As a member of this newer generation workforce, I can tell you what is happening. Take in mind, I am just a cook/buser for restaurant and this is what is contributing to the low morale that causes the workforce there to "give up" on hard work.
-First was bringing in managers that were trained from the outside or came from a different restaurant. Managers that rise to their position from the restaurant become the best managers because they understand what it is like for those at the bottom and understand the restaurant themselves. Ever seen Waiting? The part where the manager is obviously having trouble dealing with cookroom stress and managing food is what it is like when you have "alien managers". A manager from that restaurant would never, and I mean never, shake under pressure like that.
-Next was the treatment of staff. Some managers played favorites and this hurt a lot of people. I have been working there for nearly 5 years now. Benefits you get after certain years or hours come when you reach them. It took nearly an extra year to earn the personalized fleece (these are hella nice fleeces, trust me). I watched several those below me earn them before I did. I have recieved only one write up and never had been late by more than 5 minutes. People who are skipped tend to take note of this and take it out on the restaurant.
-My job as bus is to clean tables, stock silverware, plates, etc. Simple job. Hostesses stand at the front door and do nothing but greet and seat people. They get paid more than busers do. A bunch of the busers and staff petitioned that the hostesses do more work to pick up the slack on busier nights. This caused a huge freak out that left us appalled. Simple jobs that can be done while we're taking care of the madness like a quick spot sweep or even answering phones (bartenders do that, but theres times they're busy and the hostesses are close to the phone as well). We felt that the easier, higher-paid jobs that ANYONE could take (well, you had to be female) is getting special treatment. In response we would stop doing little things to get our way to show that maybe it was time to respect the wishes and thoughts of the staff.
-A benefit of the job was that if you worked there for over a year and had a good record, you could come in whenever you want and recieve a 50% discount on food. Direct family could also recieve the discount when they come with you. A nice benefit right? After a while this was stopped because it was being abused. After some talks with the staff, we realized that it wasn't being "abused" but was done so that more money went back to the restaurant. After another year, you were only allowed to get 50% discount on food if you are on break, or just got off break. No family members get the discount. We were mad, we thought that we were being treated unfairly and that our trust and work were not valued. Take in mind, this restaurant I work at was #1 in the nation among the rest in the franchise.
-The restaurant has a bar and usually the staff are allowed to hang out after work to wind down and enjoy a beer or two. This was stopped after it became a "distraction" to the current working staff. Now after we are clocked out, we are told to leave. Sometimes even escorted by the manager (usually it is the ****head one that forces this). This was immediately declared BS. Customers and even working employees distracted each other, what would it hurt to have a few people from the previous shift hang out for 20 minutes after working and relax?
-The changing room for the men is a small bathroom with a stack of lockers that can at most hold a pair of shoes. Usually the kitchen staff put their work shoes in there so you can only imagine the smell that comes from there. The other option is to bring a bag and hang it from the hooks in there and risk your stuff being stolen. I once had my Addidas Samba's hidden for stealing (the culprit took my shoes, wrapped them in plastic bags several times over and put it on top of the lockers. After we found out who did it we fired him, no surprise, turned out to be a huge soccer fan). The women have TWO places to change, with one room having a camera that watches their possessions. See the unfairness here?
I tried taking pride in my job but it is hard to do when our staff is being treated unfairly and as if we're nothing. When your employer considers you nothing more than just a way to bring in money and not as a person, you become disenchanted with the workplace. If I am not considered a person then I will not act like one and well perform my tasks at the bare minimum acceptance rate that won't get me fired. Why try harder? I'm not getting any benefits or praise or the lure of a raise.
