Get out of the operation
The dining team at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst works to foster buy-in around the department’s vision and strategic goals through a strong culture, says Ken Toong, executive director of auxiliary enterprises. That culture involves offering opportunities for education outside the kitchen or dining room. To broaden staffs’ horizons, Toong takes his team on tours of food outlets and schools, brings them to conferences and hosts a departmental retreat.
Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., also finds ways to bring staff together outside of work. Dining services runs contests between its different units, and employees of winning units receive prizes such as tickets to an amusement park. “It’s another opportunity to get away from the everyday and have fun with the people you work with,” says Ryan Wheeler, unit marketing specialist for the operation.