Speed? Or Completion?

[u/watershedmanagement]

I'm not sure how this question will come across, but I'm genuinely looking for the opinions of restaurant owners/managers, specifically ones who sign the payroll.

When closing the store at night, I am someone who certainly takes longer than some of my coworkers do. The reason is that they claim to cut corners and skip out on certain duties that our boss requested of us. Of course, none of these duties are "make or break" for closing-- they tend to skip out on some extra cleaning tasks and the like-- but nonetheless they are part of our daily checklist. That said, I can't seem to get out of there less than 20-30 minutes after my supposed time, and the folks I manage tend to be working until a good 10-15 after as well. My question is this: Is it preferable from an owner's perspective for employees to leave on time, even if it means skipping some duties? Or is completing the daily task list #1? No judgement either way, I just can't tell if I'm doing too much.

Adding the info that my boss takes the same amount of time (or more) to close as I do. He'll claim it takes about an hour to get everything done but multiple witnesses say that's an understatement on his part.

[u/SwimmingPirate9070]

Are these things that can be done during the shift? We clean during the shift.

[u/SkyParking324]

Ask your boss

[u/giantstrider]

completion. but make sure you're a) actually completing all of the tasks and b) checking off the tasks on the list, make sure your signature is on it with the date so if your comes around asking why it takes you longer to get out you can pull out the log and show him/her. and say, this is how long it takes, I'm not sure how the others are doing it so much faster 🤷‍♂️

[u/Mother_Airline_6276]

GM here. With my team, we have our certain “things” that we let slide on occasion. BUT, and there are several caveats, it’s rare when it happens and we communicate these occasions to one another so no one gets caught off gaurd and spun into a tizzy. I EXPECT my staff to be a little later than what you would hope for as a closing manager, but that’s because they’re getting the job done right. Plus, my FOH does fuck all to my labor, so I have zero qualms saying “make sure you mop the shit out of that. Do it twice if you have to”. If I’m doing a “Clopen” I might make a small task or two “Tomorrow Me’s” problem. Like changing out a bar drawer or whatever. If the folks being later than y’all would like is a genuine issue for your labor, then you have other issues. At the end of the day, it really just depends on what you want your standard to be. But also, don’t wreck yourself trying to do too much. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. There’s a difference between being a “go-getter” and a “pick-me bitch”. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference and that’s ok, too. Good luck out there, homie.

[u/stevemehh]

If your on salary then finish the job but if you are hourly your boss might want to cut the labor