The Pandemic Has Made it More Important Now Than Ever!
A huge challenge facing every business in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is staffing. Bakeries and donut shops of every size and description are no exception. It’s so important to have bakers and salesclerks who know what they are doing. Understand the baking process and your products and how to sell them to your customers, and keep your operation running smoothly It takes time to teach and develop those skills and attitudes. It’s critical that you continually build from within – both as individuals and as a team.
Your Bakery Team – Build Up Checklist
- Compensation – Only you know what you can afford to pay bakers and salesclerks based on your operational income and expenses. Keep in mind that compensation is ALWAYS on the mind of your staff. Stay current on market standards, and create a pay structure that is fair and competitive to keep your employees happy.
- Communication – Nurture an environment where your bakers and salesclerks can come to you with ideas, questions, and concerns. They are on the front line with customers, so their feedback to you can be invaluable. Even something as simple as moving colorfully iced cake donuts closer to kids’ eye-level can help. Pay attention, and make sure they know you’re paying attention. They’ll keep the ideas coming!
- Feedback – Continually let your staff know how they are doing, and give them encouragement whenever possible. Tell them you appreciate their efforts. Also, indicate areas needing improvement to help them do their jobs better and avoid misunderstandings. Nothing is worse than surprises when it comes to performance evaluations.
- Team Building – Plan regular meetings to discuss your bakery. Getting salesclerks and bakers on the same page and feeling like their contributions are important increases the strength of their loyalty to you and your operation. Make sure they are part of new product introductions, like Snot Block and Mauisada Donut Mix, so they can effectively communicate and upsell to your customers. It’s always fun to be on a winning team!
- Achievement Recognition – Acknowledge individual accomplishments – a work anniversary, a multi-dozen order to a local school, a birthday, a new way to stack coffee lids, etc. Everyone loves to know their efforts are recognized and appreciated.
BakeMark is Here for You. The Bakers!
Your BakeMark Sales Representative can give you more ideas and suggestions about team-building, as well as general industry knowledge, like wages, hours, pricing, product trends, and new production techniques. He or she has the knowledge and experience required to help you with employee relations. It has always been a key element to every successful business, but the stress and strain of the pandemic has amplified its importance to every bakery and donut shop. Let the strength and background of BakeMark work for you.
