Reporting Management Challenges – The Key to Organizational Growth in a Restaurant

Running a restaurant is a complex process that involves dealing with many challenges, from missed deadlines to technical glitches. The way we choose to report these challenges directly impacts the organizational atmosphere and our ability to improve as a team and as an organization.

For this very reason, it is important that each challenge is communicated clearly and in detail, and not just as a general description or complaint. Reporting is an opportunity to create organizational memory, improve our work processes, and maintain consistency in the system.

How to report correctly?

1. A clear and precise description of the event:

Instead of writing “There was a problem on shift,” try detailing:

“Shani was late for her shift. I told her that this was the last time and that we wouldn’t be able to put her on shift the next time it happens. Joel and Dean printed the wrong dish for the table twice. I went over with them the importance of accurate registration and order confirmation. I also spoke with Dean at the end of the shift, and he promised to come before the next shift to go over the printing order again. During the shift, we were unable to meet the goals of upgrades and increasing sales, so in the next briefing we will emphasize this and work in a more focused manner.”

2. Presenting solutions and conclusions:

It is important not only to report the problem, but also how you handled it and what can be improved in the future.

for example:

“The dishwasher wasn’t working when I arrived in the morning. I called the company, they only arrived at noon to fix it. Until then, we were washing dishes by hand. I treated the dishwasher to a bottle of Coke because he was upset. The technician pointed out that it’s important to be careful not to put dishes with soap in the dishwasher, and I conveyed the message to the dishwashers in the morning and evening. Please remind the dishwasher every evening.”

3. Constructive and uniform approach:

Instead of writing “the kitchen collapsed” and blaming others, write an accurate description from which you can improve:

“Three tables of dinner waited over 20 minutes for their main courses. I spoke to each table, accompanied them throughout the meal, and we made up for it with desserts. I spoke to the sous chef at the end of the shift and emphasized the importance of informing me in advance of possible delays so that I could preemptively remedy the situation and get to the tables before they complained.”

4. Strengthening working relationships:

Even when the report refers to an employee's mistake, present the situation as part of a shared learning process, while maintaining professionalism and support for the team.

5. Creating organizational memory:

Reports are a key tool in documenting challenges and solutions, allowing us to learn from the past and apply lessons learned in the future.

In conclusion, proper management of challenges and transparent and accurate reporting on them are not only a must – but an opportunity to improve processes and build a strong and committed team.