Hiring the Assistant Manager

One thing that annoys me about the phrase "We promote from within..." is that it does not always make sense.  Sure, when there is a need for a bartender, it makes sense to promote a server because the skills are very similar- drink knowledge, customer service, menu knowledge, etc.  The skill that may be lacking is the physical activity of making drinks.  This is an easy enough skill to learn if the server can follow and memorize recipes.

When it does not always make sense is when there is a need for an assistant manager at a restaurant and  management/ownership decides to "promote from within" and hire a server and/or bartender to do the job.  There are times when this is appropriate- the employee slated for the promotion has the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job and to do the job well and when the learning curve for this new position is low.  When it is not appropriate is in most situations when the employee is promoted because "she/he has been here for a while, knows our systems ans processes and would (probably) be good at the job (plus we need someone to work nights and weekends for less money than she/he would make waiting tables)."  What management/ownership fail to realize in this situation is that the server that is being promoted was hired to do one job, serve, but is being promoted to do another with a different skill set.

Below are some things to think about when promoting a server to the assistant manager position:

- Does the server have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job or is the promotion just because the employee has been there for a while and it's the natural progression?
Servers are usually hired just to serve, not to manage.  Though some have the skills to be a manager, many do not.  Many think that being a manager is just like being a server except you get to do discounts and talk to tables.  I'm not trying to make restaurant management a job where only the best of the best of the best can do it, I am trying to make the point that management/ownership needs to really look at the candidate  before the promotion and not just promote because that's the natural progression of things.  Ask yourself if you would hire this person if he/she walked in off the street and answered a job ad.  Hold your employee to the same standards as you would someone from outside the organization.

- There are growing pains when you hire from within.
 One of the main issues when hiring from within is the way other servers see the newly promoted employee.  There are issues of jealousy, lack of respect and boundary testing.  Some servers, especially those who feel they should have been promoted instead, may feel jealous and create issues for the new manager when they are working together.  Some servers may feel that the newly promoted employee is not worthy of the position and not respect the manager's new authority.  They may refuse to do what is asked, may purposely create issues during a shift or, worst case, simply refuse to work with that person.  Management/ownership needs to nip this in the bud instantly by always supporting the new manager.  If not, credibility is lost instantly and you might as well start looking for a new manager.

- Customer service may suffer.
It takes a while for a new manager to get the hang of dealing with customer issues, plus it is never easy dealing with an irate guest who just wants to scream and yell.  Intimidation is always a factor when a guest is upset and, most times, the only way to get used to it is practice.  The advice here is to set-up some practice sessions for the new manager to deal with customer service issues.  Practice makes perfect.

- Set boundaries.
What do you want you new manager doing?  Should they perform interviews and do hiring?  Are they to work with inventory and check-in food/alcohol?  What is their role going to be with employee discipline?  Ensure the entire management staff is on the same page with this so no one is stepping on anyone's toes.  One of the worst things that can happen is for the new assistant manager to make a decision and for another, more seasoned manager, to revoke it.  This creates credibility issues with the new manager, who may already have credibility issues.