Philip Eeles of Honest Burgers on using tech to keep his team motivated

By Joe Lutrario

- Last updated on GMT

Hostech podcast Philip Eeles Honest Burgers
Honest Burgers has done a better job than most of keeping its teams engaged throughout the pandemic, using Workplace from Facebook to host everything from 80s-themed HIT classes to interactive conversations about mental health.

Speaking on the Hostech Podcast, co-founder Philip Eeles revealed that 98% of the group's 520 employees log in at least once per week. 

"It's a great tool to put content out and engage with all the team very quickly," he says. "Way before the pandemic we brought some new people into the business at executive level and started to think about what it meant to be a really great people business. Workplace was a big part of that."

During the first lockdown when all of Honest Burgers' sites were closed there were pub quizs, guitar lessons and Honest Conversations, which focused on issues including mental health and Black Lives Matter. 

Now the majority of the better burger group's 44 sites are back open offering delivery, the platform is used to support staff and give them a virtual space to socialise. 

Workplace from Facebook is also used to communicate with staff about rotas and payroll and is fast becoming the Honest Burgers' main technology hub with lots of other systems linking into it.

Eeles also discussed a possible move to kitchen display systems over paper tickets, delivery and integration and reopening the estate when restrictions lift. 

Honest Burgers has been among the casual dining sector's most proactive companies through the Coronavirus crisis, running a successful delivery offering at nearly all its sites, helping out charities and even finding its team work in other sectors.

This podcast is part of Hostech, which is this year running as a special month-long virtual event and editorial series.

A collaboration between BigHospitality and MCA, the multi-media series runs throughout February and includes deep dive guides examining order and payment; back of house technology; delivery and click & collect; and customer marketing.

For more information and to register for our Hostech webinars on 16 February and 16 March click here.​ 

For more insight download our Essential Guide to Back of House Technology here.

 

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