Motivation Chapter 6 & 7

Motivation in the Workplace

                      In this blog post we are looking into motivation in the workplace. We have two different viewpoints from two different jobs. The first person shares  her experiences with motivation while working at Michael Kors. The second talks about working as a waitress. 

                    It is a love hate relationship when it comes to working at Michael Kors. As of lately it has unfortunately been more of a negative experience. I began working for the company in October 2014 and I was included in the store opening of the new UTC location. It was a very exciting time since the entire staff was hired at the same time, we were all trained together, and we all opened the store together. I was brought on as the only stock associate. At other locations there are Stock managers, supervisors, and then the associate. I was brought on as an associate but since I was the only stock person working in our location I was trained by the store manager to o everything a stock manager would do.
                 
                    At first I was very excited because I took this as an opportunity to grow and eventually become stock manager since I was doing that job without the title or the pay. when our annual review came along I was thrilled thinking this was the beginning to me moving forward with my position. I was promised to be promoted within 6 months as long as I kept on doing my job as best as I was. I wish my manager never promised my this... without confronting me about it a stock supervisor from a different location was transferred to our store to be our stock manager. I was so confused and disappointed knowing I was promised this position, trained for it and they brought on someone else without saying anything to me. Luckily for my store manager he left right after this situation happened to a different store so he didn't need to worry about his promise to me at all. I was so upset and confused as to why I was suddenly not recognized for the work I had been doing. I just kept at my job doing my best hoping something would open up and that I wouldn't get some sort of recognition.

                  Today I am still in the same position, no promotion, and no raise. There is absolutely no motivation for me to keep trying and to do better at my job because it is obviously going nowhere... We have our second review coming up and if I still receive no raise and or no promotion I plan on telling my manager then and there that this isn't working for me and I am going to look for another job. I am one of three people that have been at the store since we open and I can see why now. We have such a huge turnover rate but I think my situation has been the worst. I am being taken advantage of an not being motivated whatsoever. Hopefully after my review things may turn around and I will get fulfillment in my job but I'm going to have to say so long to Michael.

                 Why tipping matters:

                  The food service industry is a highly self-motivated line of work. Servers, bartenders, bar backs, and bussers all make tips. The motivation is simple: the better you treat your customers, the better your tiphttp://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/five-reasons-tip-you-server-seriously-pb/ will be, the more money you will make. I’ve learned to be busy, productive, have better memory, and be friendly to coworkers.  It seems like the perfect example of someone who is motivated to be at work.

                 It’s also very hard work. It’s extremely busy. You must be able to handle multiple tasks http://www.buzzfeed.com/sandraeallen/what-its-like-to-be-a-server

 at once. You must always be polite and have a straight face-even when customers are rude and disrespectful. When everyone is going out on Friday and Saturday nights you’re stuck at the restaurant cleaning up tables at 1 am. Those are the busiest days and you will NEVER have them off. You make as much as you can handle. At the end of the day you’re stressed, you count your money, and are ready to leave-fast. Although it’s hard work its self-motivated work that pays off, especially on those busy days. No matter how hard and annoying customers can be on busy days, the extra $300 in your pocket makes it all worth it.

                 This, in turn, creates a lack of motivation to do tasks that help the business as a whole. This includes cleaning up, rolling silverware in napkins, stocking cabinets, cleaning the break room and multiple other housekeeping tasks required to keep a restaurant/bar a clean environment to work. As an owner or manager, you feel your employees work for you, therefore they should keep the place clean and do as they say. Servers feel they go to work to make their tips and get the money they earned. This is a constant battle within the food service industry.

To readers, any comments on how it’s possible to change this self-motivated position?