Back of house (BOH) refers to the areas of a business where customers will not interact directly with the staff, such as the kitchen, the warehouse, the accounting department, etc.
What Are the Differences Between BOH and FOH?
BOH staff typically do not have to interact directly with customers. Front of house (FOH) staff are interacting with customers on a regular basis.
BOH staff help ensure FOH staff can deliver adequate customer service. They work together to provide a great experience for customers.
What Positions Are Considered BOH in a Restaurant?
Typically, the positions that are considered BOH in a restaurant include:
- Head chef;
- Sous chef;
- Line cook;
- Dishwasher;
- Expeditor;
- Delivery driver;
- Kitchen manager;
- BOH manager;
- Maintenance;
- Accountant.
What Positions Are Considered BOH in Retail?
Typically, the positions that are considered BOH in retail include:
- Inventory specialist;
- Stockroom manager;
- Warehouse assistant;
- Retail office professional;
- Accountant.
How to Improve Teamwork between BOH and FOH?
To improve teamwork between BOH and FOH in a restaurant, manager can:
- Share tips between the 2 teams;
- Improve team communication;
- Organize team-building activities;
- Streamline their onboarding process to focus on collaboration;
- Take conflicts seriously;
- Have their staff try different positions.
To improve teamwork between BOH and FOH in retail, manager can:
- Ensure communication between departments;
- Foster team spirit by organizing team-building activities;
- Set common objectives;
- Use digital tools such as employee scheduling software or POS systems.
