EOC: (wk. 4)

In the hospitality industry, cleanliness is very important.  This industry has very strict rules when it comes to handling and preparing for their guests.  “All restaurant and foodservice employees work around food. Therefore, it is important to ensure that all employees meet all applicable health requirements of the job.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 424) Guests must feel that their food has been prepared in a clean environment with the preparer practicing the proper protocol.  Personal hygiene is a controllable factor that every employee must have control over.  Being neat and clean is very important.  Most businesses shy away from hiring people with issues with narcotics.  This is a controllable factor as well.  Abusing narcotics is a federal offence and can cause issues for the employer and the employee.  It can also negatively affect a person’s job and the image of the business.  Employers are allowed to drug screen employees before hiring to make sure that they are healthy and free of drugs.  “State and local health laws vary, so it is important to know and comply with all applicable laws regarding mandatory or voluntary employee testing.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 424) Restaurants and hotels want their customers to feel that they follow all guidelines when it comes to the health of their customers.  Sometimes, a tattoo can cause customers to feel a certain way about an establishment, especially if it is offensive to others.  A tattoo is also a controllable factor.  Most establishments ask that tattoos are able to be covered so that everyone is protected.  “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other government agencies enforce laws that ensure everyone gets a fair chance at any job opening.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 414) A scar is an uncontrollable factor and should not negatively affect anyone being considered for a job.   

EOC: (wk. 3) Discharming Man

I feel that the purpose for www.workplacefairness.org is to inform people of their rights and to demonstrate that discrimination for any reason is unacceptable in the workplace.  “Discrimination is the act of treating persons unequally for reasons that do not relate to their abilities, including race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, and mental or physical abilities.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) No person should be treated badly for things that they cannot control or a misconception a person may have about a specific, gender or group of people.  “The work environment should be one in which all employees feel comfortable to do their job without being mocked, criticized, or mistreated on the basis of differences from other employees.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) Www.workplacefairness.org is sponsored by a group of attorneys who support workplace fairness and are ready to lend a helping hand to inform people of the laws that prohibit wrongful treatment.  The NELA knows firsthand what the law is and how to assist others who may not know what their rights are when it comes to their jobs.  Information about workplace rights, Programs for various learning opportunities and access to an attorney are a few of the resources provided on the site.  These can be very beneficial to someone who has been wrongly mistreated or stereotyped in their place of work.   “Stereotypes are beliefs about particular groups that assume all members of that group are the same. They often can alter a person’s behaviors toward a group and negatively impact that group.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 385) A person can be treated wrongly because of the color of their skin, by someone who may have been mistreated by someone who is the same race.  This is a good reason to contact the NELA to learn what should be done or how to proceed with properly handling the situation.  Managers must immediately handle the situation by diffusing it so that no one feels uncomfortable at work.

EOC: (wk.1) Best & Worst Jobs.

The worst job I ever worked was in the food industry.  I can’t quite remember what the name of the establishment was, but it was owned by a Nigerian woman.  She was very nice and she depended on me heavily, as she was just opening and hadn’t had a lot of people working for her.  My friend told me about the job, I went to meet with the owner, there was not application or interview.  I was given a shirt and put to work.  “A job offer is a formal invitation to become an employee on a certain date with specified duties and compensation… Job offers should provide clear and detailed information and may be contingent on completion of screening.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, pg. 429).  There was also no training, it was kind of “do this” or “do that”, and I did as she asked.  “All employees whose job influences the quality level of the guests’ experiences (in other words, everyone!) should have access to specific, well-developed, and ongoing training programs.”  (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, pg. 35).  I worked for this lady for 3 weeks and never got a compensated for my work.  When I asked her about pay, she said she hadn’t made enough money to pay anybody, so I quit.  The best job I have worked has to be one of my current jobs.  The management is excellent, my co-workers are great and its an environment where I feel appreciated as an employee.  Everyone is eager to help and the workplace is very clean and inviting.  “A well-managed brand also includes the way its managers care for it, the manner in which employees believe in it, and even the ways in which guests embrace it.  When managers understand and are committed to a well-conceived brand, the results can be powerful and positive. That is because, in the minds of consumers, a quality brand offers the most value for the best price.” (Human Resources, Quality & Service Training, Hospitality and Restaurant Marketing, Pg.23)

EOC: (wk. 2) Sweet Charity; What she did right, what she did wrong.

On the “Sweet Charity” film, I think the actress was very ambitious as she decided that she was fed up with her line of work and went after something different, something better.  She needed a change.  I think she should have researched the way women dress in the work place and what actually happens in the interview.  “Managers have many responsibilities as they recruit, screen, and select the best employees for their operation. Actually, this work begins long before they announce position vacancies. They must develop important recruitment and selection tools that can be used to find the best talent.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 399).  I also feel that she lacked a lot of confidence in herself and in her abilities.  She should have asked the head hunter if there were training options available for her to sharpen her craft.  “…managers who are committed to training will most often find their staff members committed to providing the quality products and service levels that will lead to their establishment’s success.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality& Restaurant Marketing pg. 35) Had she asked about training, which businesses are required to offer, she could have learned that she could further her education, she could have found out if there were any classes that taught her how to do any of the tasks he asked her if she knew how to do.  “Effective training identifies quality standards and helps employees work at levels that meet quality requirements… Training can help make employees more confident in their skills and that helps make them more able to be customer-oriented.” (Human Resources, Quality Service & Training, Hospitality & Restaurant Marketing pg. 236) Training would have assisted her in many ways; teaching her skills that she didn’t possess in order to further her career.    

EOC: (wk. 1) My Voice

Lover of EVERYTHING fashion: I'm very detail oriented I LOVE to read, travel and learn new things.  Fashion has always and forever been a huge part of my life.  While growing up, I was viewed by my family and friends to have a weird or quirky sense of style.  People would ask me what made me put things together.  Sometimes kids would laugh at me for what I chose to wear to school because it was different.  Sometimes I got praised for being unique.  No matter what, I have always proud of myself for standing out.  I never let what anybody thought or said about me change anything about myself.  I have always embraced my differences as my special “mark” that I leave behind.  This uniqueness has lead to me becoming the go to person by my family when it comes to fashion choices they make.  I’ve been called on to style people for events, photoshoots for clothing companies, visual merchandising projects at retail operations in which I’ve worked and my opinions have been considered when making final selections for seasonal clothing lines.   As a fashion major, I spend a lot of time defending why I chose this path, people don’t understand what types of opportunities are available in the fashion industry, but when I explain my passion, they get it.  Fashion is not just a vain thing.  It’s all around us if we take a minute to look around and see what is really in front of us. Fashion is all around us and it can’t be ignored.