First made popular by life and business coach, Tony Robbins, the six core human needs encompass the primary emotions driving human behavior — and once acknowledged and properly balanced, can lead to a more satisfying and fulfilled life.

As a manager and leader, there are certainly benefits to understanding how these needs tie into your own life, belief system, and behaviors. However, you can go a step beyond that and view these needs through the lens of your team. Once you do, you'll begin to understand why they do what they do, and on the flipside, learn how to boost satisfaction, deepen engagement and loyalty, and create the change you want to see within your team and culture.

Here are the six needs defined, plus some ideas to create a more balanced needs approach in your restaurant.

1. Certainty

Certainty represents the need for stability, routine, predictability, and security. Your employees need to know that someone is steering the ship and has their backs.

• Offer support, in good times and bad (i.e. enrolling in college, getting married, losing a loved one, mixing up the inventory order, etc.);
• Provide a set work schedule or give ample notice, if possible, when modifications are necessary;
• Keep employees in the loop about changes that may be happening, what they can expect, and how it will affect them;
• Be fair in your actions and avoid favoritism; and
• Aim to always be in control of your emotions. If you can't, temporarily remove yourself from tense situations until you can have a more level-headed approach.

2. Variety

Variety represents the need for excitement, challenge, change, and freshness. Variety and certainty counterbalance one another.

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Carrie Luxem

Restaurant HR Group