Employee Case Study - Megan

This case study highlights findings from the Serving the Future project on hospitality workers’ experiences in Scotland. The interviews with workers were conducted over a 12-24 month period. 

At the beginning of the Serving the Future project, Megan worked as a seasonal chef in a hotel in a remote rural area. She had worked there for the past four years and lived in employer-provided accommodation from March to November each year. Around £300 was deducted from her wages each month to pay for rent, food, and utilities. During the off-season, she lived with her sister.  

Although her hourly wage exceeds the real Living Wage, she struggled financially during the months she was not working and has had to rely on an overdraft to cover expenses.  

By the end of the longitudinal project, the participant’s wages had increased by 3.5%, and although this was a welcome change, wages had not kept up with the high rate of inflation. To ease the financial pressures on workers and to respond to competitive recruitment pressures in the local rural area, the employer had also halved the price they charged for accommodation costs.  

The above-average pay and good benefits have resulted in lower turnover rates for the employer, with workers returning to the role season after season. This being said, Megan experienced stress caused by the structure of seasonal work. She found that her savings would run low during the off-season, leading to a need to find alternative work.  

Looking into the future, Megan did not think they would like to keep working within the hospitality sector and were hoping to switch careers within the next 5 years. This was due to both financial strain and the structure of her employment.  

Across the interviews, Megan gave examples of where her employer was meeting the different Fair Work dimensions. These are outlined below.  

Security  

Throughout the project, Megan has been satisfied with her level of pay, getting regular increases in her hourly wage. The competitive wage levels and the open communication with the management team made Megan feel more valued by her employer. At the end of the project, her hourly pay was £15.  

“just being noticed for the work you’re doing, you know, like and they’re, they’re quite good at, you know, saying like, ‘we’ll put like an extra like 50p on your wages,’ or you know, like a wee bit of appreciation like, it just goes a really long way, I think.” 

The employer divided tips equally between all staff members which meant that each month, Megan was earning between £200 and £300 in tips. The employer also has a pension scheme, which Megan has been contributing to for the past four years.  

Access to on-site accommodation and staff meals was also viewed positively, although having to share communal spaces with other employees was sometimes hard.  

While Magan felt that she was fairly compensated for her time, financial strain during the off-season created insecurity and at times she found it hard having to rely on her savings.  

Respect  

During the interviews, Megan highlighted the impacts that long and sometimes antisocial working hours can have on mental health.  

“fourteen-hour shifts, you know, like, six days a week sometimes, like, is – is a position that I’ve been in before. And I know, like, the toll that has taken on me mentally and, like, my relationships”  

In the kitchen environment, there also exists a persistent stigma that prevents many from speaking out about their mental health struggles. Having a system in place for employees to open up about their mental health could help workers deal with the everyday stresses of the job.  

In her current role, Megan feels able to be more transparent about her mental health, meaning she can ask for extra help when she needs it. She explains that her managers are more supportive, perhaps due to the location of the business.  

“But I don’t know. I feel where I am the now, like, it’s quite – it’s in their best interests to – to make sure you are happy, especially, like, on a – in a wee rural area, so I think here, maybe in the city you’re a bit more, like, expendable or…“ 

Effective Voice  

Although the participant has always worked within the hospitality sector, she finds her current employer more supportive than her previous jobs where she had experienced hostility. She is specifically pleased with the level of support from her managers and the open communication between the whole team.  

“I think there’s just, there’s just a level of communication there, and I think that’s really important to keep everyone, you know, in the loop of what’s, what’s going on.” 

The ability to speak with managers openly about issues arising at the workplace has helped Megan feel comfortable turning to them if any challenges arise.  

Although she had previously been a member of a trade union, she did not feel like she needed the union’s support at her current workplace and so had closed her membership.  

Fulfilment  

At her current workplace, Megan feels she has a good amount of creative control when it comes to her work, including responsibility for designing menus and specials.  

As a vegan, she especially enjoys designing vegetarian menus and feels there is a level of trust from her employer, which allows her to work autonomously.  

“But day-to-day, like, we do, like, different specials and stuff like that. I’m vegan so, like, I’m in charge of, like, the, like, veggie specials, I guess, every day and, like, desserts and stuff. So there’s – aye, there’s always, like, a wee bit of, like – like, like if that’s your thing, you know? Like, you can go and do that… “ 

The closer relationships with the management team have also contributed to greater self-esteem, making Megan feel like her efforts are appreciated by her employer.  

Opportunity  

In addition to her day-to-day role, Megan has been involved in training other staff members in the back-of-house team. She has enjoyed this part of her job and reports opportunities for progression within the kitchen team.  

For example, when the head chef went on holiday for a few weeks, Megan was able to move up to do the job of sous chef. This change in responsibilities was reflected in her pay, which was viewed in a positive light.