You might have thought you could use your restaurant employee handbook as a training manual just to save on printing costs, but a real training manual covers more than the dos and don’ts of a restaurant’s operating procedure. In fact, some operating procedures should remain confidential among your regular employees. Your employees hired at-will or temporarily do not need to know them, especially when they are your trade secrets.

To keep your trade secrets is just one reason to separate your restaurant employee handbook from your training manuals. Mention an overview of your procedures in the handbook, but be specific and descriptive in your training manuals. Cut down the procedures into steps that your employees can follow through easily.

Unlike a restaurant employee handbook, your training manual should be as visually appealing as possible. If possible, place photos of each step in procedures for food preparation, table setting, and napkin folding. Enlarge the fonts for easier reading and use simple language to accommodate your employees who have a low level of education.

Conversely, both your restaurant employee handbook and training manuals should also accommodate your employees who use English as a second language. Develop alternative language versions of your employee handbook and training manuals. You may also provide an audio recording of the handbook for those who prefer listening instead of reading the company policies in the handbook.

However, unlike your restaurant employee handbook, which should be as formal and objective as possible, your training manuals should be more interactive and engaging to facilitate learning. Aside from providing alternative language versions of the training manuals, you should also provide alternative mediums for instruction, such as instructional videos and audio lessons. If possible, use visual aids, such as photos and illustrations, to guide them in understanding the steps and procedures.

The rules in your restaurant employee handbook apply to everyone in your restaurant, including you. Any of your training manuals, however, apply only to the specific area they are used. Tailor each manual for specific positions or groups of positions that cater to different areas in your restaurant operations.

Unlike your restaurant employee handbook, which any person can read, your training manuals should remain inside your restaurant’s premises. Do not allow your employees to photocopy them. Do not let someone who is of a different position to read the training manuals for another job position unless that person is in training for that job.

Your kitchen staff learns your most valuable recipes and cooking techniques that your rival restaurants might appreciate knowing. Similarly, your waiters and food servers also receive invaluable customer service and food service training. For this reason, your training manuals should include a confidential clause to discourage your employees from sharing tips and techniques with employees working in other restaurants.

Your restaurant employee handbook may differ from your training manuals, but the two of them should function as a team. The employee handbook should define the acceptable behaviors and skill requirements during recruitment, training, and job performance. On one hand, your training manuals ensure the highest quality of food and customer service from all your restaurant employees.

Author Bio: Jerome Chiaro is a Restaurant Owner & Consultant out of Orange County, CA. Don’t train your staff alone! He can help you spend LESS TIME and become MORE EFFECTIVE… Claim your copy of his Free Restaurant Employee Handbook. Success doesn’t happen alone! Join a mastermind of restaurant owners and a wealth of resources, at his Free Restaurant Forms Blog.

Category: Business Management
Keywords: restaurant employee handbook, training manuals, training manual