Responsible Management in Paradise Laborers: Hotel Work in the Global Economy - Book Report/Review Example

30 April Responsible Management Due to globalization, managers in today’s fast-paced world must be able to respond to the needs of a diverse customer base and workforce. This challenge can be difficult to meet unless the manager understands the complexities presented by a multi-cultural environment. Customer satisfaction links to employee satisfaction, and managers have a responsibility to create an environment that delivers satisfaction to employees and customers. In the book, Paradise laborers: hotel work in the global economy, authors Patricia A. and Peter Adler discuss the organizational structure of luxury hotels and resorts in Hawaii. There are several classes of workers identified in the book. “Trapped workers” are workers who have always lived in the area, or are newly immigrated to the area (19). These workers comprise a kind of captive audience for the hotels and may not believe that they have many choices. Locals, who can support the cultural flavor of the area, hold some of the more visible positions like entertainer, front desk, and pool help, while the tasks assigned to new immigrants are often menial ones like housekeeping and landscaping (234-5). New immigrants are unlikely to be terribly selective in the jobs they will do. “Transient workers” are those who have few ties to a specific job or area and move to take advantage of changing opportunities (19). These workers are also highly visible, and are likely to have a level of training or education that allows them to support a niche. Jobs for transient workers, also called “seekers” include scuba instructor, massage therapist, chef, and various supervisory positions (236-7). Managers are also included in this definition of “transient worker.” Within each class of worker, additional constraints may apply. The worker may be seasonal, temporal, or stratified. Resorts may maintain a flexible workforce in response to slow and busy seasons brought on by predictable changes in weather or seasonal business events and vacation periods (19). The management of seasonal workers presents a challenge due to potential lack of experience and loyalty. Temporal workers man odd and late night shifts in response to a need to provide round-the-clock service to customers (19). Due to the odd hours, temporal workers may be subject to greater stress and tension than workers in daytime shifts. This can result in fatigue and other physical problems related to tension and stress (126-35). Managers need to be aware of these potential limitations and be equipped to offer options to workers who may be struggling as a result. Longer breaks and alternative schedules may be a few of the options managers can consider for affected workers. Stratification refers to the “administrative stereotyping” that managers may use to allocate workers to tasks and roles based on their ethnicity or race (20). Because managers apply stratification based on attributes that have nothing to do with a person’s ability or talents, it can result in frustration and dissatisfaction in the workplace. This dissatisfaction could be detrimental to the overall customer experience if it is apparent in the demeanor of the employees subjected to stratification. When developing a plan to balance the needs of the customers for demands of the business with the need to be sensitive to the needs and challenges faced by many people in today’s workforce, a manager should seek to fully understand the unique needs and challenges of each group. Development of reasonable expectations and clarity around those expectations is foundational to successful delivery of a quality experience. Associates of a firm are more likely to deliver this experience when they understand what is required. A manager should strive to create an experience with his staff that exceeds the customer’s expectations, without creating undue stress on the associates. When a manager knows the needs and challenges of his workforce, he is able to address them as well, creating a complimentary environment in which happy workers deliver a great experience to the customers. This experience is the definition of the “satisfaction mirror.” The “satisfaction mirror” describes a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and delivery of an experience by that satisfied employee that results in high customer satisfaction. Employees in a service environment, who work with the public on a daily basis, are more likely to deliver high quality if they are happy. Customers gravitate toward employees who are happy and engaging, versus those who are morose and withdrawn. Happy customers are repeat customers and advocates for the company through word-of-mouth marketing. The “satisfaction mirror” theory applies to other types of organizations as well; productivity and efficiency thrive when employees enjoy the workplace and the work they do. Though these employees may not have a direct reflection on the customer, efficient delivery of the product or service that the customer does receive can be lower cost and higher quality because of this phenomenon. Managers must strive to understand the cultural and social backgrounds of their employees if they want to be effective in their positions. While there is a line between familiarity and professionalism that a manager must maintain, getting to know what drives and motivates employees individually as well as in a group, is very important. Managers who are able to do this well often inspire respect and loyalty that feed into employee satisfaction. A person’s cultural and social background influences how that individual reacts in different situations. If a manager does not understand these influences, she may respond inappropriately or make poor decisions on how to handle situations, damaging the working relationships and putting staffing levels at risk if employees perceive the environment as unfriendly or hostile. Another contributor to employee satisfaction is the extent to which a business engages in social responsibility. Depending on the type of business, social responsibility in the local community may or may not be an indicator of long term business success. While the impact of social responsibility may be difficult to measure, it is never a bad thing for a business to support its community in this way. In the example of Hawaii hotels and resorts, the customer base consists mainly of vacationing people from other areas who are less likely to be concerned with how the business handles social responsibility. However, there are implications if local businesses use the venue for meetings and other business events. These companies may choose not to conduct business with a company that is not demonstrating social responsibility. In addition, social responsibility provides a company with nontraditional opportunities to market and highlight itself in the community as well as to its customers. Though one would hope that the impetus behind the action is a desire to be socially responsible, one cannot discount the positive attention such actions can generate. Many companies choose to participate in their communities and exercise social responsibility. One well-known company that makes a practice of doing this is Starbucks. The company exercises social responsibility locally in the communities where its establishments are located, as well as globally. One example of how Starbucks demonstrates its commitment to being a responsible member of the community is the hosting of a global month of service in which the company invited “partners (employees) and customers worldwide to join together as change makers, to take action and make a positive impact in their neighborhoods” (Community Service). Some of the projects in this effort included planting and beautifying parks, revitalizing school grounds, hosting social gatherings for seniors, and planting community gardens. Another example of Starbucks support of the local community is Starbucks Youth Action Grants. In 2009, the company made 71 grants to organizations supporting young people with a total grant amount of $2.1 million (Youth Action). According to Starbucks, “by supporting young people, we can make real change in local communities” and “Youth Action Grants help young people realize their natural potential to reinvent the world” (Youth Action). Starbucks also provides opportunities for customers to participate in social responsibility efforts. In addition to programs like the global month of service referenced above, Starbucks sponsors a (STARBUCKS)RED program that contributes to a “Global Fund to help people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa” ((STARBUCKS)RED). Customers who purchase designated (STARBUCKS)RED products and use (STARBUCKS)RED Cards to make purchases support this effort. Starbucks states that they “bring our customers new ways to do good every day” ((STARBUCKS)RED). Starbucks sponsors many other programs that contribute to the community. These efforts fund literacy programs, support coffee, tea, and cocoa communities, assist people in developing companies obtain access to clean water, foster education in China, and assist in “the recovery and revitalization on Gulf Coast communities devastated by hurricanes Rita and Katrina” (Starbucks Foundation). The reach and impact of these programs is vast and generates positive return for the employees, community, and the company. Starbucks partners (employees) have the opportunity to contribute to their communities in ways that many people may not consider. Because the company has a focus on social responsibility, these opportunities are well-communicated and abundant. The partners gain a sense of pride that extends beyond the work they do for Starbucks to encompass the community in a much broader sense. It establishes a connection with the customer base and creates a bond resulting from shared purpose and experience. Customers frequent Starbucks not only for the product, but also for the experience they receive interacting with Starbucks partners. The positive experiences build employee engagement and increase job satisfaction, which in turn heightens the quality of the customer experience. Because Starbucks exercises social responsibility through volunteerism as well as monetary contributions, visibility of local social responsibility efforts is high. Communities see the work completed under Starbucks sponsorship and interact with the Starbucks partners (employees) who are performing the work. The community benefits from the output of the activities and can claim a sense of ownership because the people who did the work were local. This instills pride in the completed work and fosters a positive feeling toward the company. The company also benefits in many ways from social responsibility. The socially responsible activities generate a positive perception of the company not only for the local communities directly impacted by those activities, but for the global community as well. Participation in social responsibility provides soft marketing opportunities for the company and allows the organization to highlight additional benefits of doing business with them. Many people like to work with companies that support causes to which they can relate. Starbucks seeks out these causes by soliciting ideas from its partners, so the efforts the company engages in are meaningful to the local community. Starbucks states “We've always believed that businesses can - and should - have a positive impact on the communities they serve” (Responsibility). By blending local and global efforts and soliciting volunteers from their employee and customer bases, Starbucks maintains visibility as a company that cares about more than the bottom line. This visibility rewards the company by generating business growth and retention. Starbucks also benefits from the engaged workforce that the socially responsible activities produce. Happy Starbucks partners create an experience that results in repeat customers. Customers want to return because the environment is welcoming and enjoyable, and because it feels good to support a business that gives something back to the community. In addition, the activities can feed into a population of workers who are eager to work for Starbucks. Customers looking for employment may gravitate toward a company that supports their personal views. They would already be familiar with the products and the mission of the company, cutting down on the time needed to train the partner once hired. In addition, satisfied employees tend to have more tenure in a company than those who are dissatisfied. One should not ignore the positive impact of social responsibility to employees, the community, and the company. Direct benefits include good-will, pride, marketing opportunities, and a sense of ownership with the community and the employees. Sales growth and retention are long-term benefits that are difficult to quantify. While one should consider this area to be an indirect result of the socially responsible activity, its impact over time is very real. There are many complexities that a manager must consider when responding to the needs of a diverse customer base and workforce. A manager needs to understand the cultural and social backgrounds of his workforce in order to make appropriate decisions about how best to meet the needs of the customer. A manager should seek for ways to engage and motivate his employees to take advantage of the “satisfaction mirror” and promote loyalty and dependability. Managers should look for opportunities to create a sense of community in the workplace. The acknowledgement and understanding of cultural and social backgrounds is a part of this, but promotion and sponsorship of socially responsible activities within the workplace and for the community can also play a large role. One should not discount the intangible benefits that extend beyond financial compensation when developing a staff of loyal and dependable workers who strive to deliver only the best. Customer satisfaction links to employee satisfaction. Employees in a service environment are responsible for creating a customer experience that is high in quality and satisfaction. Employees who are happy, engaged, loyal, and dependable are better able to reach this goal. Managers are responsible for identifying what employees need in order to meet their objectives, and their achievements depend on the successful execution of flawless service delivery. Managers are not only responsible for providing the physical tools and environment that make this possible, but the sense of safety, acceptance and understanding that allow employees to do their jobs well. Customers naturally gravitate toward interactions with employees who are happy and engaged. They become repeat customers when their experience is good and become advocates for the company through word-of-mouth marketing. Managers who recognize this connection work to create an environment that delivers satisfaction to employees and customers. Works Cited Adler, Patricia A., and Peter. Paradise laborers: hotel work in the global economy. Ilr Pr, 2004. Print. "Community Service: Starbucks Coffee Company." Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Corporation, 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . "Responsibility: Starbucks Coffee Company." Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Corporation, 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . "Starbucks Foundation: Starbucks Coffee Company." Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Corporation, 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . "(STARBUCKS)RED: Starbucks Coffee Company." Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Corporation, 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . "Youth Action: Starbucks Coffee Company." Starbucks Coffee Company. Starbucks Corporation, 2011. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . Read More