Why is it important in a service-oriented business like this to attract the best management talent and employees?.
The reason that it is important to attract the best management talent and employees in a service oriented business is because you always want to please your customers. In a business like the restaurant business there are many choices that people can pick from and if they don't like what is offered at your restaurant they will go to the next one. If you have the best management and employees working for your company than chances are they will know what is required to satisfy the customers needs. That is why companies like Outback restaurants offer extremely competitive compensation packages to their top employees and managers, because they know that good employees lead to good customer service.
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Why is the people side of management so important at Outback and what is the company doing to maintain morale and commitment?.
The people side of management is an important part of Outback culture because the goal of the company is to retain its best employees as managers in each individual restaurant. Unlike other restaurants Outback does not want its top managers to transition into the corporate offices, instead it wants them to stay in the restaurant in order to keep it successful. In order to keep the managers in the restaurant and still leave them satisfied with their position Outback offers its employees great compensation and benefits packages. It even offers part ownership in the restaurant to some of its best managers. If the compensation of the manager is tied directly how the restaurant performs than chances are the manager will strive for his restaurant to perform at its optimum.