excerpt:
“The firm spends an average of $2,000 on training per hourly worker each year. Everyone within the organization benefits from training and development initiatives. Servers get two weeks of on-the-job training. Candidates vying for a managerial position receive 12-week development courses. Even dishwashers are included in training initiatives.One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turn­over rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent. Workforce development programs also contribute to high consumer satisfaction rates, loyalty and repeat visits.
Much of the company’s training efforts, as one might expect, center on its serving staff. “Servers are on the front line. They are our public face,” Wensing says. Servers are a key component in the “Cheesecake Factory experience”—the hassle-free, friendly and fun dining that Oscar and Evelyn Overton envisioned. And since servers make up 40 percent of the total workforce, the company takes their training seriously.”

What is amazing about this excerpt is indicitive of the value that high-end companies place on training.  When was the last time you heard about dishwashers getting training?  How about wait staff having two solid weeks of training? As for their managemnet training, it is ongoing and extensive. 

What does this translate into?  A great customer expereince.  Lower turnover.  Happier employees.  Most importantly, is higher revenue.  Hard to argue with a successful business model.