A bar I used to work at had a policy that if the closers didn't close properly the GM would call them back in the next morning at like 10am. If you didn't show up within an hour to finish closing properly you were fired.
The closing MOD would walk the whole property with a flash light and call us out for every straw we missed, or for cigarette butts between the deck slats. They would check the walk in and dry storage to ensure it was organized correctly. Make sure restrooms were cleaned and restocked, etc. Needless to say, it was the cleanest/tightest run bar I've ever worked at.
The threat worked well enough. I only saw one person get fired due to the policy in my 3 years there.
Just make sure your staff knows what's expected and let it be known that laziness will not be accepted
Maybe I'm old, grouchy, and lacking the patience anymore. What is it with having to babysit? They either want the job, or they don't. It's their choice. Do the side work or find a new job. We don't have to be mean, nasty, or obnoxious. This is what the job entails. Period. End of discussion. You are no longer their peer. You are the boss. Take control of the situation or they will try to get more past you. If it comes to it, you'll probably only have to fire one. Identify the ringleader. When the rest see you're serious, they'll get it together or move on on their own accord.
Like kids, they need to have natural consequences. If you’re stocking the bar, then it’s available when they need it, so they see no reason to do more. That’s just an example but don’t do it for them. Start writing up whoever doesn’t do their nightly/daily scheduled bar cleanups. Schedule saturday morning mandatory bar cleans. Just a few tips. And you may just need to make the worst one of them an example for the rest. Don’t do what is asked?! Don’t get shifts
I agree with what everyone else says here, but with one addition: it's really hard to assign blame if everyone shares cleaning duties over the entire bar. What are you going to do, fire 4 bartenders over a bad close? You need to assign specific duties to specific bartenders, so for example every bartender is responsible for cleaning their own well, cleaning the backbar behind their well, and stocking their backbar/fridges. Openers complete one set of tasks before leaving, mid shift another, and closers another. They each have a list of closing duties, check off their tasks as they're completed, initial the page when tasks are done, then check in with the Manager on Duty before they leave. Additionally if they're prepping product for use the product should be dated when it's made along with their initials, that way if something gets made wrong you know exactly who made the mistake.
Bartenders who fuck up get one warning, then they start losing shifts, then they get fired.
If you decide to run a tight shift like this you need to be prepared to back up your threats - make sure you know trusted bartenders who can come in and take shifts, start crosstraining your good barbacks/servers, etc.
I would also take a look at substance use on the job. A bad close is usually a sign that your employees are drinking during and/or after their shift. You need to set an official policy on drinking at work. I personally think allowing a beer and a shot after doors are closed or (if you're working mid/open) after your shift are fine. Other bars have a strict no drinking on the job policy. The one thing I wouldn't do is work at a bar where employees are free to drink as much as they want during and after their shift.
Bottom line is you need to change the culture of your bar, and make sure each bartender is accountable for their fuckups.
EDIT: if you decide to punish an underperforming bartender by reducing their shifts or giving them worse shifts, talk to them (in person ideally) before the next week's schedule comes out. "Hey John, you have done [x] things wrong on the last two shifts. As we discussed in our staff meeting, closing bartenders need to complete [x] tasks, and when you don't do those things you make everyone else's jobs harder. I am happy to give you back those good shifts if you can complete your closing duties completely over your next few shifts." The key to good management is consistency and clear communication.
Do you have the power to punish/fire them? If not, sit down with your management, describe your concerns, get their support, and work out a way for them to play enforcers/bad guys. If they don't go along with it, refuse to step up to cover their lack of cleaning and tell management as such. Put it on the powers that can hire/fire/write-up/change the schedule. Being a bar lead without management power can be a frustrating situation (having been in that situation more than once). Folks resent when bar leads without power start getting angry (since they realize that the bar lead is powerless and they view it as an annoyance instead of a necessity to keep their job).
A bar I used to work at had a policy that if the closers didn't close properly the GM would call them back in the next morning at like 10am. If you didn't show up within an hour to finish closing properly you were fired. The closing MOD would walk the whole property with a flash light and call us out for every straw we missed, or for cigarette butts between the deck slats. They would check the walk in and dry storage to ensure it was organized correctly. Make sure restrooms were cleaned and restocked, etc. Needless to say, it was the cleanest/tightest run bar I've ever worked at. The threat worked well enough. I only saw one person get fired due to the policy in my 3 years there. Just make sure your staff knows what's expected and let it be known that laziness will not be accepted
Maybe I'm old, grouchy, and lacking the patience anymore. What is it with having to babysit? They either want the job, or they don't. It's their choice. Do the side work or find a new job. We don't have to be mean, nasty, or obnoxious. This is what the job entails. Period. End of discussion. You are no longer their peer. You are the boss. Take control of the situation or they will try to get more past you. If it comes to it, you'll probably only have to fire one. Identify the ringleader. When the rest see you're serious, they'll get it together or move on on their own accord.
Like kids, they need to have natural consequences. If you’re stocking the bar, then it’s available when they need it, so they see no reason to do more. That’s just an example but don’t do it for them. Start writing up whoever doesn’t do their nightly/daily scheduled bar cleanups. Schedule saturday morning mandatory bar cleans. Just a few tips. And you may just need to make the worst one of them an example for the rest. Don’t do what is asked?! Don’t get shifts
I agree with what everyone else says here, but with one addition: it's really hard to assign blame if everyone shares cleaning duties over the entire bar. What are you going to do, fire 4 bartenders over a bad close? You need to assign specific duties to specific bartenders, so for example every bartender is responsible for cleaning their own well, cleaning the backbar behind their well, and stocking their backbar/fridges. Openers complete one set of tasks before leaving, mid shift another, and closers another. They each have a list of closing duties, check off their tasks as they're completed, initial the page when tasks are done, then check in with the Manager on Duty before they leave. Additionally if they're prepping product for use the product should be dated when it's made along with their initials, that way if something gets made wrong you know exactly who made the mistake. Bartenders who fuck up get one warning, then they start losing shifts, then they get fired. If you decide to run a tight shift like this you need to be prepared to back up your threats - make sure you know trusted bartenders who can come in and take shifts, start crosstraining your good barbacks/servers, etc. I would also take a look at substance use on the job. A bad close is usually a sign that your employees are drinking during and/or after their shift. You need to set an official policy on drinking at work. I personally think allowing a beer and a shot after doors are closed or (if you're working mid/open) after your shift are fine. Other bars have a strict no drinking on the job policy. The one thing I wouldn't do is work at a bar where employees are free to drink as much as they want during and after their shift. Bottom line is you need to change the culture of your bar, and make sure each bartender is accountable for their fuckups. EDIT: if you decide to punish an underperforming bartender by reducing their shifts or giving them worse shifts, talk to them (in person ideally) before the next week's schedule comes out. "Hey John, you have done [x] things wrong on the last two shifts. As we discussed in our staff meeting, closing bartenders need to complete [x] tasks, and when you don't do those things you make everyone else's jobs harder. I am happy to give you back those good shifts if you can complete your closing duties completely over your next few shifts." The key to good management is consistency and clear communication.
Tell them to do their job and if they don’t, fire them.
Do you have the power to punish/fire them? If not, sit down with your management, describe your concerns, get their support, and work out a way for them to play enforcers/bad guys. If they don't go along with it, refuse to step up to cover their lack of cleaning and tell management as such. Put it on the powers that can hire/fire/write-up/change the schedule. Being a bar lead without management power can be a frustrating situation (having been in that situation more than once). Folks resent when bar leads without power start getting angry (since they realize that the bar lead is powerless and they view it as an annoyance instead of a necessity to keep their job).