Skift Restaurants Forum Preview: How The Smith Measures Employee Happiness
Skift Take
What does a successful restaurant team look like? How is it built? What are its values? These are the questions that restaurateurs are grappling with now more than ever. The ones who devote significant time and effort to seeking answers are the ones who will succeed in an constantly-changing industry.
The first Skift Restaurants Forum will be held on Monday, September 24 in New York City. Join us, our stellar lineup of speakers, and 250+ industry professionals to discuss the future of the industry.
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Ask any restaurateur what the most valuable part of their business is, and that answer is likely going to be their people. Building the right culture and seeking out the right staff hires is critical for a restaurant's success. It's also never been harder: 75 percent of restaurants were constantly understaffed this year and turnover rates are at their highest in decades, according to research from data analytics firm TDn2K. At the Corner Table Restaurant Group, which owns The Smith, founder and chief executive officer Jeff Lefcourt devotes much of his time to figuring out the best ways to attract, hire, and retain the right people who naturally display a hospitality-first mentality. Lefcourt oversees 1,000 employees who serve millions of guests each year at The Smith's six locations across New York City and Washington, D.C. As he puts it, "if they are not successful, it's me that's failing, not them." At Skift Restaurants Forum on September 24, Lefcourt will discuss best practices around hiring and staff retention alongside Ellen Yin, founder and co-owner of High Street Hospitality in Philadelphia. Lefcourt sat down with Skift Table ahead of the Forum to briefly discuss some of what he's learned about staffing throughout the years at The Smith. Skift Table: Describe The Smi