Officially a Very Good
Company to Work For
Officially a Very Good
Company to Work For
Officially an Outstanding
Company to Work For
Officially an Outstanding
Company to Work For
Officially a World Class
Company to Work For
Officially a World Class
Company to Work For
Officially a Good
Company to Work For
Officially a Good
Company to Work For
Officially a Global*
Good Company
to Work For
Officially a Good
Company to Work For
Globally*
SIZE MATTERS AT Britain's Best Big Company to Work For, TGI Friday's. There is no scrimping on portions or personalities at the casual dining restaurants where high spirits are always on the menu. Fun-loving team members get generous helpings of job satisfaction while guests demolish servings of loaded potato skins and cocktails. Friday's — as those in the know affectionately call the 66-strong-chain —has its own vernacular. The word staff is outlawed, its use punishable by forfeit at training sessions. Only “family” or “team members” work for the group. The person carrying Jack Daniel's-glazed sesame chicken strips to the table is not a waiter or a waitress but a “dub-dub”, who, quite possibly, is “on-the-fly” — which means doing it superfast. The chain started life as a Manhattan singles bar in 1965, arriving on British shores 20 years later where it swiftly gained popularity. By 2008 when chief executive Karen Forrester took the helm, however, the brand needed reinvigorating. Her strategy was to put TGI's people at the heart of the corporate revamp, as she explains: “We sell experience to our guests, an emotional connection, and we can only do that through people. The food, the drinks, the environment are all ancillary to that.” The recruitment process ensures big personalities shine. Jobs are won at “auditions” instead of interviews, where applicants do a little party piece such as play an instrument. “You recognise a Friday's person instantly,” according to Forrester. Emma Kerslake-Smith, general manager of TGI Friday's in Poole, Dorset, says Friday's people always hit it off. “We all think the same things, we all work in the same way. It doesn't matter who you're with or whether you've met them before you just kind of click with them straight away,” says the forensic science graduate who started as a part-time dub-dub while at university. Kerslake-Smith met her husband when they both worked at TGI Friday's, and he is now manager of the Southampton restaurant. Although she graduated with a first, she was “drawn in” to the Friday's culture, she says. She won regional general manager of the year 2014. TGI Friday's receives three unbeaten positive scores for employees feeling a strong sense of family (82%) in fun (86%) teams that they get a buzz out of working with (77%). The chain is expanding apace and opened six new restaurants — known as “stores” inhouse — last year, and re-opened another. “Crew on view” open kitchens are part of the new-look restaurants. Seven new sites are opening this year, 10 planned for 2016. New teams are trained by “new store opening” — NSO — coaches, who are current employees. NSO coach Dan Root, kitchen shift leader at the Lakeside, Thurrock, branch, trained new starters at launches in Norwich, Braintree, Manchester, Liverpool and Gloucester last year, working at each for five weeks. “I get a real buzz out of training a whole brand new team from day one,” he says of the recruits with no kitchen experience, who by the final week have become competent line chefs. A job at TGI Friday's is good for personal growth, say employees (80%), and they love working for the chain (79%) — both unbeaten scores. www.tgifridays.co.uk
My team is fun to work with
Karen Forrester, TGI Fridays UK Managing Director, is much loved, valued and respected throughout the company. She is regularly seen in the stores and will always take time with the team. This is also true of the company's new open stores, where Karen and her Exec team take a day to spend with the new Fridays family members to welcome them to the brand. If a key message needs to be delivered to the team, Karen will create a video message which will then be posted onto TGI Fridays social website, and a link is sent directly to their mobile phones.
I feel that my manager talks openly and honestly with me
There are many team building events which run across the year at TGI Fridays. The company's team challenge begins in February, where each of their stores goes through a review process to ensure everyone in their organisation meets the behavioural and ability criteria. Each staff member is then asked to re-certify to ensure they have the knowledge to be efficient in their role, and then they are observed to ensure they display TGI Fridays brand promise to their guests. This is a store activity so that no one is left behind. The store will be visited by a Director of Operations to sign off, the opportunity is used to reward and recognise key individuals who may have stood out in the journey. A series of additional targets and competitions all count towards the aim of finding the very best store. The final event will be a Senior Leadership visit at peak, again taking the opportunity to reward, recognise & energise the teams. The scoring will then determine a regional winner and that store will receive £1K towards a team event. The overall 2nd place store, will receive £100 for every member of the team, and finally the winning store will not only be crowned store of the year, but every member of the team will receive an extra weeks' pay, which they receive the week before Christmas. This is not only a much coveted accolade, but a very welcome sum of money which is cited as giving them a Christmas to remember.
I believe I can make a valuable contribution to the success of this organisation
There are many team building events which run across the year at TGI Fridays. The company's team challenge begins in February, where each of their stores goes through a review process to ensure everyone in their organisation meets the behavioural and ability criteria. Each staff member is then asked to re-certify to ensure they have the knowledge to be efficient in their role, and then they are observed to ensure they display TGI Fridays brand promise to their guests. This is a store activity so that no one is left behind. The store will be visited by a Director of Operations to sign off, the opportunity is used to reward and recognise key individuals who may have stood out in the journey. A series of additional targets and competitions all count towards the aim of finding the very best store. The final event will be a Senior Leadership visit at peak, again taking the opportunity to reward, recognise & energise the teams. The scoring will then determine a regional winner and that store will receive £1K towards a team event. The overall 2nd place store, will receive £100 for every member of the team, and finally the winning store will not only be crowned store of the year, but every member of the team will receive an extra weeks' pay, which they receive the week before Christmas. This is not only a much coveted accolade, but a very welcome sum of money which is cited as giving them a Christmas to remember.
My team is fun to work with
Karen Forrester, TGI Fridays UK Managing Director, is much loved, valued and respected throughout the company. She is regularly seen in the stores and will always take time with the team. This is also true of the company's new open stores, where Karen and her Exec team take a day to spend with the new Fridays family members to welcome them to the brand. If a key message needs to be delivered to the team, Karen will create a video message which will then be posted onto TGI Fridays social website, and a link is sent directly to their mobile phones.
I feel that my manager talks openly and honestly with me
There are many team building events which run across the year at TGI Fridays. The company's team challenge begins in February, where each of their stores goes through a review process to ensure everyone in their organisation meets the behavioural and ability criteria. Each staff member is then asked to re-certify to ensure they have the knowledge to be efficient in their role, and then they are observed to ensure they display TGI Fridays brand promise to their guests. This is a store activity so that no one is left behind. The store will be visited by a Director of Operations to sign off, the opportunity is used to reward and recognise key individuals who may have stood out in the journey. A series of additional targets and competitions all count towards the aim of finding the very best store. The final event will be a Senior Leadership visit at peak, again taking the opportunity to reward, recognise & energise the teams. The scoring will then determine a regional winner and that store will receive £1K towards a team event. The overall 2nd place store, will receive £100 for every member of the team, and finally the winning store will not only be crowned store of the year, but every member of the team will receive an extra weeks' pay, which they receive the week before Christmas. This is not only a much coveted accolade, but a very welcome sum of money which is cited as giving them a Christmas to remember.
My team is fun to work with
Karen Forrester, TGI Fridays UK Managing Director, is much loved, valued and respected throughout the company. She is regularly seen in the stores and will always take time with the team. This is also true of the company's new open stores, where Karen and her Exec team take a day to spend with the new Fridays family members to welcome them to the brand. If a key message needs to be delivered to the team, Karen will create a video message which will then be posted onto TGI Fridays social website, and a link is sent directly to their mobile phones.
Companies offering a minimum of 26 days annual leave to all employees.
Companies offering profit related pay to all employees.
At least 40% of senior managers are women.
If you like what you see here and would like to know more about working for a
3 Star
organisation, simply click the link for further information about careers with
TGI Fridays
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