onboarding #coach #training

The floor coach is the trainee's day-to-day partner during Week 1 and Week 2. The coach is not a critic. The coach is a teacher whose job is the trainee's success.

Coach selection

Coaches are chosen by MOD from senior FOH staff (12+ months tenure, demonstrated patience, strong technical skills). Coaching shifts are tracked and counted toward an internal coaching record.

Coach daily routine

1. Pre-shift: 10-minute prep with the trainee — what we're working on today, what to read, what to watch for. Reference the onboarding sequence for the day's article.

2. Service: Position yourself 6-10 feet from the trainee's section or well. Watch. Intervene ONLY to prevent a wreck or guest harm. Take mental notes.

3. Mid-shift check-in: 60-second whispered conversation. "How's it going?" Not a critique session — a temperature check.

4. End-of-shift debrief: 15-30 minutes. Trainee first ("how do you think it went?"), coach second. Write a one-paragraph log entry. The coaching log is reviewed by MOD weekly.

Coach standards

• Feedback is a gift — but it's delivered with respect.
• Identifying coaching moments — correct in real time when possible, off-floor for longer conversations.
• New-hire shadow shifts — the structure of Days 1-3.
• Training philosophy — we hire for character, train for skill.

Coach do's and don'ts

DO:

• Praise specifically. "The way you handled table 3's complaint was textbook." Specific praise is real praise.
• Correct privately. Never in front of guests, never in front of other staff.
• Ask questions. "What did you think went well?" before "Here's what I noticed."
• Document. Coaching log entries are short but consistent.

DON'T:

• Shame in public.
• Reach over the trainee to do their job for them. Let them work.
• Compare to past trainees. Every trainee is their own person.
• Get frustrated visibly. If you're frustrated, find the MOD and trade off.

Coach handoff

Floor coach (Weeks 1-2) hands off to Bar lead (Week 3, bar staff only) at Day 14. Bar lead inherits the coaching log and a 15-minute conversation about the trainee's strengths and growth edges.

Coach burnout protection

A coach typically takes 1 trainee at a time. After 14 days of intensive coaching, the coach gets a 7-day break before being assigned the next trainee. MOD owns the coach rotation.