Campus Dining 2030 and Beyond - 8

Employee-Facing Facilities: Designing for Flexibility and Labor Constraints
Flexibility in facility design is an important avenue for delivering innovative dining programs and delivering on the
expectations of the next generation of students. Foodservice operators need to consider investing in ventless and
quick-disconnect equipment to facilitate more restaurant-style and pop-up dining that will bring more
sophistication to their offerings while simultaneously battling menu fatigue. Additionally, stations can be created to be
cuisine agnostic, allowing for greater flexibility in shifting offerings from one semester to the next.
Facilities need to be designed with labor constraints and employee usage at the forefront. Several labor-saving
strategies are recommended: utilization of a central commissary kitchen, labor-saving technology (e.g., robots), and
ergonomic kitchen designs to minimize wasted movement. Consideration should be given to the next generation of
employees, providing them with facilities and amenities that speak to their needs.
Labor Issues: Attracting, Retaining, and Developing Employees
and Student Employees
One avenue for making university and college foodservice attractive to potential employees is to ensure the
organization is telling their story. To do so effectively, organizations must first develop a strong brand identity and
define what message they want to convey. The story should also highlight the work itself, focusing on innovation
and impact, distancing itself from the preconceived ideas and misconceptions of college and university foodservice.
The messaging can also promote the institutional benefits and work-life balance that sets this opportunity apart
from much of the restaurant industry. Finally, organizations can invest in professionalizing the work environment to
ensure that it is safe, functional, and comfortable for employees.
Another suggested strategy is to modernize scheduling and compensation. While many institutions have
traditionally offered only nine-month work opportunities, it would greatly benefit employees if there was a twelvemonth
option. Additionally, organizations should offer flexibility in daily and weekly scheduling (e.g., split shifts, short
shifts, consistent scheduling) to accommodate employees' personal obligations. Accessibility to pay with greater
frequency, as well as shift-based premium pay would increase the attractiveness of the industry.
Employee engagement is critical to retention. Employee councils can be enlisted to give employees a voice within
the organization. Engagement can also be supported through cross-departmental collaborations on projects
within the foodservice arena.
Professional development is vital to ensuring a successful organization. This should be accomplished through
creating meaningful, clear, and attainable training paths for employee growth and advancement. Managers can
benefit from training and education that shifts their mindsets from simple management to leadership. Senior
employees that embody the values and culture of the organization should be cultivated to mentor newer employees.
The fact that college and university foodservice employees are sought after by organizations outside this industry
should be leveraged to motivate employees to want to continually grow. Student employees ought to be given
special consideration t they are afforded orded meaningful work opportunities that can help advance their careers
and build their resumes for their future endeavors. Finally, the need for advocacy makes including a human
resource specialist on the foodservice team another success strategy.
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Campus Dining 2030 and Beyond

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Campus Dining 2030 and Beyond