I read in a blog that Glassdoor named a Senior Living Community one of 50 Best Places to Work in 2017. It noted the passion of the employees who stated that they loved the residents and valued their wisdom. Here are three direct quotes from the employees: “I find joy in working with my residents. I like to make them laugh, sing, and dance.” “I work for an awesome and amazing company. I have the support I need to be successful.” “Teams in the communities love their jobs and think of them more as missions rather than jobs.” The CEO states about his employees: “We’re honored they chose a career with us.”
When your servers are committed to their work, learning something new about their responsibilities on the job is like having an infusion of vital energy that pumps them up with excitement. Contentment can bring complacency. Doing the same work every day can become lackluster. A bit of challenge tends to bring out the best in employees who love what they do. Supplying your servers with learning, as with the new government regulations, places a goal in front of them. It’s an investment the company makes in the employee that will return benefits to the company by keeping a good server who wants to grow with the company.
The work of caring for the residents in the community can bring rewards in self-satisfaction when your servers know they are over the top with performance. An excellent server is an inspiration to others who work with her. This is leadership that can be encouraged by learning what Kind Dining® teaches. It is pride that comes from within, about one’s own job and about the company she works for. It’s about growth, personal and professional.
Empowering your servers with on-the-spot decision making adds to their responsibility, but also gives them more of a sense of being part of the company, not just hired help. Learning to greet residents when they enter the dining room, holding a chair for them, or even inquiring about a family member or some other personal item, opens the door for growth. Good manners create a happy, comfortable atmosphere where it is needed most in the dining room. Seniors will be very grateful for mealtimes where good digestion begins with the graciousness of their server with every mealtime.
Our B♥ Kind® Tip: When it comes to Kind Dining service, we can all be leaders—we just have to be brave enough to make positive changes.