In the fast-paced, guest-oriented hospitality industry, there is absolutely no room for employees who drag your team down.  Let’s face it.  Unhappy hospitality employees are terrible workers – treating guests poorly, missing shifts, under-performing and even stealing.

Given how critical employee morale is to the success of your hotel, industrial catering or banquet facility, what can you do to keep your hospitality workers’ spirits up?  Start by trying to understand the potential causes of poor morale.  Gather your staff and consider the following questions to get to the root of problems with esprit de corps:

Do you have “problem employees” on staff?  Often, the attitudes and performance of one or two hospitality workers can undermine the success of the entire team.  If your staff can single out problem employees, solving your morale problem could be as easy as replacing these workers.

Does each employee have a clear role and job description?  Clear performance parameters direct your service staff’s daily efforts.  If jobs aren’t clearly defined, workers may not know how they are being judged, what you really expect from them or what job skills they should be developing.  Make sure everyone on your team knows what he needs to do to succeed in his job.

Do employees feel they’ve been properly trained?  Every kitchen and catering operation works differently.  When employees don’t have the training they need to do their job well, they’re more likely to feel stressed and frustrated about their work.  Provide all of your hospitality staff – from chefs to bartenders to coat check personnel – with training manuals for their respective positions.

Do workers have the tools and resources needed to perform their jobs well?  From saute pans to serving trays, hospitality workers need the right equipment to feel good about their work.  Failing to provide your team with the equipment they need can make them feel as though you’re setting them up for failure.

Are hospitality working conditions adequate?  As their employer, it’s your job to make sure employees are safe and comfortable on the job.  Especially in summer months, excessive heat can zap employees’ productivity and lower morale.

Getting honest answers to these questions will help you pinpoint the causes of low morale in your hospitality staff – and then develop appropriate solutions.  While the reasons for morale problems may vary, Penguin Staff has the hospitality staffing solutions to keep your core workers happy, productive and engaged.  Our highly trained hospitality professionals are available at a moment’s notice to fill gaps, handle peak periods, replace problem employees and keep your operations running smoothly.

You know what they say:  “If you can’t take the heat in the kitchen…find a way to cool things off!”

Okay, that may not be exactly how that phrase goes, but you get the point.  Record-setting heat across the country is making it more critical than ever to ensure the safety and comfort of your hospitality staff.

During the summer months, hospitality workers can be exposed to uncomfortable working conditions (both indoors and out) that can affect their job performance and health.  Hard work in hot weather can raise an employee’s body temperature higher than his body can cool itself off by sweating.  So as we head into the dog days of summer, use these common sense tips to keep your hospitality staff cool, safe and productive while they’re on the job:

Watch the heat index.  The heat index (a measure of how hot it really feels as the relative humidity increases) can affect how safe it is to work outside on any given day.  As you plan employees’ activities, be sure everyone on staff knows the heat index and measures their effort accordingly.

Provide plenty of water.  Encourage employees to take frequent hydration breaks.  Decaffeinated drinks like water and sports drinks provide the most benefit; remind your staff to choose these over teas, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks during the heat of the day.

Plan breaks from the heat and sun.  If employees will be working in direct sunlight or under unusually hot conditions, plan shaded or indoor respite breaks into their work schedules.

Schedule strenuous activities for the coolest time of day.  When possible, allow employees to perform taxing jobs like set-up, re-stocking and break-down early in the morning or later in the evening.

Establish a summer dress code.  Allow employees to wear lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect both heat and sunlight.

Make sure kitchens are well ventilated.  Ovens, grills and exhaust from refrigeration equipment greatly increase kitchen temperatures.  Add extra fans and/or air conditioners to regulate the temperature and keep air moving.

Look for the signs of heat-related illness.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), here are some key symptoms to watch for in your employees and the appropriate first aid.  Be prepared by keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit with the items necessary to address heat-related conditions.

Take these proactive steps to keep your hospitality staff comfortable, productive and cool as a “Penguin” at the North Pole!  And as always, if you need reliable, experienced hospitality staff at a moment’s notice, give Penguin Staff a call.  Throughout Atlanta, Central Virginia and the D.C./Baltimore Metro area, Penguin has the people you need.

Add a little sparkle to your Independence Day menu with these delicious and fun drink recipes:

Fourth of July Cocktail

“Triple D” host Guy Fieri heats things up – literally – with this pepper-infused concoction that’s sure to grab guests’ attention:

Courtesy of Guy Fieri, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 ounce watermelon schnapps

1 big splash cranberry juice

1 very thin slice jalapeno or serrano pepper

1 slice lemon

1 slice lime

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1/4 ounce blue curacao

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Garnish:  Watermelon wedge

Glass:  Highball

Directions

Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass.  Muddle the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker.  Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer.  Garnish with watermelon, if desired.

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Coconut Blue Hawaiian

A beautiful red, white and blue cocktail that will cool guests down on a hot summer day.

Courtesy of bettycrocker.com

Ingredients

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) light rum, if desired

1/2 cup (4 ounces) blue curaçao

1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

10 to 12 ice cubes

Garnish:  Fresh cherries or maraschino cherries with stems

Glass:  Martini

Directions

Chill martini glasses in freezer several hours before serving.  Place all ingredients except cherries in blender.  Cover and blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth.  Pour pineapple mixture into glasses.  Garnish with cherry.

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Frosty Fireworks

A non-alcoholic drink recipe sure to please guests of all ages.

Courtesy of food.com

Ingredients

16 ounces blue Gatorade

16 ounces red Gatorade (or any red Kool-Aid or fruit punch)

12 ounces Sprite or any other clear carbonated beverage

4 -6 plain ice cubes

Glass:  Highball or tall tumbler

Directions

Fill the sections of one ice cube tray with blue Gatorade, and place in freezer for several hours or until frozen solid.  Fill the sections of the other ice cube tray with the red Gatorade (or other red color drink), and place in freezer until frozen solid.  When ready to serve, place about 4 or 5 regular (clear) ice cubes in a highball glass or tall tumbler.  Add two blue ice cubes and two red ice cubes to the glass.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with a clear carbonated soda.  Now wait to see the special effects to begin.  As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the soda and create a sparkling “frosty fireworks” effect.

If you’re over 35, you can probably think back to a time when there were only three condiments:  ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.

Ahhh…those were simpler times…

When you open up today’s menus, however, you’re faced with a dizzying array of options.  From barbeque sauce to salsa, consumer demand has driven a proliferation in condiment variety.

According to recent data from the Foodservice Research Institute (FRI), flavor variations in “the big three” condiments started back in the ’90s and have exploded in recent years.  The mayonnaise category, in particular, has undergone a major transformation.  In fact, the FRI’s MenuMine database lists no less than 90 mayonnaise flavor variations found on today’s menus.

Some quick FRI facts about mayonnaise use in foodservice:

• 70% of mayonnaise is used on sandwiches;
• 20% winds up on burgers;
• the average menu contains 7.8 items with mayonnaise.

Cutting-edge chefs are now adding flavored versions of mayonnaise to a wider range of items.  Kicked-up versions of the American staple are to be found on everything from meats and seafood, to vegetables and salad.

The flavor of mayonnaise can be enhanced with an assortment of spices and herbs.  Peppers, fruits and vegetables also add uniqueness and a bit of texture.  If you’re looking for new ways to freshen your menu, here is a list of top mayonnaise variations you may want to consider adding:

• Spices—garlic, saffron, cumin, red pepper, sage, red curry, sesame, ginger, paprika, lemon pepper, peppercorns
• Herbs—basil/pesto, cilantro, fennel, rosemary, tarragon
• Peppers—ancho, jalapeno, sriracha,  chimichurri, red, sweet, poblano, chipotle
• Fruit—apple, avocado, lemon, mango, lime, cranberry, citrus
• Vegetables—sweet relish, watercress, scallions, capers, olives, horseradish, wasabi
• Tomatoes—sun dried, roasted, smoked
• Cheese—blue, Parmesan
• Others—dijon, sherry, honey, buffalo sauce, spicy, teriyaki sauce

Of course, the best menu flavors taste even better when they’re prepared and served by true professionals.  Trust Penguin Staff to provide the screened and trained on-call, temporary and permanent hospitality staff you need.

You know who they are:

• the superstars who are committed to doing a job properly and not just “filling time”;

• the overachievers who go above and beyond the call of duty;

• the high performers who are enthusiastic about their jobs and fulfilling your organization’s mission.

Whatever you call them – superstars, overachievers, high performers – you know your hospitality organization’s success depends on hiring and retaining them.  So how do you identify them?

Unfortunately, high performers don’t go around with signs hanging from their necks that read “I’m a top notch worker – hire me!”  But, you can use this list of attributes to help you determine which hospitality candidates are the best and brightest:

1. They are forward-thinkers – about their job environment and their hospitality careers.  To thrive, they need to know how what they’re doing now will impact the future.
   
2. They have found their focus.  High performers know their strengths and have found an appropriate expression for their talents in hospitality.
3. They self-manage.  Research has shown that high performers consciously apply a systematic approach to every task.  This disciplined approach makes them more organized, productive and fulfilled.
4. They are accurate appraisers – of peers, work environments and themselves.  They can spot talent in co-workers and chinks in their competitor’s armor.  Likewise, they recognize their own weaknesses and strive to improve them.
5. They are intrinsically motivated.  While money is undoubtedly important, high performers are fueled from within.  Their need to attain personal and organizational goals is often as great a reward as compensation.
6. They are optimistic.  High performers see the glass as half-full.  They tend to treat obstacles and setbacks on the job as temporary and therefore surmountable.
7. They respect other high performers.  Rather than focusing on hierarchy, high achievers operate within a society of mutual respect.  As a result, they will lend a hand to others with talent and help them flourish.
8. They are results-oriented.  These individuals won’t sit quietly and do a job just because they’re told to.  Top performers need to know how their efforts affect the organization’s “big picture,” and measure their efforts in terms of bottom-line results.

If you want to hire top performers, develop behavioral interview questions that will screen for attributes like the ones listed above.  Or just give Penguin Staff a call!  Our staffing professionals are experts at identifying high achievers who will perform well in your organization.  We offer a variety of hospitality recruiting and staffing services to deliver the best and brightest for you.

You don’t need a treadmill, a dumbbell or Zumba DVD to get your cocktail menu ready for the bikini season.

All you need are some hot new drink recipes!

Here are three you can add to your menu.  They’re sure to cool down all of your customers as the weather heats up:

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Blueberry Smash

This recipe is by the pitcher.  Perfect for a table to share!

Courtesy of bonappetit.com

Ingredients:

2 lemons, sliced into rounds

2 limes, sliced into rounds

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves plus sprigs for garnish

1 1/2 cups vodka

3/4 cup St-Germain (elderflower liqueur)

Garnish: Mint sprig

Glass: Coupe or highball

Directions:

Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, coarsely mash lemon and lime slices, blueberries, and mint leaves in a large pitcher.  Stir in vodka, St-Germain and 2 cups of ice cubes.  Divide drink among coupe or highball glasses; top with more ice cubes.  Garnish each drink with a mint sprig.

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Barbados Punch

A summery, frozen mixed drink perfect for day or evening.

Courtesy of delish.com

Ingredients:

1 ounce Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

1/4 ounce triple sec

1 ounce lime juice

2 ounce pineapple juice

Garnish:  Lime slice and pineapple slice

Glass: Pina Colada

Directions:

Add Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, triple sec, lime juice, and pineapple juice to a blender with crushed ice.  Blend until smooth and pour into glass.  Garnish with lime slice and pineapple slice.

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Fresh Grape Crush

For guests who prefer a lighter option, this tasty concoction contains less than 200 calories!

Courtesy of yumsugar.com

Ingredients:

8 seedless red grapes

1-1/2 ounces grape juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 ounces vodka

1-3 ounces soda water, to taste

Garnish:  Lemon wheel

Glass:  Lowball

Directions: 

In shaker or mixing glass, muddle grapes. Add in ice, grape juice, lemon juice and vodka.  Shake vigorously, strain over lowball glass with ice, and top off soda water to taste. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

From coast to coast, the mercury is steadily rising as we approach the hottest months of the year.  When the heat is on, that means higher refrigeration bills – and greater potential for problems with your commercial refrigeration units.

Make sure your kitchen is ready to take the heat this season!  Use these maintenance tips to optimize the efficiency of your refrigeration units and save on utilities:

• Identify and minimize parasitic loads.  Parasitic loads come from heat sources inside the refrigeration room, such as interior lights, fans, defrost systems and heaters that prevent surface condensation.  They generate heat that must be removed by the compressor, thus adding to the cooling load and increasing the energy consumed.  If you can afford it, consider investing in high-efficiency refrigeration compressors, condenser/evaporator fan motors, and/or energy efficient lighting to reduce energy consumption and reduce cooling loads on the compressor.
• Clean condenser and evaporator coils.  This one seems obvious, but not everyone does it.  Cleaning the coils allows air to pass over them and disperse heat.  When coils are blocked with dust and dirt, your unit has to work much harder (and consume more electricity) to keep things cool.
• Replace worn-out door gaskets.  Check to make sure your refrigerator door gaskets form tight seals when your refrigerators’ doors are closed – keeping cool air in and hot air out.  If gaskets are worn or torn, they’ll cost you extra money in utilities and can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Accessorize your walk-in.  An automatic door closer will quickly shut the door after someone enters or leaves.  Strip curtains provide an added layer of insulation and will dramatically reduce the amount of cool air loss.  Finally, installing a high-quality door latch will ensure the gaskets seal properly each time the door is opened.

You may be surprised at how much overhead you can eliminate by following these simple suggestions.  And if you want to reduce labor overhead, give Penguin Staff a call.  Our full complement of strategic hospitality staffing services ensure you have the trained professionals you need, right when you need them.

Penguin’s hospitality workforce solutions lower your overhead by keeping only essential full-time staff on hand, and allowing us to manage things like:

Ever had to fire an employee?

If so, you know how difficult the act can be.  Even when an employee truly deserves it, the act of taking away his livelihood can leave even the most dispassionate manager feeling awful.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to make the process respectful and compassionate.  These suggestions will help you treat the employee as humanely as possible, while still protecting your business from a legal aspect:

Think before you act.  Before firing anyone, get advice from a human resources professional or employment lawyer.  These experts can help ensure you abide by state and federal laws, as well as your company’s unique employment policies.

Get your ducks in a row.  Simplify the employee’s transition by handling termination logistics before calling the employee in.  Create a clear plan for the employee to return company property, clean out his desk/office and consult with HR on pay/benefits to expedite the separation.

Skip the small talk.  Don’t bother trying to warm the mood or to pretend it’s an ordinary exchange – you’re only delaying the inevitable.  Save the platitudes and limit the meeting to 10 minutes or less.

Stay neutral.  Keep it pleasant, but not too friendly.  Let the employee down as easily as you can without being unprofessional.  Remember, you are not this person’s comforter – he can go home to his spouse, friends or family for the support he needs.

Empathize.  Try to put yourself in the employee’s shoes and understand what he’s going through.  Be patient when you talk to him and keep your cool if he becomes angry, upset or frustrated.  Offer whatever resources your company provides to ease the employee’s transition.

Be decisive.  Make sure that both your tone and wording are resolute.  Giving an employee “wiggle room” or false hope will only encourage him to try and argue to save his job.  If you find yourself getting dragged into a pointless discussion, take charge by saying something like, “I’ll be glad to talk about this as long as you like, but you should know that nothing we discuss will change the decision.”

Be honest.  If you’re downsizing, leave performance out of the picture.  But if performance is the issue, don’t try to hide behind an excuse to make the conversation easier for you.  You’ll be doing the employee a disservice and opening your business to potential problems – especially if you later hire someone to fill the vacant slot.  Be direct about your reason for termination, even if it’s difficult for one or both of you.

One of the benefits of Penguin’s on-call and temporary hospitality staff is never having to fire them!  As their employer of record, we take care of replacing and/or reassigning workers.  Contact Penguin Staffing today to find out more about our hospitality staffing services in Atlanta, Richmond, D.C. and Baltimore.

When it comes to your job security in the hospitality industry, you have to depend on YOU.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where seemingly nobody’s job is safe.  Downsizing, layoffs and company closures have made even the most successful individuals question how truly “indispensable” they are.

Still, everyone knows people who are always working on a consistent basis – even in shaky industries and during uncertain times.  So, what are their secrets to success?

Honestly, there’s nothing magical about it.  The people who enjoy long-lasting job security depend on themselves, rather than waiting for things to happen to them.  By being proactive and responsible in managing their careers, they create their own luck.  Every day, they find ways to contribute, grow and make themselves indispensable at work.

Learn from their success!  Use these tips to proactively create your own job security:

• Take responsibility for your own career development. In today’s “right-sizing” workplace, don’t rely on anyone else to safeguard or guide you in your career.  Be proactive in protecting your job by:  learning new skills; finding a mentor to help you develop and grow professionally; investing in training and development courses in your areas of expertise; staying on top of industry trends that may impact you or your organization.
• Make your boss look good. Your direct supervisor is the most critical person to your success in the workplace.  Like it or not, your success is closely linked to his.  If you want to keep your job, get a raise or earn a promotion, one of the smartest things you can do is make your boss look good.  Do what he asks, when he asks it.  Try to anticipate his needs.  Talk him up to his supervisor.
• Try to excel in areas where others are weak. Look for tasks your boss considers unpleasant, or isn’t particularly skilled at, and volunteer to take them on.  Examine your co-workers’ proficiencies and try to strengthen your skills in areas where they are weak.  Become an expert in a relevant subject that will make you a more valuable employee.  When you possess skills, experience and/or knowledge others don’t, you make yourself that much more indispensable.
• Anticipate trends in the hospitality industry. If your job is in danger of being eliminated, you need to find out before HR sits you down to let you go.  Research what’s happening in your area of the hospitality industry, identifying trends that could impact your job.  Find out what skills you’ll need to stay at the forefront of your industry, and then seek out training in these areas.
• Go above and beyond the call of duty. If you want to cultivate value, respect and trust in the workplace, develop an entrepreneurial spirit on the job.  Volunteer for additional assignments or identify opportunities to improve products, processes or services within your company.  Make a habit of doing more than what you’re asked to do.
• Honor your commitments. Meet your deadlines. Do what you say you’re going to do.  If you make a mistake on the job, find a way to fix it and take responsibility for implementing the solution.  When you develop a reputation of under-promising and over-delivering, you greatly increase your value to your employer.
• Network regularly. If you start networking only when you need something, you’ll have a lot of ground to make up.  Make networking part of every day.  Keep in regular touch with key contacts – even if it’s only via e-mail – so that you won’t feel like you’re “bothering” someone when it’s time to reach out and ask for help.

Become an Indispensable Hospitality Employee with Penguin Staffing

Penguin does so much to help put you on the path to hospitality career success:

• we listen to your needs, interests and goals;
• we match you with top temporary and direct hospitality jobs in Atlanta, Richmond and Washington, D.C. to further your career development;
• we offer comprehensive hospitality training through HTI to develop the essential tools you’ll need to succeed.

Contact Penguin Staff today and use the tips above to become an indispensable part of your next work team.

Forget green food coloring.  This year’s St. Patrick’s Day drinks are all about taste!

Here are three unique and festive drink recipes to add to your menu that are sure to bring out the Irish in all of your customers:

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Irish Jack Rose

Courtesy of Liquor.com

Ingredients:

1 oz Michael Collins Blended Irish Whiskey

.5 oz Calvados

.5 oz Fresh lime juice

.5 oz Grenadine

Garnish: Lime wedge

Glass: Cocktail

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.  Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lime wedge.

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The Blarney Stone

Courtesy of Food & Beverage Magazine

Ingredients:

2 oz Sobieski Bizon Grass Vodka

Apple Juice

Glass: Highball

Directions:

Pour Sobieski Bizon Grass vodka into glass with ice.  Add apple juice.  Stir and serve.

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Black Velvet Beer Cocktail

Courtesy of yumsugar.com

2 oz Guinness Extra Stout

2 oz Korbel Brut

Glass:  Champagne coupe

Directions: 

Gently pour stout and sparkling wine into coupe.  Stir and serve.