Viewpoint
Handling Workplace Challenges for 2025
by Bob Gershberg, CEO & Managing Partner, Wray Executive Search
Workplaces in 2025 will face significant challenges driven by technological advancements, evolving workforce expectations, and global economic shifts. While the U.S. economy currently enjoys low unemployment and declining quit rates, employee engagement and well-being remain concerning. Low engagement levels often signal deeper struggles within the workforce.
Every year, predictions emerge about how the workplace will evolve. Recent trends focus heavily on Generative AI, expanding ESG agendas, and the rise of contract workers.
These changes present a leadership challenge: inspiring and supporting teams through uncertainty. Employers looking to implement AI adoption or other transformations may struggle if employees feel disconnected from their organizations. The good news is that most people recognize a good job as a crucial part of a fulfilling life, providing meaning, social connection, and community. By improving management practices, employers can enhance engagement and well-being simultaneously, creating a foundation for consistent performance, retention, and organizational growth—especially in uncertain times.
To navigate these challenges, companies must establish clear hybrid and remote work policies, balancing in-office and remote work while maintaining productivity, collaboration, and engagement. AI and automation will continue to reshape industries, making it essential to upskill and reskill employees to work alongside AI-driven tools. Employers must also address ethical concerns surrounding AI decision-making in hiring, monitoring, and productivity, ensuring transparency in these processes.
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Restaurants: Pondering 2025
by John Gordon, Principal and Founder, Pacific Management Consulting Group
Coming into 2025, there were positive restaurant indications: Darden recovered in its December release, getting to SSS stability at Olive Garden and very nice unit and SSS growth at Longhorn, putting in the top three casual dining powerhouses like Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) and Chili’s (EAT) current surge conditions underway. Then, the early January Master Card Spending Pulse indicated that its polled restaurant sales were up 6.3% for the time period 1 November 2024 to December 24, 2024. That would imply positive traffic of a couple of points.
As expected, McDonald’s announced its 2025 McValue menu, which extends the $5 four item meal deal and adds a buy one item full price, get another for $1, This platform is more developed than the prior effort, and is featuring John Cenna, the former WWF wrestler, to serve as value ambassador. The creative is better is something more catchable than the pure price number focus from last Summer. We also wonder if the buy one, get another addition might be check accretive. We should note two other bands of discounting are underway: local deals (from the coop) and then in app exclusives deals. This effort of course will negatively affect the rest of the “QSR Burger” segment due to McDonald’s tremendous marketing fund. One question is whether consumers will opt for the basic $5 offer and then additionally add the Buy One, get another for $1.
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"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way"
-- John Maxwell
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Supporting Food Service Workers in Crisis: Giving Kitchen’s Role Amid the LA Wildfires
By Rebecca Patt, SVP & Partner, Wray Executive Search
As the recent wildfires in Los Angeles devastate communities, food service workers—often facing financial insecurity and limited access to benefits—are among those most impacted. Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit committed to supporting food service workers in crisis, has mobilized its resources to help workers rebuild their lives during this challenging time.
“Food service workers are the backbone of our communities,” says Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, founder of Giving Kitchen. “When a crisis strikes—whether it’s a wildfire, a hurricane, or a personal emergency—our goal is to be a safety net they can count on.”
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How AI Can Help Restaurant Executives Mitigate Real Estate Costs While Growing Their Brands
by Ray Kelley, SVP & Partner, Wray Executive Search
We consistently hear from our clients about their three biggest challenges: labor cost, food cost and real estate cost/real estate availability. In this article, we’ll look at ways the AI can help mitigate real estate cost.
Real estate is one of the most significant fixed costs for restaurants, often determining whether a location is profitable or a financial liability. For restaurant executives planning to grow their brands, finding the right location at the right cost is critical. Yet, navigating real estate challenges—rising rental rates, limited prime locations, and unpredictable market conditions—requires a strategic approach. By leveraging AI-driven insights, restaurant executives can identify optimal locations, negotiate favorable terms, and reduce costs, all while positioning their brands for scalable growth.
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Read the latest on restaurant industry sales from the National Restaurant Association
Total restaurant industry sales
Restaurant sales edged lower in December, but measures of pent-up demand remain elevated.
Restaurant sales ticked lower in December, but gains in other retail categories suggest consumers remain resilient and willing to spend.
Eating and drinking places* registered total sales of $96.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis in December, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That was down 0.3% from November’s upward-revised sales volume of $97.2 billion.
| Check out the December 2024 Restaurant Industry Summary from Compass Restaurant Research & Consulting | Click below to follow our Wray Executive Search LinkedIn page for daily industry news and updates | |
Welcome Monica de la Nuez to the Wray Executive Search Team
We pride ourselves in recruiting superstars for our clients and history proves we have done this well. It is with great excitement and pride that we introduce to you the newest recruit to the Wray Executive Search team.
| Savory Appoints Jessica Moyer Chief Restaurant Officer and Alonso Castañeda Chief Concept Officer |
Church’s Texas Chicken® Announces Changes and New Additions to its C-Suite
Brand Welcomes Navin Sharma as Chief Marketing Officer and Alisa P Cleek as Chief Legal Officer
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GEN Restaurant Group Announces Leadership Change
Jae Chang Steps Down as Co-CEO and Remains Board Member; Chairman and Co-CEO David Kim Takes Over Chang’s Day-to-Day Responsibilities as the Sole CEO
| Scott Mezvinsky Promoted to KFC Division CEO, Effective March 1, 2025 | Krispy Kreme Announces Global Leadership Changes | Pat Hafner Promoted to Executive Vice President, President of Outback Steakhouse | Meritage Announced 2024 Preliminary Unaudited Results; 2025 Outlook: Accelerating Earning Growth | FAT Brands Announces Record and Distribution Dates for Special Stock Dividend in connection with Twin Hospitality Spin-Off | Shake Shack Provides Fourth Quarter 2024 Business Update and Long-Term Targets | Papa Johns Announces Preliminary 2024 Sales and Unit Development Ahead of 27th Annual ICR Conference | Denny’s Corporation Releases Preliminary Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 | Kura Sushi USA Announces Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Financial Results | |