The Green Solution to Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

The restaurant industry has always faced the challenge of attracting and retaining top-tier employees. High turnover rates, demanding work environments, and increasing competition for skilled labor make it difficult for restaurant owners to build and maintain strong teams. While many solutions have been attempted, one clear and effective strategy has emerged: becoming a Certified Green Restaurant®.

The Green Restaurant Association (GRA), the founder of the green restaurant movement in 1990 and a thought leader in the field of restaurant sustainability, has studied the impact of sustainability on staff morale and retention. The results indicate that most employees prefer working at Certified Green Restaurants®, which can lead to them staying longer, working harder, and taking greater pride in their roles.

The Challenge: A struggle to attract and retain staff

Staff turnover in the restaurant industry is notoriously high, hovering around 70-75% annually, meaning that for every 10 employees hired, seven will likely leave within a year. This constant churn leads to increased recruitment costs, loss of institutional knowledge, and disruptions in service quality.

High turnover rates in the restaurant industry not only disrupt operations but also impose significant financial burdens. The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University estimates that replacing a single front-line employee costs $5,864.

Considering a restaurant with 30 employees and an annual turnover rate of 70%, approximately 21 employees would need to be replaced each year. At an average replacement cost of $5,864 per employee, this results in an annual turnover cost of about $123,144.

These substantial costs underscore the importance of effective retention strategies.

Furthermore, replacing a restaurant manager can cost anywhere from $13,000 to $15,000, which adds a significant burden to restaurants already operating on thin margins.

The Solution: Sustainability as a workplace advantage

Sustainability is more than an environmental commitment — it’s a powerful tool for employee engagement. Certified Green Restaurants® demonstrate to their teams and customers that they are making a real, transparent, and measurable impact on the environment. When employees feel that their work contributes to something meaningful, their job satisfaction increases significantly.

Cone Communications’ employee engagement study shows that 51% of employees would avoid working at a company that doesn’t have strong environmental practices; and 83% of millennials are more loyal to working at a company that is contributing positively to the environment. Restaurant staff are making choices in their personal lives around food, waste, recycling, cleaning chemicals, and more. They want those choices reflected at their workplace. But, they want it to be real; not empty claims and slogans. Staff want to see real, measurable, transparent changes that they trust are helping their restaurant become more environmentally sustainable.

Certified Green Restaurants® have reported higher employee satisfaction and reduced turnover rates, as employees are more engaged and take pride in their workplace’s environmental commitment. Megan Lessert, general manager from Abbey Catering (4 Star Certified Green Caterer) believes certification is a significant source of pride and accomplishment, saying, “Working for a company that actively takes steps toward sustainability fills me with pride. Knowing that our efforts make a real difference creates a rewarding work environment, and it has brought my team closer together as we’ve learned, grown, and implemented new practices.”

Marcus Guiliano, owner of Aroma Thyme Café, a Certified Green Restaurant® for over 20 years, confirms this trend: “50% of my employees are working here because I am a Certified Green Restaurant®,” he said.

This sense of pride leads to higher morale, better customer service, and stronger teamwork. Employees are not just making food or serving customers; they are part of a larger movement that is making a difference.

Sustainable practices foster loyalty and enthusiasm

Staff loyalty is critical in reducing turnover and improving overall restaurant operations. Certified Green Restaurants® report that employees stay longer, are more enthusiastic about their work, and contribute to a positive team culture.

In fact, restaurant owners who have embraced the Certified Green Restaurant® designation have noticed that staff members become more engaged in day-to-day operations. Whether it’s managing waste reduction, participating in energy-saving initiatives, or educating customers on sustainability practices, employees feel empowered to contribute beyond their traditional job roles.

Green certification provides a competitive hiring advantage

With the restaurant labor market more competitive than ever, potential employees have options. Certified Green Restaurants® have an edge in attracting top talent because sustainability is a significant factor in job-seeker decision-making.

Some 78% of staff prefer working at a Certified Green Restaurant®. This means that Certified Green Restaurants® are naturally drawing in more dedicated and invested employees who are motivated by their employer’s commitment to sustainability.

What do the CFO, manager, kitchen crew, and wait staff, plus the HR and marketing teams, have in common?

THE CFO

In the beginning, the CFO’s and accountants are often the most resistant to incorporating sustainability into the business model. But then they see in practice that operational costs are decreasing. Waste, water, and energy bills are decreasing. Efficiency steps are implemented that lower their costs on waste disposables. Employee retention and recruiting become a less costly and more efficient process. They often become the biggest cheerleaders for increasing their sustainability steps and certification levels. 

HR

HR appreciates the quality and quantity of applicants, and the increased level of dedication of the current staff. 

CLEANING STAFF

The staff cleaning the dishes and surfaces appreciate using cleaners that are safer for the environment and the staff. 

MARKETING

The marketing staff have a consistent, varied, and reliable sustainability story to tell upon becoming a Certified Green Restaurant®. They can continue the story when they reach higher levels of certification and implement new environmental steps. The steps that Certified Green Restaurants® are doing are transparent and verified, so marketing departments are excited to tell a story with real teeth.

MANAGER

In 2025, many managers want to implement environmental steps, but they don’t know where to start, which claims are trustworthy, and which ones make the most financial sense. The Green Restaurant Association works with the managers and their vendors to assess the restaurant’s operations and create a customized plan to implement new environmental steps. Managers appreciate having a trusted source to help them know which steps are going to be both good for the environment and for the business.

Educating staff on sustainability

One key component of the Certified Green Restaurant® program is staff education. When employees understand the implemented sustainability initiatives, they become active participants in the restaurant’s mission. Certification provides:

• Staff education: Staff can be trained in green restaurant practices through training manuals and accreditation tests, giving them valuable knowledge on sustainable practices and professional growth opportunities.

• Team engagement initiatives: Restaurants can create team challenges around reducing waste, saving water, or improving energy efficiency.

When employees are educated and engaged, they don’t just do their jobs, they advocate for the restaurant and its mission.

The bottom line: A win-win for owners and employees

Becoming a Certified Green Restaurant® is not just about reducing environmental impact, it’s a strategic business decision that directly improves employee attraction and retention. Restaurants that embrace sustainability stand out in the job market, foster a positive work environment, and build a loyal, engaged team.

With staff members increasingly prioritizing purpose-driven work, sustainability is no longer just an option, it’s a necessity for forward-thinking restaurant owners.

For restaurant owners looking to improve staff retention while making a measurable environmental impact, becoming a Certified Green Restaurant® is a proven solution.

About the Author

Michael Oshman is the founder and CEO of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), an international nonprofit organization formed in 1990 to create environmental sustainability in the restaurant industry. For 35 years, Mr. Oshman has been the most vocal person on the planet to shift the restaurant industry towards environmental sustainability.

Mr. Oshman has been featured in hundreds of media stories, including Time Magazine, NBC Nightly News, NPR, CNN, Fox News, ABC, New York Times, and much more. Mr. Oshman has met with the President’s Council on Environmental Quality under President Clinton and with the Director of the EPA under President Obama. 

As the pioneer of the green restaurant movement, Michael Oshman continues his mission to educate restaurateurs and consumers, affecting change one bite at a time.