When I first started working in food service, I was hired for the night crew, working evenings until late at night and sometimes even the graveyard shift. At first I really liked the job. The honeymoon phase faded quickly once I learned a major change was coming to the organization. Someone with close ties to upper management was promoted to kitchen manager, and after that, the restaurant started sinking. Operationally, nothing was ever prepared for the next shift. Food shipments were never enough to last through the week. On top of that, there was no transparency and almost no communication between management and employees.
As things got worse, people began talking negatively about everything, including management. One topic that always stood out to me was pay. It’s easy to believe that pay isn’t just a number, it reflects how much an employee is valued. One of my coworkers started talking about the raise he had received. With all due respect, I was happy for him because he deserved it, but I still remember how he bragged about that raise right in front of a manager. Her reaction was shocking. I was almost sure she made less than he did. By that point, I had been working there for over six months without receiving any raise. After hearing that conversation, I started thinking about my next move. I felt frustrated because I believed I should have gotten a raise too.
The turnover rate there was high. Every three weeks, they were hiring new employees. I understand that high turnover is common in food service, but bringing in multiple new people every month is just crazy.
It’s true that pay affects how employees feel about their jobs as it influences job satisfaction and whether employees plan to stay. Eventually, everyone on my night crew walked out. Near the end, management finally decided to increase the pay by $3 for anyone working after 10 p.m. to incentivize people to show up and stay productive. If I remember correctly, it accepted a $3 raise (felt like OT), I ended up leaving anyway.
Reference:
Smith, D. (2015). Most people have no idea whether they’re paid fairly
Links to an external site.. Harvard Business Review, 93(12), 1-3 (also available through OSU Library)
