In an industry known for burnout and attrition, here’s how to reduce employee turnover and build a culture that keeps people longer.
Even before the pandemic, the annual restaurant employee turnover rate hovered around 75 percent, according to the 2019 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since then, operators have been hit by wave after wave of burnout, labor shortages, wage pressure, and shifting expectations. The result? Constant re-hiring. Team instability. A whole lot of stress.
MAJC is here to help hospitality leaders build workplaces that keep good people around for longer. That means cutting through the chaos, designing smarter systems, and creating cultures rooted in clarity, consistency, and care.
This article draws from insights shared on the Restaurant Ready podcast—real talk from chefs and operators who’ve faced these challenges firsthand and found ways to build better workplaces.
Here’s how to reduce turnover in the hospitality industry—supported by real strategies, real operators, and real voices from the field.
1. Give People Stability and Clarity
Kevin Boehm of Boka Restaurant Group said it best: “We realized early on that building a great team culture meant giving people stability—clarity around their schedules, their roles, and their future.”
People stay when they know where they stand and what’s ahead. That means:
- Posting schedules in advance and sticking to them
- Being transparent about roles, responsibilities, and expectations
- Offering a clear path for growth within the organization
Ben Shewry adds that culture change doesn’t happen all at once. “Fixing culture actually doesn’t cost money—it costs effort. And it’s on the leader to model the behavior they want to see.”
2. Create a Culture That Actually Cares
Burnout isn’t a personal failure—it’s a systems issue. And hospitality has often celebrated stress as a badge of honor.
Andrew Zimmern puts it plainly: “If we want better retention, we have to stop burning people out. The solution is culture—one that values rest, family, and growth.”
Juan Gonzalez shows what that looks like in practice. After nearly 15 years at Posto, he’s built a team culture based on presence and trust. “You have to show up for your team. Teach them. Answer their questions. That’s what gets results.”
3. Build in Mentorship and Development
“When you’ve got great people who believe in what you’re building, you need to invest in them—train them, promote them, and give them a reason to stick around,” says Sarah Grueneberg.
Norman Van Aken agrees: “We can’t say enough about mentoring. It changes the dynamic. It makes people feel like they matter, like they have a path forward.”
At MAJC, we see mentorship as a form of hospitality. It’s how you build future leaders—and reduce churn in the process.
4. Connect Work to Purpose
Chef Yia Vang cuts to the core: “When people are connected to the ‘why,’ they stay.”
Ben Shewry backs that up. “The greatest feedback I get isn’t about the food. It’s when guests notice how invested our team is. They believe in what they do.”
Purpose-driven cultures don’t just attract people—they help them stay. Whether you’re reclaiming indigenous foodways like Sean Sherman or redefining fine dining like Ben Shewry, when your values show up in your systems, people follow.
5. Respect Is the Baseline
Duff Goldman nails it: “Turnover drops when people feel seen, heard, and aligned.”
Respect isn’t about being soft—it’s about being consistent. That includes:
- Delivering feedback fairly and clearly
- Enforcing policies with transparency
- Creating space for accountability without shame
Ben Shewry’s “staff speeches” are a masterclass in this. Every employee shares their story with the team—not about work, but about life. “It’s empathy-building. If you know someone loves cats, maybe you’re less likely to yell when a plate gets dropped.” Respect scales. And it builds cultures that people don’t want to leave.
6. Design for Real-Life Balance
Manu Buffara knows what keeps teams together: “My chef has been with me for 12 years. The dishwasher? 10. We listen, we create a community, and we offer real life balance.” That doesn’t mean four-day workweeks for everyone. It might mean:
- Alternating weekends and tough shifts
- Giving people space to rest and reset
- Celebrating wins—small and big
Ben Shewry makes it work with a four-day workweek and a 45-hour cap. “If you’re working 38 hours for me, I expect an elite 38 hours. But people can only perform if they’re rested.”
What This Means for Operators
Reducing turnover doesn’t require a massive budget. But it does require leadership. Here’s what we’ve seen work:
- Clarity around roles, expectations, and advancement
- Consistency in scheduling and communication
- Mentorship that turns team members into leaders
- Purpose that connects work to something bigger
- Respect in every interaction
- Systems that make life easier, not harder
When employees are trained, heard, and supported—they stay. And when they stay, your business gets stronger.
Join the MAJC community to connect with hospitality leaders who are building stronger teams, sharing what works, and supporting each other every step of the way. Become a member.
At MAJC, AI helps us organize thoughts and speed up workflows—but every article is shaped, refined, and approved by real people who live and breathe this industry. We think honesty (like hospitality) works best when it’s real.
