Facing today’s headwinds surrounding labor shortages, employee retention and effective communication are major concerns for restaurant operators. Keeping employees engaged and informed during their shifts is an ongoing challenge. Communication between employees sets the tone for the entire restaurant, and the back of the house and kitchen are crucial areas where effective communication begins.
Traditionally, cork boards have been used for employee announcements. However, in the age of digital signage, the possibilities for employee communication have expanded. The back of the house has evolved from displaying kitchen-specific information to becoming a platform for regional and national communication, as well as fostering a sense of company culture. “The ability to communicate in real time is coming at us in light years—whether it’s a message from the CEO, a new product, or a campaign,” says David Vance, vice president of quick-service restaurants at Mood Media.
A report by Intel Corporation found that digital signage displays capture 400 percent more views than traditional static signage. “In the early days of digital signage, just a template was created. There is no movement, no CGI, no animation, and employees quit paying attention to it very quickly,” says Vance. “I always ask, have you begun digitizing your kitchen? You digitize your drive thru and dining room. Now you have to digitalize the most important aspect—the back of the house, where every bit of your product and personnel reside.”
Mood Media, “one of the pioneers for back-of-house digital signage,” understands the importance of real estate and screen configuration. Oftentimes, screens will be mounted in a location that is only visible from a small section of the kitchen. With Mood, however, “customers have access to our in-house content creators and engineers that not only build out the content but make sure it’s in the right location in the kitchen,” says Vance. Mood ensures that eye traffic is efficiently captured, ensuring maximum exposure and engagement from employees.
A key concept in this digital revolution is “gamification,” where back-of-house screens are connected to the point-of-sale system, offering real-time statistics and data on employee performance. This creates a sense of healthy competition and encourages employees to strive for improved results.
Companies like Mood understand that customization and curated content is key to success and focus on brand-specific content tailored to the unique needs of each location. “We’re passionate, and we truly believe that digital signage should be centered around the brand’s identity at all times to reach employees,” Vance says. By understanding each location’s core values and aspirations, Mood creates visual content that resonates with the workforce, creating a strong connection between the employees and the brand. This personalized approach enhances company culture and empowers employees to be proud representatives of their organization.
“The very first customer is the employee,” says a representative for Wendy’s, a Mood Media customer. Most businesses say the customer always comes first, of course, but employees should be the priority. If employees are not familiar with the brand’s identity or experience miscommunications throughout the work day, they won’t know what they are working toward or how to conduct themselves to the level and quality of the business, ultimately affecting the customer and the business as a whole.
By digitizing kitchens with Mood Media, quick-service restaurants ensure their employees stay connected to the brand’s vision and are inspired daily to deliver outstanding results.
Check out the Mood Media website to learn about digital signage solutions.
By Olivia Schuster
