Staff training and development in hygiene and cellar management is crucial for running an efficient ship. Here Jeff Singer of Beer Piper and Hance McGhie help explain why.

As the country and its hospitality industry began its post-pandemic recovery, we breathed a collective sigh of relief as punters were able to head back to their local bars and pubs, restriction free, for the first time in many, many months. 

The cheery optimism for the hospitality sector, however, was short lived, as – in the first few months of 2022 alone – the industry faced a series of new challenges that were somewhat unforeseen by bar and pub operators, managers and landlords.

Rising energy costs, soaring inflation, co2 issues, staff shortages and supply issues have conspired together to present a harsh playing field for many, which is bolstered even further by varying levels of consumer confidence and the tightening of purse strings as a nation.

After several lockdowns, Brits are well versed at entertaining themselves at home and creating premium drinks and special occasions for friends and family, so – with such a rocky outlook – what can our much loved and unique pub and bar sector do to run as efficiently as ever, while attracting consumers and ensuring they are always served great quality ales and beers?

Jeff Singer from Beer Piper, the UK’s leading beer line cleaning firm, and Hance McGhie from Chemisphere UK, which manufactures and sells a wide range of top quality cleaning products for the hospitality industry, look at why staff members can make the difference that is required to stand out from the crowd and run a tight yet effective and welcoming ship.

Staff: the key to success?

Hance McGhie says: “With recent reports showing that hospitality staff are working longer hours to keep venues afloat, and the staffing crisis still rumbling on after Covid, it’s more crucial than ever to invest in your team members and ensure they are valued and appreciated. 

“Having engaged, proactive and happy members of staff can make the difference between success and failure, and will have a profound effect on team member retention levels. The most important way to ensure staff members feel this way is with training and support, and considering much of bar work takes place behind the scenes, ensuring that your team is well trained and knowledgeable on cellar management, hygiene and cleanliness and beer line maintenance will result in a tight ship that runs smoothly with no issues. 

“Staff should be trained up properly, and time should be invested in these training sessions. It’s all very well to learn on the job for some aspects of hospitality; drinks creation, service and even the usage of tech in some cases- but hygiene, cellar management and beer line cleaning are all aspects of the role that need special attention and cannot be done “on the job” or picked up during a shift.”

running a tip top cellar

“The cellar is the true engine room of the pub or bar, and should be treated as such” continues Hance.

“Cleanliness is absolutely king, and the cellar needs to be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week with the correct sanitising products and kept clean throughout the day – much like a commercial kitchen. Regular cleaning will prevent the build up of bacteria and also help the air quality to remain tip top. Both of these things can affect beer quality, as dirt and unclean air can make beer go off and increase wastage – or, even worse, produce sub-standard pints for punters. 

“It’s been said that a well-kept cellar can directly increase profits – and we wholeheartedly endorse this notion. But how do you empower staff to keep this side of the business running smoothly?

“Firstly, take the time to train staff in how to clean the cellar itself, maintain the coolers and clean the beer lines. Write up a rota and a day to day guide for what has to happen, and by what time. Make it easy to understand so anyone starting a shift can understand where they are up to and hit the ground running. 

“On top of this, tell them WHY the correct cleaning products need to be used and WHY clean beer lines are so crucial. Explain WHY coolers need to be maintained and the temperature needs to be constant. Topping up knowledge will help staff members to feel engaged and to understand the reasons why certain tasks need to be completed.

“It can be hard to find the time for these kinds of endeavours, but it will absolutely result in the saving of time and money in the long run.”

Beer line cleaning

Jeff Singer comments: “If you think of beer line cleaning and immediately sigh at the thought of arduous, time consuming manual cleans that take staff members out of the picture for hours, you need to consider installing a system that takes care of this aspect of cellar maintenance and does it to the highest standard.

“Our latest BP4 machine uses high tech systems to clean beer lines to perfection – eliminating the need for manual cleans altogether. What’s more, it enables you to sell the beer in the line as it’s being cleaned, saving waste and – critically – saving money.

“For millennial or GenZ staff members, the tech aspect may appeal, as the system uses cloud based technology and a mobile app to run, log and provide real-time information on the cleans. As this age group is usually comfortable with tech and adept at using apps and systems, training them up to use the mobile tech is a great way to keep them engaged and capitalise on their personal skills.

“Again, as Hance said, taking the time to explain WHY clean beer lines are critical for drinks quality is a good way to keep staff members interested and engaged. Beer from unclean lines can be fobbed, flat and taste awful, and – considering cask and craft brewers pour their hearts and souls into their creations – serving sub-par pints is a huge no no and will directly affect sales and customer satisfaction.”

How to inspire productivity in hygiene and cleanliness

Hance adds: “As we have said, hygiene and cleanliness is one aspect of the job, together with customer service, front of house management, food service, drinks creation, the usage of tech/machinery and systems and more.

“The best way to train staff and ensure they are engaged and productive – in all aspects of the job – is to have a dedicated “orientation” procedure, or live introductory training programme. This could take the guise of a two/three hour or longer session where a senior manager or the landlord takes the new staff member or members for a tour of the venue and takes them through all aspects of the job that they will need to know straight away. 

“Including cleanliness procedures in this introductory session will set out your stall from the word go, communicating the importance of running a tight ship when it comes to hygiene.

“As stated earlier, cellar management is worthy of its own training, so carving out the time for a dedicated session will ensure that you run a tight ship behind the scenes.

“Consider producing a handbook or document that can be emailed and presented in person with information and procedures that all staff members will need to know. And ensure any need-to-know information is easily accessible within your venue and cellar. 

“For any specific aspect of the job, e.g. Beer Line cleaning, consider outside training sessions or educational courses that can help staff members to learn the intricacies of each element.

“When it comes to hygiene and cleanliness behind the scenes, nominating one staff member per shift to be the “clean genie” could be a good way to inspire productivity and empower team members to embrace accountability and responsibility.

“Lastly, for all aspects of staff training and development, don’t forget about rewards, praise and encouragement. Having a monthly meal out, free drinks at the end of a shift or even a weekly/monthly “star” with a small prize can do wonders for morale and productivity.”