The US Food Service Industry: Becoming More Hostile With Each Day That Passes
Going out with your family or friends to dinner seems like a fun outing. Little do you know what happens behind those kitchen doors.
A study showed 90% of women, and 70% of men have been harassed or mistreated at work at least once in their life. This is a problem that has been going on for decades, and it's about DAMN time we do something about it.
Hostility in food service could be easily fixable if people just took their heads out of their behinds for once. Strengthening anti-harassment training, following fair labor practices, and encouraging safety and mental health in the workplace are only some possible steps we can take to improve this industry for the better.
You may think to yourself, "But doesn't every workplace already shove anti-harassment training down your throat?" That may seem like the case, however, that information goes in one ear and out the other.
According to Serendib Law Firm, harassment prevention programs lack real-world relevance and hands-on activities. It's hard to get people to learn something when they're just staring at a screen.
Companies don't care about the material being "taught," only whether the newbie employee gets it done.
I know for myself, when I switched jobs, I had to do computer training. I'm not going to lie - I couldn't recite to you a single piece of information that was on that boring screen. I sat there for three hours straight- I know, ridiculous - just breezing through the material, wanting to get it done ASAP. Without interactive activities, people won't actually approach this problem in a serious way.
Having suffered working multiple food service jobs, I've gotten snarky comments from customers, out-of-pocket comments from my own coworkers, and harassed by my boss. More often than not, this happens every day - whether it's due to race, gender, age, religion etc.
As a former waitress in a family owned restaurant, my boss has told me on numerous occasions to, "Get those black people out of my dining room." INSANE statement. The worst part - I wasn't even shocked hearing it anymore. Problems like this could automatically be solved if we implemented stronger anti-harassment training.
Along with strengthening anti-harassment training, following fair labor practices will minimize hostility and increase humility. If companies just treated their workers like actual humans, the vibe would be way better at work for everyone.
Picture this: You're sweating through your uniform in a greasy kitchen that's as hot as a sauna with fumes, and your paycheck doesn't even cover your coffee addiction: This is real life for many food industry workers.
People preach following the labor laws, yet they are constantly being overridden.
On lots of occurrences, during the summer it's scorching outside, but even hotter inside. Employees are still forced to work regardless of the temperature.
A manager at McDonalds and her coworkers were forced to continue working inside even when the thermostat hit over 100 DEGREES Fahrenheit. They were dizzy, had headaches, exhausted, and even throwing up - but no, 'keep flipping those burgers.' These conditions should never be illegally enforced by anyone in the workplace; they're not suitable.
"Well no one is forced to work in these conditions," you might think to yourself. However, over 58% of employees who see or experience unfair treatment at work never report it. This leaves over half of people working in these conditions struggling in silence due to their job being on the line if they speak up.
Don't even get me started on child labor laws - According to the Pennsylvania Child Labor Law, no minor is allowed to work more than 5 hours without a 30 minute break.
When I was 16, my boss asked me to work a nine and a half hour shift. Keep in mind - I didn't get any breaks at this skimpy old pizza place. The exhaustion and thought that I would walk out those front doors eventually was the only thing that got me through the shift.
Along with that, at least 16 states have bills that weaken child labor laws. This is just an irresponsible way of responding to a workforce shortage. This will just lead teens to burnout, but enforcing to follow these simple labor laws will decrease the hostile environment that these workers face.
You've probably heard way too much about mental health lately... But in the food industry it's most important - it's how you survive. 70% of chefs were proven to have anxiety from working in restaurants - Are we surprised?
Not feeling safe in your own workplace is something no one should ever have to go through.
Picture this: orders are flooding in like it's the last time someone is ever going to eat, the never-ending stress of getting them done on time, and you're just trying to keep it together - not even taking into play the things you have going on in your personal life.
Many of these factors lead to substance abuse and sleep disorders. Working in the food industry is very fast paced and demanding environment. Dealing with hot objects and wet floors can lead to injuries which may cause days away from work, which some people just might not be able to afford.
If the mental health of workers was prioritized, they would come into work with a positive outlook which would make their overall satisfaction with the job much better.
According to Mental Health America, the restaurant and food industry is the worst place to work for your psychological well-being. You're going to deal with upset customers, but working in a safe and fun environment - whether it's made by your manager or your coworkers - will make those problems seem less of a big deal.
Mental health is a matter stressed worldwide, yet it is still a huge problem. Easiest way to fix it - start talking about it, out loud.
In the end, these problems aren't going to grow arms and legs and fix it themselves. This is a step that U.S. Americans as a community need to make together. Get your butts off your seat and DO something about it!!!!
These hostile environments in the food industry are major problems - but if we strengthen anti-harassment training, follow fair labor practices, and prioritize mental health in this industry, it's a huge leap to a better America.
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