| While many restaurant workers worry and sweat | | | | service, customer satisfaction, product quality, |
| in anticipation of an imminent job-related | | | | penmanship and, for obvious reasons, employee |
| performance review, employees at Applebee's in | | | | satisfaction. In addition, her restaurant has |
| Westland have adopted an entirely different | | | | maintained almost the exact same staff for the |
| attitude toward the employment evaluation | | | | last three years, well beyond any previous |
| process. This is due in no small part to the fact | | | | company records. |
| that the general manager, Lisa Blanco, rewards | | | | "Yeah, it took me a couple of years to get to |
| superior employee performance the old fashion | | | | know my staff," said Blanco, absently stroking an |
| way. | | | | Applebee's pen while gazing reflectively into the |
| "We have the lowest turnover rate in the | | | | distance. "Working in a busy restaurant can be a |
| company," said Blanco, beaming. "I'm proud of the | | | | high-pressure experience. We are a melting pot of |
| fact that when I get an employee, I know how | | | | diverse personalities, working under often |
| to keep that employee happy and productive." | | | | stressful circumstances. You never know how |
| Blanco started this unusual practice with her | | | | someone is going to react. |
| subordinates about five years ago, shortly after | | | | "I learned their likes and dislikes, and what |
| being promoted to management and immediately | | | | motivated them to the point that they'd willingly |
| after her first husband died. This particular | | | | give me that something extra...that, whatever it is |
| motivational technique is, however, deeply | | | | that comes out at that moment of truth when |
| ingrained in her nature, and has served her well in | | | | they've reached the point of maximum |
| many other areas, and at many other times in | | | | heightened activity. Is it hot in here?" |
| her life. | | | | Not that her employees are complaining. Several |
| "When I was a waitress with this, and other, | | | | suggested to the corporate office that Blanco's |
| companies," said Blanco, "I loved my job, and I | | | | philosophy be adopted company-wide, and |
| was continually looking for ways to increase my | | | | because of those suggestions two senior |
| tips while making the customer happy. Hell, I | | | | corporate managers plan a visit to observe, and |
| remember understanding this philosophy way | | | | possibly make recommendations, later this month. |
| back in high school. I learned there had to be | | | | "It's great timing," said Larry Ward, who was |
| balance, it had to be a win/win situation for | | | | brought over by Blanco after working with her at |
| everybody...I've always had high values and | | | | another restaurant. "I think most of us are up for |
| integrity. I learned that to get what I want it only | | | | review right around the time those big-wigs are |
| made sense that I needed to give the customer | | | | supposed to be here. They get to see hands-on |
| what he wants, and I knew I already gave | | | | what gives us such a strong unit. Sure, we go |
| above-average service. Now I needed to give | | | | against almost every modern axiom pertaining to |
| above-average head." | | | | manager/employee relations, but she took the |
| Blanco's track record is excellent. Her store | | | | single most important principle -- keeping your |
| outperforms virtually every other Applebee's in | | | | employees happy -- and she does it better than |
| Michigan -- and is consistently in the top-five out | | | | anyone else could ever dream. |
| of all the Applebee's in the country -- in sales, | | | | |