Blog5 reasons why every QSR needs digital employee training in 2022

Employee training is one of the most crucial aspects of any organization. Failure to make this process effective can lead to a direct negative impact on business objectives and growth. For QSRs, this becomes even more valuable as the average employee turnover rate is a staggering 150% with some restaurants even reporting more than 200% turnover. Imagine having to train new employees and manage their onboarding every month. Moreover, the lack of candidates to fill the available positions makes this even more challenging.

This is why QSRs need to focus on ensuring the best employee training program for enabling  employees to become efficient at their work, understand  expectations , and also learn the SOPs defined for their specific roles. Lack of performance leads to demotivation and this becomes a key reason behind employees quitting their job. Either  employee training needs are not fulfilled and they are unable to perform well, or they have been placed in the wrong profile which makes their work even more difficult.

From a cost perspective, restaurants can lose as much as $5000 in employee replacement considering the cost of hiring, onboarding, and training . This is a huge recurring cost for QSRs as the high employee turnover can cause a  deficit in their profits. Automation is largely considered  one of the solutions to overcome short-staffed teams. However, the human factor can never be ignored. This is why QSRs have now started focusing on their training and development  in addition to implementing employee engagement programs to improve retention.

Digital employee training solutions

In this modern age, technology has not only made our lives easier, but also changed the way we do things. With the majority of the workforce comprising Gen Z and millennials, it would be a grave mistake to overlook the benefits of implementing a digital employee training solution. This group is more inclined towards using technology ,and that includes participating in training. Tablets and mobile devices are  our collective choice for media consumption. Virtual training programs make use of videos, interactive quizzes, and self-learning courses that not only keep the user engaged, but also provide in-depth analytics with respect to training progress and comprehension.

Moreover, some organizations have also started introducing the concept of gamification to keep the employees motivated, engaged, and incentivized to complete the training program properly. A good example of gamification is the integration of a point based reward system. Employees can earn points for completing specific training milestones. These points can be awarded manually or they can be automatically assigned by the system. Upon accumulating a certain number of points, the employee will become eligible to redeem them for a pre-defined reward. This is a good way of providing incentives for training and also helps employees adapt to the work culture if point based rewards are part of the organization’s employee engagement strategy.

5 reasons QSRs need digital employee training in 2022

2022 is already witnessing a massive shift towards technology integration and businesses, especially restaurants, have dropped their inhibitions to embrace this new driver of growth. Needless to say, the impact of technology will continue to be seen in all aspects of the business, including training and development. Let us take a look at the top 5 reasons why QSRs need digital employee training in 2022.

Digital media based training

Online or digital employee training solutions make use of media such as recorded or live training videos, audio files (for verbal explanation of processes), digital documents (such as PDF, spreadsheets, and text documents), etc. Such media-rich content is easily delivered via mobile devices and the modern workforce is already used to consuming media in this format. Not only does this match their preference, but it is also cost effective. Moreover, the content can be updated dynamically across the organization without having to provide additional information to the trainers or allocating additional resources for the same. The training material remains consistent and if required, it can be translated into different languages. Just imagine the time and cost that can be saved with a digital employee training program.

Self-paced learning

The modern workforce prefers learning at their own pace. This need does not arise from the fact that every person has different retention abilities. The need, in fact,  stems from the fact that some people would like complete their learning during the training for a more practical experience, while others may prefer to complete the course and then move to the practical sessions. Balancing such differing preferences can be quite a challenge for the trainer. A digital solution provides the ability to learn at your own pace, revisit specific content , review associated materials, and also monitor the progress. This creates a sense of accountability in the employees which is also very helpful during the actual execution of designated tasks.

Real time tracking

Manual training is difficult to track, especially when new recruits come in almost every month. Moreover, it becomes almost impossible to manage and share individual scores. With a digital employee training solution, trainers and trainees can directly track progress for each phase of the training, view scores, view achievements and certifications, and plan ahead based on the training syllabus. The digital environment allows transparency and clear communication to be maintained between all stakeholders and feedback can be shared in real time to accommodate changes to the training schedule immediately. The most significant aspect of real time tracking for employee training is that it allows existing credentials to be mapped, thereby requiring employees to undergo training only when their previous training validity has expired or a new competency needs to be developed.

Integration of rewards for achievements

This is by far one of the strongest reasons for implementing a digital employee training program in a QSR. Employee reward programs and engagement  can be directly integrated with the training so that employees get a chance to earn points (to be redeemed for rewards),  receive social recognition and appreciation from their team, and also get motivation to excel in their respective work. Most employee engagement systems are already being migrated to the digital environment so managing the integration has become fairly easy. The more engaged people feel in an organization, the less likely they are to consider quitting their jobs.

Automated learning pathway

Manual training becomes tedious because the trainer has to identify the training needs of an employee, prepare a custom plan based on the needs,  then assign and monitor courses and quizzes to ensure the competency is developed. All of this takes time and becomes too complex considering even a group size of 5 employees every month. With a digital employee training solution, you can set up a training pathway to automate the entire process. Based on the training needs, existing certifications, and personal progress, the system can assign the training according to a pre-defined workflow. No manual intervention is required and everything gets tracked automatically. Even certifications can be digitally awarded to employees who complete training sessions and achieve the passing grade. With such a robust and intuitive system, a single trainer can easily manage the training for  an entire region. Even direct managers can get involved in training their team members without spending a lot of time away from their work obligations.

Migrate to a digital employee training solution with workpulse

Based on demand from our subscribers and to address a key challenge of the QSR industry, Workpulse has developed an easy-to-use employee training solution that integrates with the employee engagement system to create a “People Platform”. The solution provides creating and scheduling of training programs, assessments, development plans, and personalized content. You can even create a training pathway to fully automate the process based on your QSR’s SOPs.

Schedule a demo with our consultant to find out how this  powerful system can help you improve employee retention at your restaurants.

(P.S. – The largest franchisee of Dunkin’ in the US has already implemented our employee training platform and the employees simply love the new training experience.)