Today’s employees are different — and not in a good way

Hospitality is a tough industry, no question about it. But it’s being made tougher by a new breed of employees, more of whom are coming to us post-COVID with unrealistic expectations and a sense of entitlement — even if they have zero experience.

Here are a few situations I’ve encountered recently. I ask you: Is it me, or is it them?

‘I need a raise’

At one of my locations, we needed an assistant general manager. After an extensive search and lots of interview no-shows, we found a great candidate. After his interview, he was invited to work with us for two days (paid of course) to see if we were a good fit for each other. Afterward, he seemed excited to come to work with us so we gave him an offer letter, which he accepted.

When he came in the next Monday, he let us know that he needed a $25,000 raise and only wanted to work four days a week. He was surprised when we declined.

We’re not that desperate

An executive-level candidate went through weeks of interviews and actually helped us draft their offer. It included all the things he wanted, including extra vacation. He verbally accepted, then the other shoe dropped. He wanted to be signed as a contractor, not an employee; work fewer hours; and be guaranteed an annual raise based on time and not performance.

I think he, like many other potential employees, think that employers are so desperate that they will put up with anything to bring someone on board.

Smoke breaks

An employee can request a smoke break if: a) their work is done, and b) the guests are all taken care of. They are required to smoke in a designated area out of sight of guests.

Not long ago, dinners at one busy location started to come out of the kitchen very slowly. When we checked into what the issue was, we found two of the line cooks out smoking and talking, insisting that they needed a smoke break during the stressful dinner rush. The manager let them know that they needed to get back on the line and take a break after the rush. They quit.

‘I can’t look at my phone?’

The cellphone is the bane of every restaurant’s existence. As I was training for a restaurant opening and got to the part where employees can’t use their phones while working, a young woman was shocked, just shocked! She couldn’t make calls? Couldn’t post on her Instagram? She let us know that we were being unfair and she quit! Quitting a great paying job because the employer wants you to work rather than be on your phone while you are on the clock amazes me.

Going to pot

Restaurant kitchens can be an accident waiting to happen. I have seen horrible accidents where the person who got hurt was wide-awake and totally sober. Now that marijuana is legal in many states, employees think that means they can come to work while they are high.

I recently had to ask a kitchen employee who worked the fryer station (handling 400-degree oil) to leave because he had smoked pot during his smoke break. He threatened to sue for discrimination.

If your employees are better than this, count yourself lucky! I advise my clients to hold on to your standards, hire great people, treat them well — and cross your fingers.

• Izzy Kharasch is the founder of Hospitality Works, a consulting firm that has worked with 700+ restaurants and small businesses nationwide. He is offering Daily Herald restaurant owners a free consultation by contacting him at Izzy@HospitalityWorks.com.