Complete All Questions From This Section

Complete All Questions From This Sectionthe Com

A Instruction: Complete ALL questions from this section. The company Authentic Caribbean Cuisines is an organisation with 50 years of history in the area of services. The company's headquarters are located in Jamaica, although the services are provided in numerous locations across the Caribbean. The company has three areas (Educational, Hotel and Events), all related to catering. The company achieves a higher turnover in the educational area, dedicated mainly to catering to many schools (currently more than 400). This area is a great entrance of money for the company, but it also requires a great structure and organisation. The feeling of the worker is that the future and the viability of the company mainly goes through the proper functioning of this area. However, although in recent months the department has been meeting the objectives set and continues to gain public and private tenders (which means more schools and clients), there is widespread discontent among its workers, since the management is not knowing how to handle the situation and that translates into a poor working environment. Natalee Graham is the director of the educational area, a competent and proactive woman, with more than 10 years in the position. Above her there are only Garfield Whapp, Chief of Operations, and Marshall Brown, founder and director of the company. They have a way of understanding the business world that is very classic and authoritarian, they do not take their workers into account, and they only move by objectives. They derive full responsibility from the area directors to communicate decisions to their workers. They do not usually have direct contact with the workers and, if they do, it is scorched and hostile. Marshall is only interested in obtaining good economic results without caring about the personal situation of his workers.

An example of this is that, on average, workers in the educational area are having to do 10 extra hours a month to be able to fulfill their tasks. This situation is common in recent months and, far from solving it, their opinion is “they’re supposed to work, that’s what we pay them for”. He has also been heard saying, on more than one occasion, phrases such as “if they are not motivated it’s not my problem, they should come motivated from home” or “they should manage with the resources they have” when asked about strengthening the educational area team. All this situation is generating negative repercussions for the future of the company in general, and in the educational area although management doesn’t seem to notice.

The educational area is made up of 19 workers. As has already been mentioned, Natalee is the director of the area and has a very experienced and prepared team, both in the operational and commercial sectors. In turn, she is characterised by having excellent communication skills and a very remarkable ability to lead, which is helping to relieve the bad environment somewhat, but she does not know how long she will endure. Her team consists of 12 area coordinators who mainly perform the work at a distance during their working day, responsible, in an autonomous manner, to supervise the proper functioning of the service of the schools in each area. The remaining 6 workers are two commercial employees, responsible for preparing and managing active competitions; a personal assistant of Natalee, who offers direct support to her and to the area coordinators; an administrative assistant, responsible for customer service and various tasks; an office clerk responsible for managing routine actions; and a product technician, in charge of negotiating prices and managing incidents with suppliers.

In general, there is a good atmosphere among all of them, although the continuous stress and the lack of empathy from the direction are beginning to generate problems. Although the area coordinators do not usually work in offices, they have their common work area in them. They are a cohesive group, but the stress and lack of recognition by management are beginning to generate conflicts, resulting in a decline in service quality. Most coordinators are open to helping colleagues, which facilitates their work and the resolution of possible arising conflicts. The personal assistant has informed the company of her decision to accept another job, considering she has not been sufficiently valued (low salary and no review since joining). The situation stresses them a lot, and they consider taking similar measures if the situation does not improve.

Paper For Above instruction

The current scenario at Authentic Caribbean Cuisines reveals critical issues in human capital management, notably within its educational catering division, which forms the backbone of its revenue. The core problem stems from strained employee relations due to autocratic leadership, excessive workload, lack of recognition, and ineffective communication channels. These elements contribute to a demotivated workforce, high stress levels, and declining service quality, threatening the division’s sustainability.

A. The staff in the Educational Area find themselves in a state of demotivation and disengagement. Despite meeting objectives and securing more tenders, workers experience dissatisfaction arising from poor management practices. The leadership's authoritarian style and disregard for employees’ personal and professional needs foster a negative work environment. The staff’s sense of undervaluation and overwork, compounded by limited support and recognition, compromises their morale and productivity.

B. One cause of the current state is the leadership approach of Marshall Brown and Garfield Whapp, which prioritizes targets over employee well-being. Their focus on economic results without regard for staff morale has led to overwork, with workers averaging 10 extra hours monthly. A consequence of this disregard is employee burnout and high turnover risk, which could jeopardize future operations. Without intervention, further consequences might include diminished service quality, loss of experienced staff, and damage to the company's reputation, ultimately impacting profitability and sustainability.

C. A critical need not perceived by management is the implementation of effective employee engagement and well-being initiatives. Addressing employee satisfaction, workload balance, and recognition mechanisms could improve morale and retention, aligning staff well-being with organizational goals.

D. To enhance motivation, implementing a recognition program that rewards employees’ efforts and achievements could be effective. Monthly awards or peer recognition schemes would acknowledge their contributions, boost morale, and foster a positive environment. For group cohesion, establishing regular team-building activities and open forums for feedback can facilitate trust and collaboration, reducing conflicts and fostering a sense of unity.

In conclusion, transforming the management approach and prioritizing human capital needs are vital. Fostering a participative culture where employees feel valued and supported will contribute significantly to the long-term sustainability and success of Authentic Caribbean Cuisines.

References

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