chick-fil-a manager retention issues

Jennifer BurnhamMatthew Hoffmaster

Matthew MartinHannah SimmonsAmanda Simula

It’s a Great Day at Chick-fil-A!

Mooresville Chick-fil-A• Worked with the operating partner, Darin

Wiggins

• Turnover issues with new managers• The last three Assistant Managers left the franchise

within a year of their hire date

• Methodology• Email• Topics• Surveys• Interviews• Analysis

CultureBased on biblical principles

Closed on Sundays

Culture very family-based

Dedicated to philanthropies

ASA• Employees Are drawn in by the culture

• Hired based on their propensity to fit in well with the company

• If new managers do not feel accepted or like the culture, there will probably be attrition

~• Cannot hire a good manager who engages

in behavior such as moonlighting at a strip club because it would upset the corporation

CultureCurrent managers all love the culture

Those managers believe the feelings are shared

Not everyone is as good of a “fit” as it may seem to managers:

All front-line employees said that they “fit well” but either:

did not like the culture “much”did not like the culture “at all”

Possibly, managers that left did not fit with the culture as much as they or management expected

CultureOrganizational culture should fit mission, values, and goals

Self proclaimed “Keys to Success:”

Customer serviceProduct qualityFranchisee relationsEmployee relationsPhilanthropies

CultureDiscrepancy between corporate beliefs and employee beliefs:

Team-members placed low significance on franchisee relations and employee relations

Employee relations ranked MUCH HIGHER in Mooresville store than the other store. (more on this later)

Socialization• Ongoing process of internalizing

organization’s culture

• No formal rituals practiced when new management came on board

• Team members felt that formal introduction of new management was important• Build respect for new management • Feel more accepted and comfortable in new position

CultureMooresville Store:

More family members who work thereMore friends at workPlace more emphasis on prior experienceBelieve “employee relations” more important than other location

Mooresville store could have a more developed culture leading to barriers to change, and lack of acceptance of new managers

Is the Cultural Pressure Too Much?

“We are watched very closely by Chick-fil-A... It's very weird.”

Personal questions often asked during interviews:

Marital statusNumber of dependentsInvolvement in community, civic, social, church, and professional organizations

Family members of prospective operators are often interviewed

Job Satisfaction• Idea that high performers having a

reduced probability of turnover as job attitudes elevated

• Current managers have a high level of job satisfaction

• Excited by the values of Chick-fil-A• Specifically Christian virtues and family values

• Front line employees think highly of management’s performance

• Clear that job satisfaction would have a tremendous affect on retention

Conclusions• Maintain a policy of seeking out managers that

hold the same family values and Christian virtues

• Promote from within as much as possible

• Essential to have some previous restaurant experience, preferably another Chick-fil-A location

• Current managers be a part of the interviewing process

• Formal introduction policy be established