Operations and training veteran Susan Lumb has switched to education, although she is still in the restaurant business. Lumb’s career includes stints as vice president of operations for Hard Rock Cafe and as general manager and then regional training director for the Bennigan’s division of Metromedia Restaurant Group. She’s also worked for Marriott Hotels. Lumb joined Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the 105-unit upscale chain based in Heathrow, Fla., as a regional vice president in 2005, but by the end of that year she became vice president of education, a new position for the company, which moved its headquarters to Florida from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
What’s the difference between education and training?
With education, what we focus on is not just the task, it’s the cultural piece, and it’s the soft leadership skills. What we want to do is fully engage the heart and mind of all our people, every day. Full engagement is relationship driven. We’re in the relationships business, not the food business.
How do you create relationships that will engage employees?
We understand [employees] have lives outside of the restaurant business. They have other interests and we are truly committed to a lifestyle balance.
Our people work four days a week, not five days, so they have three days to plan a life. We allow them to switch in and out of shifts with approval. We’re very open to being flexible with their lives, and they appreciate it. When we don’t invade on their personal time, it shows we care about them.
Our turnover is about half, if not less than half, of the industry average. We do not experience a lot of turnover because, again, it’s about relationships and creating a family environment.
What makes it like family?
Showing we care. We have the Ruth Fund, which is completely staff-funded through voluntary payroll deductions. The money is earmarked for crisis situations in the lives of our employees. The fund has never been depleted. We have a family meal for the staff every day of the week. The kitchen staff cooks it, and all the employees have an opportunity to sit down and eat together in the dining room.