Selection and retention of managers in the US restaurant sector

Reports on a survey of chain and independent restaurants in the USA designed to learn about current practices in selection and retention of managerial personnel; of 584 surveys sent out, 112 were returned for a response rate of 19.2 per cent. Findings indicate that reference checks, structured interviews and unstructured interviews are the most frequently‐used and effective selection procedures. Chain restaurants are more likely to use structured interviews, credit checks and police checks than independent restaurants. Annual managerial turnover is 18.6 per cent for the combined sample and costs US$8,858 per turnover incident. Chain restaurants report higher and more costly managerial turnover (29.7 per cent for chains against 5.8 per cent turnover for independents; US$11,112 per incident for chains against US$3,386 for independents). Provides two examples of good selection practices.