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Through its talent training programme 'LEAD', the restaurant chain enables potential talents to develop and refine their skills while benefitting from mentorship by management and leaders.
The food and beverage (F&B) industry has encountered persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled professionals. In response, F&B companies and restaurants with visions have continuously reevaluated and enhanced their approaches to providing employees with thorough and tailored training programmes and ample opportunities for career advancement. By adopting this strategy, team members would be empowered to cultivate indispensable competencies and advance into key managerial positions, where they significantly contribute to guiding teams and introducing groundbreaking concepts to maintain their brands' competitive edge within the industry.
One such innovative initiative comes from Japanese Chain Restaurants (JCR), a renowned restaurant chain with over 200 outlets across Hong Kong and Asia. They've rolled out an exciting talent training programme called 'LEAD', designed to nurture future leaders with exceptional managerial potential.
In a bold move to tackle the talent shortage in the industry, the programme is designed to provide individuals with the opportunity to undergo comprehensive and cutting-edge training. Participants will have the chance to develop and refine their skills while benefitting from mentorship by management and leaders.
Leading the way with a comprehensive programme
The LEAD programme, which stands for "leadership, experience, application, and development", is designed with the following objectives in mind:
- Identifying and selecting talented individuals with the potential to be shaped into exceptional District Managers through comprehensive training.
- Fostering the development of leadership skills and promoting core values among programme participants, empowering them to become influential leaders within their districts and the organisation.
- Enhancing job-specific skills is crucial to effective district management, ensuring that participants are well-equipped to handle the challenges and responsibilities inherent in their roles.
This eight-month programme is structured to cultivate future District Managers by improving their leadership skills, job-related abilities, and core values. Participants will undergo leadership competency assessments, set goals, and choose branches to implement business enhancement projects. They will participate in learning activities, submit progress reports, and undergo midterm and final performance evaluations, culminating in the presentation of their business improvement plans. The essence of this LEAD programme is that it highlights practical application, continuous improvement, and preparing participants for higher management roles.
To facilitate effective guidance, every participant is paired with a mentor to foster the exchange of knowledge and expertise. The mentor serves as a guide and provides counsel to the mentee, drawing from their personal experiences as a source of inspiration and learning.
To harness the full potential of its participants, the programme is designed to tailor a comprehensive experience that highlights and nurtures each individual's unique talents and capabilities. Throughout the programme, individuals will hone their skills in training sessions and practical exercises, culminating in the presentation of their business enhancement plans. The programme focuses on problem-solving, critical thinking, and preparing participants for higher management positions.
Looking toward the future
Through rounds of sharing experiences, certified training in professional supervisory skills, and participation in industry events and overseas exchange and training opportunities, JCR can better understand the gap between individual capabilities and the standards and expectations. This will enable employees to refine the training methods and empower their team members to become "LEADers" as they progress on the journey.
People are key to business success, especially in the food and beverage industry, which emphasises quality so much. Well-structured programmes like LEAD foster leadership competencies, cultivating teams to become collaborative, caring, and growth oriented. In the rapidly changing industry, this may become the key differentiator for a brand like JCR to identify, recruit, develop, and retain a strong talent pool in the long run.
Photo / Provided
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