Prime Cost Advisors

Here are 3 of the 6 steps our in-house HR expert shares regarding this difficult topic. You can read the full list in the blogpost on our website @ primecostadvisors.com

1. Investigate Before Acting - Make sure you have the full picture before moving forward. Gather specifics regarding what the rumor is or who it is about, who is spreading it, and what channels it is being spread through. Speak with witnesses discreetly, and document what you find before taking action.

2. Address the Rumor Spreader(s) Directly – If you are able to discern who is starting the rumors, conduct a meeting with them and make sure to reiterate your company’s policies and why their actions violate the workplace conduct expectations.

3. Support the Employee Who Was Targeted – Check in with the employee(s) affected. Acknowledge what happened and let them know steps have been taken to ensure they feel safe and respected.

When your staff feels appreciated and well taken care of, they're more likely to stay and provide valuable service for your restaurant. One way to make sure your employees are taken care of is by offering health insurance — which might seem impossible if you don't know about ICHRA!

Click through to learn about ICHRA, and then send us a DM to schedule your free consultation with our benefits experts!

We'll help you stop the bleeding.

Our consultants know the ins and outs of the industry because they've worked in restaurants for years. Send us a DM to schedule a free consultation with one today.

When Christi works with your restaurant, you're getting more than a consultant. You're getting someone who has sat in your seat — and knows exactly where to look.

Christi has a particular talent for financial forensics. She has an exceptional ability to dig beneath the surface of a client's books and POS system to uncover hidden discrepancies, systemic inefficiencies, and overlooked cost drivers — the kind of issues that can quietly erode margins for months or years without ever raising a red flag.

She has become a trusted resource for clients in untangling complex bookkeeping problems and delivering practical, actionable solutions.

To ensure your company is protected, here is what you need:

Core documentation
✔ Signed at-will acknowledgment (standalone, not buried in the handbook)
✔ Offer letters that reinforce at-will status
✔ Performance reviews with documented warnings before termination
✔ Termination checklist completed for every separation

Handbook must-haves
✔ Clear at-will disclaimer (first page + acknowledgment signature page)
✔ Anti-discrimination/harassment policy with reporting procedures
✔ Progressive discipline process (advisory — don't make it a binding promise)
✔ FMLA, ADA, and workers' comp retaliation protections
✔ Social media, confidentiality, and acceptable use policies
✔ Complaint/investigation procedures

Need more information or help ensuring your company's policies and handbook language are up to date? Reach out to us and let's review your HR documents together!

Don't leave something this important up to chance. Let us help you put the right policies in place from the start.

You got into the restaurant industry because you have a passion for it — but the back office stuff...not so much.

We understand small business *and* we understand the restaurant industry — because that's our speciality. Let us handle the back office so you can focus on the parts you're passionate about.