Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

equires, and the best means of motivating employees. The processes of job analysis and work
division must be an ongoing part of the manager’s responsibility. They are also the bases for
making decisions about staff size, schedules, and performance standards to be met. (Chapter
11 discusses performance standards in the context of financial management and control for the
food service department.)
Determination of Staff Size
Once the type and number of food service tasks have been determined, job analyses have been
performed, and job descriptions and specifications have been written, managers can begin to
estimate the number of employees required by the operation to perform work that needs to be
accomplished. This is called staffing. The variables that specifically affect how much labor time
the food service department requires can be identified by answering the following questions:
• How much time is allocated for meal preparation and service? Are additional staff needed
at certain times of the day?
• Is the service system centralized or decentralized? (Decentralized systems usually require
more personnel owing to the staffing needed in areas outside the food service department.)
• How efficient are the department’s physical layout and equipment?
• What type of washing system is to be used for service ware and dishware? (When disposable
service ware is used, the time required for washing is greatly reduced.)
• What quality of work is expected from the employees?
Careful consideration of these variables helps ensure that the food service department has sufficient
staff. The manager must next calculate productivity, full-time equivalent (FTE), and
overtime needs based on the number of staff projected.
Estimating Productivity Levels
Staffing requirements must be based on the department’s output. Output is defined as the end
result of a work process, or the transformation of inputs. Output in the nutrition and food service
department includes a variety of meal types and nutritional units of service. Input includes
food and other resources, including labor. Transformation refers to the processes that convert
input to output. The ratio of input to output is defined as productivity.
The use of a preestablished productivity factor allows a food service manager to determine
the staffing required to produce the number of meals provided. The first step in determining a
productivity level is to establish guidelines for calculating a single unit of service or a meal.
Output can be determined as actual meals, which is usually the case for patient meals, guest
trays, late trays between meal nourishments, and infant formulas and feedings when the food
service department purchases and delivers the product. However, for areas such as a cafeteria,
a meal equivalent is used. Meal equivalents are determined by first calculating a meal equivalent
factor.
One accepted method of determining a meal equivalent factor for a cafeteria is to use an
average meal ticket. The average meal ticket is determined by dividing total sales by the number
of customers over a predetermined length of time: average meal ticket = total sales ÷ number
of customers. This figure represents the average ticket for meal service and can be used to
establish meal equivalents. For example, if total sales for the cafeteria equal $550 for lunch and
200 customers were served over a defined period of time, the meal equivalent would be $2.75
($550 ÷ 200 = $2.75). The average meal ticket meal equivalent should be established after gathering
at least one week of ticket averages for lunch. The meal equivalent should be verified on
a quarterly basis. Another method of determining an equivalent meal factor is to use the sum
of the selling price for an entree, starch, vegetable, salad, dessert, bread, butter, and beverage
at the noon meal.
Organization and Time Management
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