Human Resources Director at Earls Kitchen + Bar

Suman Dhaliwal

In the professional landscape of 2024, employee retention is becoming an increasingly lofty ambition for employers. Time and time again, employees leave companies to pursue greater compensation, growth and development, and recognition they believe is only available elsewhere. How does an organization achieve employee loyalty and staying power in this landscape, especially in industries with transient workforces? 

Let us begin with a story.

Over 30 years ago, a bright, young gentleman was hired as a dishwasher at a small chain restaurant in Edmonton. Despite no previous restaurant experience or even a prevalent interest in food and drink, this young gentleman took on the task with vigor and ambition and, over the next 30+ years, climbed the ranks from the entry position of the dishwasher—to the role actually titled “Recruit” within this business—he took on increasingly senior roles until years later when he would eventually settle into the position of President and lead the company through some of its most profitable and successful years. This story is not only true, but it is repeated over and over: Mr Mo Jessa, President of Earls Restaurants and approximately 70% of his senior leaders in the company who have risen through the ranks to their current positions are all incredible examples of what can be accomplished when a company meaningfully invests in its people by authentically prioritizing growth and development.

So how does this happen? At Earls, it isn't just one thing—it is a task of weaving the prioritization of growth and development into every aspect of the company. 

It begins with an internal commitment from the top: At Earls, we believe in developing people. With buy-in from the top, the entire company feels the overall culture and commitment to growth and development. Each leader knows that an element of their role is to develop their team members to replace them one day, as they are also being developed for the next role. There are no cogs in the machine here—each role should be filled intentionally with the right person at the right time to ensure overall and personal success for every employee. 

"Managers must be committed to and rewarded for work in this space. We fold employee development and retention into regular KPIs to indicate the value of this work being equitable to sales and profits."

When recruiting, we seek out candidates using a Talent Mindset. While hiring for skills has its merits, we believe that skills can be taught through best-in-class training programs. Rather, we seek candidates who hold our valued attributes, like integrity, emotional intelligence, or curiosity and are aligned with our corporate values and overall brand. 

As mentioned, internal training programs are integral to our success. We build robust training programs, inclusive of both management and leadership skills, not only to ensure those new hires are set up to succeed but also for existing employees to access intentional tools to support their ongoing development and create a powerful vision for their future. 

With great new hires and best-in-class training, we are set up to promote almost exclusively from within. Internal promotion is key to recognizing growth and development and ensuring it continues to serve your company rather than elsewhere. Internal movement is the culmination of the development that has occurred and should be considered the return on investment for employees.

Similarly, managers must be committed to and rewarded for work in this space. We fold employee development and retention into regular KPIs to indicate the value of this work being equitable to sales and profits. Managers are rewarded and recognized for their work towards the growth and development of their people. 

Bringing this to life within a company may be the hardest part. In addition to folding it into metrics like KPIs, a great way to breathe life into this initiative is to powerfully integrate it into the linguistic domain of the company. At Earls, “People Grow Here” is our best-known corporate mantra. Similarly, in the story told earlier, it was explained that the role of the dishwasher was instead titled Recruit since we believe we can recruit the leaders of tomorrow from that entry-level position. This dedication to growth and development in our everyday language sends clear signals to our staff that this is where our values lie. 

While food and drink is our business, our true secret sauce is our corporate culture of growth and development. Employees are hired for talent over skill, are continually invested in and trained, and are ultimately rewarded internally with recognition and promotion. Instead of viewing employees as the work they can produce in their role, we see them for their intrinsic qualities and potential, resulting in employee satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Approaching employees in this unique way results in meaningfully engaged employees, ensuring long-term growth and loyalty—a feat often deemed challenging within a transient workforce.