New ServSafe Ops App Drives Operational Efficiency for the Hospitality Industry

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Apr 05, 2022, 09:00 ET

The customizable technology empowers restaurant employees and offers measurable results to restaurant owners

CHICAGO, April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Running a restaurant takes a lot of coordination. From the front of the house to back of the house, from managers to dish washers, there are details for which every employee is responsible. Operators looking for every advantage are turning to technology to codify and simplify their training and execution to gain efficiencies. The new ServSafe® Ops app automates a restaurant's standard operating procedures (SOPs) and, at a time when it's harder than ever to engage their workforce, it places productivity in the hands of all employees.

According to the National Restaurant Association 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, for roughly half of operators, recruitment and retention is their top challenge. Restauranteurs are seeking efficiencies in operations that will allow them to focus their efforts on recruitment, efficient onboarding, and ongoing education that builds tenure. With the knowledge that eight in ten restaurant owners started their industry careers in entry-level positions, this focus is imperative to the future of the hospitality industry.

ServSafe, the premier provider of educational resources, materials, and programs that help attract and develop a strong restaurant workforce amassed their knowledge and experience in creating an application that leverages technology to standardize daily operating procedures and enhance an operation's efficiency.

The ServSafe Ops application was developed through a partnership with WorkMerk, a Philadelphia based technology company. The combined hospitality expertise of the leaders of the respective organizations created an app "for restaurant people, by restaurant people."

"Hiring and onboarding employees is harder than ever, and staff expect clear communication about their responsibilities," said Sherman Brown, executive vice president of business services for the National Restaurant Association. "The ServSafe Ops app was created to respond to these needs, while helping to maintain a culture of food safety. The app puts valuable training and information in the hands of restaurant staff and provides the data needed to efficiently manage day-to-day operations."

ServSafe Ops empowers the winning habits of hospitality workers using "nudging," digitization of daily tasks to drive performance, issue reporting and resolution, ongoing training, and access to vital brand specific information. The customizable application enhances a culture of safety and aligns with strategic initiatives by providing verification of task completion, consistency in system wide messaging and enterprise metrics.

"WorkMerk is proud to work with the ServSafe in the creation of ServSafe Ops," said John New, chief executive officer of WorkMerk. "The hospitality industry thrives on standard operating procedures and workforce engagement. Through the digitization of those efforts, we can empower the most powerful workforce in the world who have the incredible responsibility of ensuring food safety for all of us. This customizable application is providing measurable ROI to companies and restaurant groups of all sizes."

Find more information about the ServSafe Ops application here.

About the National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises nearly 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 14.5 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

About WorkMerk
WorkMerk is a veteran-founded workflow technology company that protects and enhances the investments its clients make in people, process, and training. Built upon the belief that employees are born to adapt, and that successful companies empower their people to make ideas and decisions actionable, WorkMerk drives optimization in the workplace by providing technology solutions that nurture communications, create positive habits and improve learning retention. By initiating and validating employee action across workflows, WorkMerk solutions drive measurably better results, helping companies mitigate risk, reduce costs, and increase profitability. Utilizing a key understanding of the marketplace, WorkMerk builds and services mobile applications and web-based management systems. For more information visit www.workmerk.com

SOURCE National Restaurant Association