.

Why are exit interviews important in restaurants?

Exit interviews can help restaurant leaders understand why employees leave and identify patterns that turnover numbers can’t explain. Ask what the employee enjoyed, what frustrated them, what could have made their experience better, and whether anything might have convinced them to stay. One person’s feedback may be subjective, but repeated themes are valuable information.

About the Author: Restaurant Leadership Coach Colby Behrends

Colby Behrends is the founder of Noble Restaurant Success and a restaurant leadership coach with more than 20 years of experience in restaurant operations.

After leading hundreds of employees throughout his career, he believes great leadership isn’t measured only by how long people stay, but by the experience they have while they’re with you.

Today, he helps independent restaurant owners become stronger leaders, build better teams, and create the systems their restaurants need to succeed.

Learn more at NobleRestaurantSuccess.com