Introduction

In light of the increased tuition and fees in the institutions of higher learning, such as colleges and universities, it is normal for students to seek employment as they pursue their courses. Institutions always benefit from a less expensive labor while students earn monetary support that is instrumental in the completion of their courses (Ruch, Turney, & Ward, 2010). The approach by the institution to students’ employment varies from one institution to another. In this paper, I will have an in-depth analysis of my experience while working in the university restaurant. The difficulties in paying my fees, as well as my upkeep in the University, led me to seek employment in the university restaurant where I had mixed experiences. Although I made some cash that helped in sorting out my financial problems, the employment had different challenges about fellow students as well as the restaurant management.

Analysis

To start with, my relationship with the employees and the supervisors was harmonious. Nevertheless, the employment experience had some challenges and this could be possibly as a result of my inexperience in the hospitality industry. The university restaurant served a variety of foods and due to my inexperience; I had difficulties even in understanding the menu. Most are the times when I was so confused, and this would not augur well with the supervisors. Nevertheless, the supervisors seemed to understand my inexperience in the industry and were always willing to offer any kind of assistance to improve my service. The supervisors knew that I was not like the other employees with abundance of experience and skills and were very friendly in helping me correct mistakes that had become part of life. Unlike the other employees in the restaurant; I did not have the professional qualifications of working in the hospitality industry (Adil, 2008). They however strived to ensure that I meet their expectations. Employees’ motivation is largely dependent on the employee-supervisor relationship and it is important to note that the supervisors maintained a harmonious relationship. In essence, the supervisors seemed to question my productivity but at the same tie looked so determined to help me improve. It is wise to note that were it not for the good relationship, and then I would have found it very difficult to complete a whole semester working in the restaurant. Nevertheless, the continuous support from the supervisors helped me go through the challenging journey and emerged victorious.

For instance, the supervisors in the university restaurant would always act with no any sense favoritism.  They ensured that whole workforce in the restaurant working towards a common goal. The supervisors would ensure that all the employees were assigned to their duties and work without prejudice or any form of discrimination. It is worth noting that they acted so professionally to ensure that the objective of the restaurant was achieved.  There was no over work and any extra minute spent in the job would be accounted for and payment made promptly. It is the tendency of the supervisors in the restaurant to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions but in either way they ensured that the welfare of all the employees in the restaurant are safeguarded. (Ruch, Turney, & Ward, 2010). In my view, the supervisors seemed to be too professional and only acted in good faith with a sole objective of improved service and good welfare of the employees.

It is imperative to note that the core unit of wholesome human interaction is the stroke (Adil, 2008).  This refers to the verbal and physical way to acknowledge other people’s value.  Supervisors in the university restaurant ensured that they appreciated efforts of all employees in the restaurant. The supervisors would always congratulate me any time I performed well and would also not hesitate to correct me any time I acted against the norms. Such a relationship between employees and the supervisors serves to increase mutual trust as well as productivity in the workplace. This was the case during my tenure in the university restaurant.  (Ruch, Turney, & Ward, 2010). Our relationship was entirely based on good faith and mutual respect.  In fact, the supervisors would never pass by without saying ‘’hello’’ or shake my hand. This was also what they did with other employees.  Such treatment made me feel as an important person whose contribution to the organization was highly valued. It is imperative to note that it was very difficult to find me angry in the workplace as most of the times we are always in good terms with the supervisors and the rest of the workforce.

The harmonious relationship with the supervisors also made the relationship with other employees in the restaurant a good one. Since I am always happy at work, I also find it easy to relate to other employees in the restaurant. The good relationship with my supervisors had made me so jovial such that all the employees in the organization seemed to cherish my companion. Personal validation is essential for a peaceful co-existence in any workplace or social setting. In fact, people will prefer negative attention that being completely ignored. It is painful to see other staff members sharing jokes and laughing all through while I am in a stressful mood.  This was however not the case during my semester-long employment at university restaurant (Adil, 2008). Lack of communication in a workplace is detrimental to the firm’s team work, and the overall productivity is adversely affected. However, my relationship with other employees was very good and open communication was also eminent. This ensured that any conflict that would arise in the course of doing routine duties would always find an amicable solution. In this case, it is essential to point out that the improved communication at the workplace did not only improve my communication skills but also was significant in improving my interpersonal skills.

The supervisors in the restaurant had a tendency of involving me in the correction of everything that went wrong in the organization. Since they have the responsibility of ensuring that all the customers are satisfied with their dining experiences and resolve conflicts when they arise, they have resulted to using me as a source of solution to any problem emerging in the restaurant. It is prudent to note that the restaurant serves a great number of clients, an average of 2000 daily, and it is always normal for conflicts when dealing with such a big number not to mention students. It is prudent to note that such a huge number of people will not always get contented with the services provided. Nevertheless, the supervisors would always ensure that I was used to calm the students any moment they felt aggrieved. This special recognition from the supervisors only served to improve my relationship with them, employees and my fellow tudents.

My employment in the university restaurant did not only lead to a harmonious relationship with the supervisors and the other employees, but also with the fellow students. Some of the students viewed this as a privilege since I would combine both my academics and job requirements without fail. They wanted to understand how I got the opportunity for employment knowing very well that we studied the same course. The monetary benefits from the work experience also made the other students accord me some respect on the basis that I had that extra coin that most of them would not afford. As a result, my relationship with other students improved on daily basis as some hoped that I would share the earnings with them, what I actually did.  (“Certain students’ employment records may not be protected under FERPA”, 2014).  This understanding improved my relationship with a good number of students who would always like to be closer to me when I was off duty. They also hoped that this relationship would lead to them getting some favors from me when they visit the university restaurant. It is imperative to note that this special accord from fellow students was instrumental to improvement of my social life (Ruch, Turney, & Ward, 2010). In essence, the university restaurant exposed me to people of different cultures in the university and consequently had positive impact on my interpersonal skills.

Besides the differences with students based on my role as a student-employee, it was also a routine to get in contact with students on work related issues. As aforementioned, the university restaurant serves different foods to different people. In fact, the restaurant serves an average of 2000 people per day. The different people served in the restaurant are from different cultural backgrounds, and hence, there is a high likelihood that the cooking methods and the serving methods vary across the different culture. Some students failed to understand why a certain food type was not cooked in a certain way. Although it seemed challenging, this was a god opportunity for me to embrace the different cultural cooking habits. Most of the students would take their time to discuss on different cooking methods and also discuss more on their most preferred food types. Such interactions were essential as we could easily resolve any conflicts that would arise and also help improve my hospitality skills.

The good relationship with employees, students, and the supervisors has also lead to an improvement in the academic performance.  For instance, I was always motivated to get to work early and complete my duties before proceeding to the classes.  The jovial mood at the work place would then be carried to the classroom and the motivation would be high going forward (Adil, 2008). On the same note, the opportunity to work at the university restaurant also offered me a chance to interact with students from different backgrounds as well as in different academic levels. The students enjoyed the service offered to them in the restaurant and they would carry this appreciation to class work. Some of the students in my course also offered to help me catch up with what I could have missed as I worked in the restaurant. All this together with the monetary befits realized from the wages made my college life quite happy. This would also translate to academic excellence as I had a settled mind. In essence, working in the university restaurant was an experience that to a great extent worked to help my social relationship with employees, supervisors, and the students.

It is, however, imperative understanding that working in the university restaurant was also a big opportunity for me. Besides getting the monetary benefits that helped in sustaining my quest for higher education, it also provided me with an opportunity to learn other essential aspects important in life. For instance, the experience was vital for me as it provided me with an opportunity to gain experience in matters of hospitality. Working in the restaurant gave me an opportunity of working in food service. This provided me with an opportunity of understanding different types of food from different cultural backgrounds. On the same note, the work experience at the restaurant was also essential in improving my interpersonal relationship skills. Despite the fragile relationship with the supervisors, employees, and fellow students, the work experience provided me with a chance of learning different supervisory approaches and how to relate with each one of them (Adil, 2008).

Working under intense pressure from the supervisors was essential in improving my skills necessary for working in a demanding environment. It is also prudent to note that working with different supervisors and students from different cultural background has enabled me to embrace the cultural diversity that is part of life. It is important to have a proper understanding of different culture customs and ways. Such understanding helps in making informed decisions that are not out of generalizations and faulty observations. It is also wise to note that the working experience has also enabled me to embrace the importance of communication in any organizational set up (“Certain students’ employment records may not be protected under FERPA”, 2014). It is prudent to point out that communication is an important aspect of any meaningful social life. Where there is open communication between the involved parties, there are fewer conflicts and the few that arise can easily be resolved. It is worth noting that the persisting conflicts between me and the supervisors in the university restaurant are due to lack of effective communication between the involved parties. Although I felt aggrieved by the high headedness of the supervisors in the university restaurant, I failed to raise the matter with them and hence it was difficult to resolve. On the same note, I failed to raise the conflicting issues with fellow students and hence it was difficult to resolve the differences with fellow students.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, students seeking employment as they continue with their degree programs have become an integral part of life. This trend has been on the rise as a result of the ever-increasing tuition and fees in these institutions of higher learning. Although the students benefit by getting money that helps them in sustaining their quest for higher learning, these institutions also benefit from a relatively cheap and skilled labor force. Although the employment policies vary from one campus o another, my experience working in a university restaurant can be a good case study to help us understand the experience of student employees working in institutions of higher learning (“Certain students’ employment records may not be protected under FERPA”, 2014).  For instance, my experience working in the university restaurant was characterized with disagreements and confrontations with the supervisors. It is also worth to note that my relationship with the students was also fragile. Both the students and the supervisors of the restaurant seem to blame the student-employee for anything that goes against their expectations. It is essential to note that these people tend to view the employed student as a less qualified and not equal to the task (Ruch, Turney, & Ward, 2010). The fragile relationship does not only affect the employee’s performance in the workplace but also have adverse effects on the academic performance. Nevertheless, students working in their institutions of higher learning give them an opportunity to gain experience in different professional fields as well as meet their financial needs. Besides, this provides them an opportunity to embrace the cultural diversity that is essential to the modern social life. In essence, students’ employment to their institutions of higher learning is a great challenge that is also filled with numerous opportunities.

References

Adil, J. (2008). Determinants of Students’ Participation in Campus Organizations and School Management Functions in Selected Higher Educational Institutions. Jpair, 2(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v2i1.65

Certain students’ employment records may not be protected under FERPA. (2014). Campus Legal Advisor, 15(4), 13-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cala.30016

Ruch, G., Turney, D., & Ward, A. (2010). Relationship-based social work. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

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