Dishroom CEO Shamil Thakrar believes that ensuring a peaceful workplace is an essential mission for any self-respecting restaurateur. He offers his employees five days of free vacation every year.
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Dishroom is an Indian restaurant group that has earned a reputation as one of the best hospitality brands in Britain since 2010. Now that the hype is skyrocketing, it has 1,500 employees whom the CEO and co-founder considers a very large family. That is precisely why he has launched a program aimed at building staff loyalty. Benefits include a trip to India to reward employees who have been with the company for 5 years or more. The program is called Bombay Bootcamp and offers a 5-day group vacation. 
"I don´t think you can have a happy customer without a happy team."
The atmosphere to which the creators of Dishroom aspired to create was that of Iranian cafes in the ´60s, warm and homey.
"Iranian cafes were like a melting pot, also cultural centers, where people from all walks of life shared the same space. We could have multiple locations, but the consistent thing is the way you are welcomed and treated. It should always be that way. We believe that for the clients and also for our staff."
"Bombay Bootcamp is great," says Thakrar, "because it gives staff a chance to get a feel for the food and culture that inspired us. Staff can taste and learn about some of the staples of the few remaining Iranian cafes. We invest a lot of time in training and development. One of the advantages is that you can focus on common cultural foundations. You'll have someone who has grown up with the business, who knows the different aspects of it. I think that's one of the things that helps us. When people look at us, they see a future. They see a career."
The company has been honored as one of the top four in Britain for what concerns working conditions; not surprisingly, according to the CEO, a healthy working environment is the only possible condition for making the relationship lasting. To hire someone, it is enough to guarantee a salary, but to convince employees to stay you need unlimited ideas like those of the Dishroom Group.
Source: raconteur.net
Photo: @Dishroom
