Causes of Employee De-motivation at Cappuccino Roma - Case Study Example

The problem of de-motivation happens to be a big issue at the place of work and if it is left unchecked can lead to reduced levels of productivity amongst the members of staff. It is therefore in my effort to try and spot the weaknesses at’ Cappuccino Roma’ that might have been the de motivators of its staff. For an organization to be able to tackle the problem of de motivation effectively it must be able to pinpoint the reason behind the lack of drive in the organization. As Karen Jones and Simon Phillips who are the proprietors of Cappuccino Roma got more involved in plans of establishing similar outlets at Llantrisant and Pontypridd it is clear that they left most of their work at the café unassigned to any particular person. This means that Penny Phillips who is Simon’s sisters got to assume most of the supervisory roles and this was done without additional compensation for her added duties. She (Penny) was a disgruntled employee since she wanted to travel after attaining a degree in French but Karen and Simon seemed unable or unwilling to find a suitable replacement for her. Sharon Freeman who is a Senior coffeemaker and waitress was not happy about the way Penny was left to supervise work at the Cappuccino Roma and felt that Penny was receiving preferential treatment due to Her family relations with Simon. Jayne Pitmann who is an undergraduate student and was supposed to work on weekend only is dissatisfied with the way they treat her. She often has to work during weekdays with very little notice and without extra compensation for her efforts even when she has to choose working over her studies. She also complains of being given work that the rest of the staff members do not enjoy doing.1 Sangita Patel is a casual member of staff with the experience of ‘front -of -house management’ and feels that her potential is being underutilized at the Cappuccino Roma as She can perform better than the rest of the staff including the proprietors. Antonio Conti who is a cook has worked at the café since it was opened but is unsure of His future at the café due to various reasons amongst them being, He feels unappreciated by Karen and Simon who no longer consult him on changes in the menu and they don’t involve him in making of decisions pertaining to the new planned ventures in two neighboring towns. Causes of employee de-motivation at Cappuccino Roma Lack of appreciation- Staff members at Cappuccino Roma feel that they are not really appreciated by the owners of the business and this leaves J. Pitman feeling as if she is being exploited with her having to choose between her class and work. Antonio Conti is the cook and also feels unappreciated for the way no one seems to take notice of him or to consult him on any of the recent changes in the menu and in planning for the new establishments in the neighboring towns. Too much work- the staff at the café feel that there is a lot of work for them at the café and it is de motivating that some people are choosy when it comes to undertaking roles at the café. Simon and Karen are not able to go through the mountain of mail that waits thus creating a backlog of simple and routine tasks that are important to the business. Favoritism- This is a concern of the members when one or part of them are treated in a preferential manner. At the café Sharon is of the view that Penny is used to receiving preferential treatment due to her family connections. Miscommunication- Staff at the Cappuccino Roma feels that there is not enough communication between them and the management and that Karen and Simon are too engrossed with issues that are not necessarily adding value to the proper management of the café. Mistrust- Sangita Patel is not comfortable with the rest of the employees as well as with Karen and Simon and she thinks that she could do a better job than any other staff. Relevant theories Expectancy Theory This is the theory that seeks to establish the link between motivation and behavior. The theory helps us understand that different people are motivated by different thing and for any leader to be able to effectively motivate a team, and then they should be able to identify the unique needs of each of their staff. (the essentials By Lawrence J Gitman, Carl McDaniel pg 243) Equity Theory This is based on the individuals’ perception of how well they are treated in comparison to the rest of their coworkers. Equity means fairness and justice Goal- Setting Theory This theory is based on the assumption that an individual’s intention to achieve is the primary source of motivation. Reinforcement Theory This theory depicts that behavior is a function of its consequences in that people will do things because they know other things will follow. Depending on what things will follow will determine whether one will practice or refrain from a particular behavior Recommendations Participative approach- the management of Cappuccino Roma should involve its staff more when making decisions and especially those that interfere with the way things have been running. Karen and Simon should for example consult the cook Antonio when considering a change to the menu. Recognition- simple praise and recognition should be passed for tasks properly executed. Payne would feel a lot better with a little praise for her devotion to work at the café especially while studying. Teamwork- staffs are strongest as their weakest link and so staff should be encouraged at any cost to work as a team so as to enhance the quality of service being rendered at the café. This should eliminate the element of competition as seen in Sangita Patel who believes she can work better than any of staff. Extend help and show concern- Karen and Simon should spend more time at the café as before so as to be able to note the concerns of the staff and act swiftly and accordingly to any concern. Appreciate and acknowledge- Appreciating the members of staff at the café would boost their morale and lead to improved relations with the customers and growth of the café. Penny would do with a little of appreciation since she is at the café at the expense of her plans to travel after attaining her degree in French. Communicate freely- staff at Cappuccino Roma need to know what plans the management has in regard to their jobs. New plans and changes need to be communicated in good time to all so as to boost their morale. Plans to open new branches of the café in Llantrisant and Pontypridd should have involved all staff. Decisions of who is to move where when the new establishments become operational should be made collectively. Read More