Blue Mountain is a small operation, with only a couple of tables and two overstuffed chairs. The shop is open seven days a week, with extended summer hours to promote its selection of locally-made ice cream to the after-dinner crowd. Initially Jay Koch ran the shop by himself. But as many coffee shop owners (or any small business owner) can attest, he couldn’t do it all himself. He needed to bring in help.

He notes that hiring employees for a shop of his size is difficult; he needs responsible individuals who can work alone, but he can’t afford to pay the wages that attract this caliber of individual. Despite these challenges, Koch’s employees are all friendly, knowledgeable people who focus on the customer. His recommendation to new coffee shop owners: “Hire people who really like coffee. They seem to care more.”

Coffee Shop Positions

The types of positions that need filling are relatively simple:

¨      Barista – Prepares and serves espresso drinks

¨      Cashier – Works the register, assists with drip coffee orders, and retrieves baked and to-go foods for customers

¨      Chef and/or prep cook – The chef develops the menu and prepares food. A prep cook may be hired to assist with food preparation, or may be hired in smaller shops in lieu of a higher-priced chef.

¨      Manager – Provides oversight, orders and receives supplies, completes paperwork

Depending on the size of your store, individuals may double up on duties. For instance, the barista may double as the cashier and the sandwich maker, and you may find yourself acting as a barista and a manager.

Above all, you are going to want to hire for personality. If your barista makes a great drink but offends your customers, or worse, makes them feel dumb, you’re going to lose market share—and fast. Waiting on people is a tough job, and a lot of customers can be downright rude. You need to find someone who will be enthusiastic, even in the early hours, and who makes your customers feel welcome. You also need someone who can handle the cranky customers with grace.

Once you decide to hire staff, you’ll need to post state and federally-mandated posters in areas where your staff will see them. Contact your state labor office for the regulations in your state.

The federal Department of Labor has created an online “poster advisor” to help you determine what federal posters are required for your shop. Visit http://www.dol.gov/elaws/asp/posters/ to find and download posters. This is a very convenient service because many of the posters can be printed from your home or work computer. Posters you may be required to display include, but are not limited to:

¨      The Employee Polygraph Protection Act

¨      The Fair Labor Standards Act

¨      Occupational Safety and Health Act

Be sure you are also familiar with both federal and state requirements for employment standards, such as minimum wage and break times. Start with your state labor office for assistance with this topic.

1 2  3  4  | Next Page