As we celebrate the 30th birthday of SAGE Dining Services®, we’re taking a look back at how our programs have evolved throughout the years. In this blog series, we’re covering the different kinds of innovations that have made SAGE a company of firsts.
We already reviewed our approach to food service management and the culinary experience as well as our unparalleled wellness education and food allergy accommodation. In this entry, we’re focusing on the people of SAGE and the training that helps them create exceptional dining experiences.
As we’ve grown to a company of approximately 3,500, we’ve continued to attract creative, enthusiastic Team Members who have a passion for the culinary arts and thrive in our dynamic work environment. The most important characteristics for which we recruit are a great smile and positive attitude. We strongly believe in one-on-one mentoring and fostering career growth — nearly 50% of our Managers are promoted from within, and our turnover rate is less than half the industry standard.
2001-05
New Manager Training – First-year Managers participate in an educational retreat at our Home Office, where they learn about the history of SAGE and have a chance to meet senior leaders as well as fellow newcomers to the company.
2006-10
Code of Professional Responsibility – Managers agree to abide by our Code of Professional Responsibility, which exemplifies our commitment to integrity and moral excellence in all that we do.
mySAGE kiosks – Team Members use our proprietary electronic communication portal to contact their Manager or the Home Office, input their hours, access benefits information, update their personal information, and more.
2011-15
Take 5 training program – Team Members complete interactive training modules that mimic real-life situations and conclude with comprehension tests in HACCP food safety protocols.
Sophomore Seminar – Second-year Managers return to our Home Office to further delve into leadership, communications, and problem-solving skills, with a visit to the historic Gettysburg battlefield to learn leadership lessons from the Civil War.
Junior Year Adventure – Third-year Managers have the opportunity to set learning goals and then travel to another one of our venues to gain hands-on experience.
2016-Today
The SAGE Foundation – Our scholarship program embodies the teamwork and togetherness that have shaped our growth. The SAGE Scholars Grant provides support to eligible dependents of our full-time Team Members to assist in their pursuit of higher education. The SAGE Family Grant is a disaster relief fund to provide financial aid to our Team Members facing hardships that arise out of a qualified disaster.
The SAGE Way – All Team Members complete training in The SAGE Way, which encompasses our objectives, standards, and expectations for our brand, food philosophy, menu design and implementation, style, presentation, and best practices.
Regional Recruiters – To help SAGE Managers find the best talent, our four Regional Recruiters design and place job ads, screen applicants, and maintain an ongoing presence in their local labor market. With this added layer of support, our Chefs can spend more time on what matters most: providing exceptional dining experiences for their communities.
The next edition of this series will be about our sustainability initiatives and programs — stay tuned!
