How To Look After Your Bar Staff After Lockdown

The hospitality industry has taken a big hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some smaller businesses have had to close as a result, others are holding off their re-openings and some larger pub chains re-opened on the 4th July.

No matter what stage your establishment is at, looking after your bar staff is imperative at this uncertain, and concerning time. There are many ways you can ensure the safety of your bar staff from social distancing to deep cleaning and sanitisation. Not only will these measures reassure your staff that it is safe to come back to work, but also make your patrons feel comfortable when they return.

Please keep reading for our advice on how to look after your bar staff after lockdown so that your establishment continues being a safe and positive environment for you, your employees and your customers.

Provide Appropropriate PPE

While this may seem like a given, a lot of bar manager’s won’t necessarily provide all personal protective equipment. Yes, employees can bring face masks, hand gel and gloves if they desire, but some individuals may feel more comfortable working with a face shield.

Because of this, we recommend that you set up a meeting, whether that be in person or via a Zoom call so that you can get everybody’s opinion on the matter. Ask what protective equipment they want to be given, and if they feel if it’s necessary at all. This way, you will have a better understanding of how everyone feels, and they will also respect you for considering their opinion.

Schedule Meetings

Whether meetings are a rarity or not in your venue, for the first few months after re-opening we recommend that you organise regular meetings for your employees. It’s vital that you are always aware of how your employees feel. During a shift, they might be too busy to get a chance to speak to you, or they might be looking for the right moment.

By giving them the opportunity in an open discussion, you may find that your staff members are more comfortable speaking up. By holding several meetings, you can keep on top of how they feel and if, in their opinion, your venue could be improved for the current situation. For instance, they might think that hand sanitiser upon arrival will help keep theirs and the customers’ minds at rest even more. Or, they might not be comfortable returning to work so soon because they are at a higher risk which would require you to set up a meeting before reopening.

Offer Appraisal

Whether you are aware of your employees’ thoughts and feelings or not, offering appraisal on a regular basis will always be appreciated. If they’re a little timid and nervous, by giving them the reassurance and knowledge that they are doing a good job, the chances are they will feel more confident and comfortable carrying out their tasks as usual.

Also, during such an uncertain time, it’s an achievement that they are turning up to work. Some may suffer from anxiety or just feel very worried about the current climate, and so to return could be a big deal for them. Therefore, giving them the occasional ‘well done!’ or ‘you are all doing brilliantly’ will raise their spirits.

At the end of the day, your employees are maintaining your venue. And if they appear unhappy to your customers, this could dampen the atmosphere and potentially risk you losing out on business. By offering appraisal, you will most likely encourage productivity and an improved worth ethic.

Keep An Eye On Them

Everything is up in the air at the moment. Customers may be well-behaved in your establishment while others may cause arguments with someone who doesn’t necessarily agree with their opinion of the pandemic. We’ve all seen the fights on social media about mask-wearing and social distancing! In addition to that, you may get the customers that are going to take full advantage of the re-opening of your establishment and go overboard.

As always, this can create tension if they’ve had one too many. And because of the current situation at hand, this could be even more worrying for your employees. Ensure that you are always keeping an eye on your staff members if customers begin to talk to them aggressively or in a loud manner.

Not only would this have worried them pre-pandemic, but they also have the added concern of social distancing being impaired. By interjecting, your employees will feel safe while at work.

We hope that we have given you some guidance on how to look after your bar staff after lockdown restrictions begin to lift. Some days may be a struggle, but by delivering your staff confidence that you always have their best interests at heart, they will feel a lot more comfortable in returning to work.

You may have covered your employees, but what about the venue itself? Here at Amusement Leisure, we can provide you with top-class entertainment solutions and modernised bar equipment so that your establishment is re-opened with a bang. Visit our website or call us on 01925 295951 for further information.

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