How to Ensure Proper Communication in the Stewarding Department

To have a very good flow in the restaurant, especially in the kitchen which is the heart of the establishment, there should be proper communication within the stewarding department. Proper communication is achieved through the information board which is where information is easily disseminated to the rest of the staff, and it is also achieved through the various meetings that the stewards are required to attend. The Information Board First and foremost, it is imperative that the Stewarding Department have an information board where information can properly be distributed. Secondly, the information board should be located in a place where it is easily seen and just as easily accessed by the stewarding department staff. Last, it should be reiterated to the staff that it is their duty to regularly check the information board so as to keep themselves updated on the status and happenings of the department. What should the information board contain? The information board should be divided into different sections. It should have the general messages, and this should contain messages coming from the hotel management itself as well as from the other departments. There should also be a section for messages directed for the food and beverage department itself, particularly for the stewarding department. Aside from the messages, this section should also contain the working schedules of the staff. Another section in the information board should be dedicated for urgent messages as well as new messages. This should be very prominent on the board, and staffs should make it a habit to check for new and urgent messages daily so as to keep themselves updated. Lastly, a section for “others” should also be given. This is where standard messages of the day are placed. The information board is very important, and, as such, it should always contain updated information. Now, the duty to regularly update the information board rests on the shift leader’s shoulders. Any new, especially urgent, messages on the information board needs to be discussed or disseminated to the rest of the department during their daily stewarding briefing as well as meetings. Daily Stewarding Briefings or Meetings As stated above, daily stewarding briefings as well as meetings are also important aspects of ensuring proper communication. There should be briefings and meetings for each shift to assure proper dissemination of the new information, and attendance of the staff should be made compulsory. However, deciding on other meetings such as weekly stewarding meetings depends upon the chief steward or the head of the stewarding department. It should be noted though that the chief steward still has to coordinate with the food and beverage management in this regard, especially if it is for training purposes. There are a number of reasons why daily stewarding briefings and meetings are done. For one, it is done to better control and manage service readiness. Two, it is done so as to remind the staff of their daily activities as well as to disseminate information such as internal information, etc. Three, it is also done to assess development. This could also include sharing of tips and advices for better service and results. The person who conducts daily stewarding briefings could either be the chief steward, assistant steward, or the shift leader. The length of the daily stewarding briefings should be at least five minutes. There should be a daily briefing calendar for each day, and this calendar has a twofold function. One is to serve as a guide for the person who will hold the meeting, and two is to make the information easily accessible to the rest of the employees.