Why You Can’t Build a High-Performing Hospitality Team Without Measuring What Matters

Here at THC, we say to clients, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” That’s never truer than when it comes to building a high-performing team. Whether you're running a café, restaurant, or bar, measuring key aspects of team performance and individual roles separates thriving businesses from those that struggle with inconsistency and staff turnover.

1. Measuring Creates Clarity

In a busy F&B environment, assumptions can be dangerous. When expectations aren’t measured, they’re rarely met. Measuring key metrics—such as speed of meals, guest feedback scores, sales ratios (e.g. main to starter ratio), or even checklist completion rates—ensures that managers and team members are aligned on what “great” looks like. This clarity removes guesswork and helps every team member understand how their performance contributes to the bigger picture. These performance metrics should be clarified on day one, measured over the first 90 days and then reviewed and discussed every quarter thereafter.

2. What Gets Measured Gets Improved

Tracking performance creates accountability and momentum. For example, if your front-of-house team knows their average guest satisfaction score or wait time between placing the first drink order and delivery, they’re more likely to take ownership of those results. Measurement provides a mirror—it reflects how we’re doing and where we need to level up. It encourages small, consistent improvements that compound over time.

3. Measurement Fuels Coaching and Recognition

Great hospitality leaders don’t just manage—they coach. But you can’t coach a team effectively without insights (data-driven) into what’s working and what’s not. Objective measures allow managers to move beyond gut feelings and provide specific, actionable feedback. It also creates opportunities to recognise top performers. Celebrating measurable wins—like a bartender achieving a 25% bar snack to drinks ratio or a kitchen team hitting prep target times or all mains delivered in the 25-minute time target—reinforces the behaviours you want more of.

4. It Drives Engagement and Retention

Our experience over the past 20 years has been that high-performing teams are often the most engaged. They will likely stay when team members can see their impact and track their growth. Measurement creates a culture of progress. It shows individuals they’re improving, learning, and succeeding—this is particularly powerful in a hospitality industry where burnout and turnover can be high.

If you want to build a high-performing hospitality team, don’t rely on hope or instinct. Start measuring what matters. From guest experience to internal selling ratios, clear metrics bring focus, drive accountability, and help unlock your team’s full potential. In the best-performing hospitality businesses, measurement isn’t just about numbers—it’s about creating a culture of excellence.

Would you like to know more about building a high-performing team in 2025? Would you like to get advice on the key performance metrics for F&B employees? Book a FREE Coaching Session with one of our expert Hospitality Business Coaches.

Book HERE