What is a REAL job, anyway?

I love that first sip of my latte, especially when it is made to perfection.  It brings a smile to my face and warms my heart.  During the pandemic, it was often the best part of my day.  On the other hand, when that latte is lacking in quality, I am less than happy.  It is very disappointing. 

Many of us feel this way about our encounters in the world, particularly with regard to our experiences in hospitality, food service, travel, and retail.  We expect high quality, great service, and clean facilities.  And when our expectations are not met?  Watch out – there’s hell to pay.   When you have a bad experience, you are much more likely to tell everyone and anyone who will listen.  You warn people not to go to a restaurant because the service is bad or not to shop in a store because the shelves are a mess.  And in today’s world, we have these lovely social media platforms that give people even more time and space to complain.  I’ll be honest – sometimes I appreciate folks putting out the bat signal on establishments when things are going south.  Saves me the frustration when I heed the advice and avoid the place.  Ultimately, the point here is that we have high standards for our public experiences and we’re not afraid to share. 

Now let’s talk about what it takes to achieve these desired high-quality outcomes.  Brand recognition, unique products, and well-designed processes fueled by the latest technology are all great.  But if you have those things and no way to execute…then what?  How does the magic actually happen?

PEOPLE.  That’s how. 

Great employees doing great work makes all the difference.  From the smile on the face of the greeter at Costco to the server who goes above and beyond to make sure your order is correct – that is what truly matters.  During dinner on a family vacation earlier this year, my youngest Emily got sick at the restaurant.  The staff was amazing – they rushed in, cleaned everything up, offered to help however they could…the manager even gave her a shirt to change into.  I was mortified and the team showed care during a difficult situation.  That is what separates a great experience from a poor one. 

There has been a lot of buzz recently in the news and on social media about pay equality, the wage gap, the downturn in the job market, and the many people on the verge of losing public financial support.  One point of discussion that has been most concerning to me is this talk of those working in hospitality, food service, retail, etc. not being in ‘real’ jobs.  As in, people should always be striving to achieve the highest ranks of the workforce and those currently working in those industries need public assistance because they don’t work in the ‘right’ roles.  Very elitist talk in my opinion. 

But if we want and demand outstanding customer experience, how is that supposed to happen unless someone is doing the work?  And not just anyone; someone who knows what they are doing.  As with most things, experience is key.  Sure, a 16-year-old barista can learn how to make a latte and do a great job…eventually.  Their work quality will get better over time.  It’s the employees who have been there for a time who can really influence customer experience.  They understand the brand, they know how the operations should run, they strive to achieve the look/feel/taste that the company leaders envision.  They are the heart and soul of the organization; they are crucial to the success of the company.

But they’re not working ‘real’ jobs? 

Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe the person handling janitorial duties at the airport actually likes their job?  Perhaps someone chooses to work retail for 30 years because they enjoy it and they are good at it?  It’s not only possible, it’s reality.  There are many workers who choose these jobs because they find joy in them and an opportunity to use their God given gifts.  Not all people are built the same; college is not for everyone.  Thank goodness for that – we need workers and skilled professionals at all levels of the workforce.  If someone is excited and passionate about their work, that is amazing.  Everyone should be that lucky. 

Not only is there absolutely nothing wrong with that – we should be celebrating it.  As the richest, most abundant country in the world there is no excuse for anyone not to be able to live, especially if they are working.  We need to make space for everyone to afford housing, food, clothing – all the basic necessities regardless of what their profession is.  Companies should be required to pay living wages, no excuses.  If they didn’t have those employees working hard, they wouldn’t have anything. 

As we approach the holiday season, please be mindful of the hard work that is being done in retail stores, restaurants, hotels, airports, and all public spaces each and every day.  The employees doing that work are the backbone of our workforce.  Let’s celebrate their efforts and thank them for their service.