Look, we’ve all been there. You’ve got a sneaking suspicion that some of your staff are taking the piss whilst others are grafting their socks off, but you can’t quite put your finger on the evidence. Tracking pub staff performance doesn’t have to be like running MI5 – it’s about being smart, fair, and keeping your punters happy.
Set Clear Performance Standards First
Before you can track anything, your team needs to know what good looks like. This isn’t about being a slave driver – it’s about clarity. Set specific standards for:
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- Customer service – greeting times, product knowledge, complaint handling
- Till accuracy – cash handling, correct change, transaction speeds
- Cleanliness standards – bar area, glass washing, general tidiness
- Punctuality and attendance – turning up on time, shift reliability
- Teamwork – helping colleagues, communication during busy periods
Write these down and make sure everyone knows them from day one. If you need help getting new staff up to speed properly, check out our guide on how to onboard new bar staff the right way.
Track Performance Using Simple Methods
You don’t need fancy software to spot patterns. Keep it simple with these tracking methods:
Daily observation logs: Spend 10 minutes each shift noting who’s doing what. Not lurking in corners like a creep, just being present and aware. Note both good and poor performance – it’s not all about catching people out.
Till reports: Your EPOS system tells you everything. Who’s got discrepancies? Who’s processing transactions quickly? Who’s selling more add-ons? The numbers don’t lie.
Customer feedback: Whether it’s TripAdvisor reviews mentioning staff by name or direct feedback from regulars, this goldmine often gets overlooked. Keep a simple log of what customers say.
Mystery shopper approach: Not literally hiring mystery shoppers, but asking trusted mates to pop in and give you honest feedback about service quality.
Use Technology to Make Life Easier
Our free front-of-house app at SmartPubTools helps landlords track staff performance without the paperwork nightmare. You can monitor till performance, track attendance patterns, and spot trends that might take weeks to notice otherwise.
Regular one-to-ones: Monthly chats with each team member. Not interrogations – proper conversations about what’s working, what isn’t, and how they can improve. Most staff actually appreciate clear feedback.
Team performance meetings: Share overall pub performance (without naming and shaming individuals) so everyone understands how their work affects the bottom line.
Remember, tracking performance isn’t about catching people out – it’s about recognising your stars, supporting those who need help, and making sure your pub runs like clockwork.
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Free Tool for UK Pub Landlords
Used daily at Teal Farm Pub, Washington NE38
The Pub Command Centre handles everything in this article — without a spreadsheet.
Wet GP%, dry GP%, labour costs, beer line cleaning logs (12 lines), HACCP temperature checks, stock ordering, weekly P&L. All in one system. Used every shift at Teal Farm where labour runs at 15.1% against a UK pub average of 25-30%.
On a pub taking £900k a year, running labour at 15% instead of 25% is worth roughly £90,000. That is what tracking it daily — every shift, every week — actually looks like.
£97 once. No subscription. No monthly fee. Works on any phone, tablet or laptop. Setup under 10 minutes. Built and used by a Marston’s CRP licensee with a 5-star EHO rating and 180 covers.
See the Pub Command Centre — £97 →
One-off payment. Works on any device. Used by a working licensee, not a software company that’s never pulled a pint.
SmartPubTools FOH App — Free, Forever
Built by a real pub landlord from the North East. Staff gamification, shift tracking, leaderboards and rota tools — free, no subscription, no credit card needed.
📊 Your EPOS tells you what sold. Pub Command Centre tells you whether you made money.
Real-time labour %, cash position and VAT liability in one dashboard. Built by a working pub landlord. £97 once, no monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Takes 2 minutes · Free forever · Made for UK pubs
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Running your pub on gut feel?
The Pub Command Centre gives you wet GP%, cellar checks, staff cost and weekly P&L — from your phone, every shift. £97 once. No subscription.
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