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Top Workplaces: Our Top 3 Indicators

Each year, Utah Food Services surveys our team to assess our workplace impact. Our managers strive to foster an environment where employees look forward to coming to work.   To accomplish this goal, Utah Food Services works every day to build a welcoming company culture. Our survey results give us reason to celebrate the areas where we have thrived:  communication, appreciation, and open-mindedness.

Our Salt Lake City catering company is humbled to be a recipient of the Salt Lake Tribune’s Top Workplaces award for the third year running. In addition to this recognition, Utah Food Services also received the company award of Appreciation. The Salt Lake Tribune wrote, “Founded by Chef Robert Sullivan in 1994, Utah Food Services is the exclusive caterer for the Salt Palace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City, the Mountain America Exposition Center in Sandy and other Utah venues. Employees know they are the company’s most important asset. “The challenges never end,” said one worker. “The camaraderie to meet these challenges is some of the best I have ever been involved with. They care about me.” Link: https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/11/03/utah-businesses-top/

The top three indicators that make Utah Food Services a Top Workplace:

Communication:

Effective communication can make or break an event.  When managers welcome feedback and encourage new ideas, the catering team feels empowered. This serves as a tool to boost trust and alignment across the organization while creating a transparent decision-making process. Open communication throughout the event cycle begins with clear direction from the client which triggers our interdepartmental planning process, starting with the Sales team and funneling down to the Kitchen, Front of House, Back of House, Bar and Beverage team, and the Floral and Décor designers.

Each team member is crucial to the event plan, event execution, and the final evaluation.  Throughout the process, open communication encourages creativity and improvement.

Appreciation

Studies show that positive reinforcement leads to increased performance.  This is not news to our Utah Food Services management team.   A few techniques we use include the following:

• Employee Parties
• Bonuses
• On the Spot Gift Cards
• Employee of the Month Recognition
• Gifting Real Salt Lake Tickets
• Gifting Utah Jazz Tickets
• Gifting Symphony Tickets
• Promoting from within
• Raffle Prizes
• Years of Service Awards
• Verbal Reminders

Open-mindedness

In order to transcend our biases and enable better decision making, we need to be open-minded and avoid petty politics that damage morale. Kershdon Gatherum, Director of Mobile Catering believes,  “Being open-minded isn’t merely a thing we do to be nice. It’s a requirement to do my job. I have to be able to effectively communicate with a wide range of personalities and people from so many backgrounds. Incorporating differing ideas enables me to do my job better and to be open to change. Being rigid and closed-minded would yield poor performance and sub-par products.”

Utah Food Services would like to take a minute to thank our talented staff for creating a cooperative company culture and thriving environment. This award is a representation and public acknowledgment of what we have known for years, our employees are our greatest assets.

Emma Farr, Marketing Manager at Utah Food Services

Kate Sullivan, Marketing Director at Utah Food Services