When I was working as a chef one of the things that I loved and still miss is the buzz you get after an amazing service and the feeling of working as a team. Knowing that you are working with a team who will help you out if you need it and who have your back is one of the best things about a job in the kitchen. However we all know not every kitchen is like that and not every chef sees it as a team effort but sometimes as a way to make themselves seem better rather than help out a fellow colleague. But it is difficult to know this after an interview which is the reason I think a trial shift is the best way to get an idea of the way a team work.
If you aren’t working with a team and as a team it can really have a negative effect on moral in the workplace and could perhaps explain why some kitchens have issues with chef retention although I know myself it isn’t solely down to this.
Sometimes it can be due to the leader in the kitchen not placing importance on their staff working together as a team but sometimes the constant stream of different employees in the workplace can also affect this.
This is why engagement is really important in a kitchen and communication is key not only between employer and employee but employee to employee also. Some establishments are coming up with innovative ways to secure that team spirit such as team building exercises and daily seated staff meals.
What gives you a team spirit and boosts your moral in the workplace?
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