Synthesis Essay: Dignity In The Workplace

“Synthesis Essay: Dignity in the Workplace”

Most of us walk into McDonald’s and recognize the familiar aroma of their famous burgers and fries. The average customer finds his or her way to the counter, orders food, pays, and then steps to the side for moment just until their number is called. Although the food is great, many of us, including myself, forget that hardworking people took their time and energy to make our fries. Many of us fail ask the person behind the counter how their day is going. Hell, we don’t even bother to look at the nametag of the person who is taking down our order. We often do this because we think these employees work “unimportant” jobs. We’re more likely to treat a doctor with more respect than a fast-food

Brandon, a fifth year employee at a local McDonald’s that I visited, showed perseverance to make sure that everything ran efficiently in the restaurant. After receiving outstanding service while ordering my large drink, I sat down at a table in the back and watched him for an hour, taking mental notes as he took physical notes of customer’s orders. Sometimes he took multiple orders at a time; they were understaffed. I studied him and how he worked. I found that he used a large variety of greetings and not just the typical “welcome to McDonald’s.” He kept the cook staff in the back on top of things, asking every minute or so if the previous order was ready yet. He thanked the customers multiple times, even though he was the one providing a service. Although many of us may not see working at McDonald’s as important, Brandon clearly showed that this mundane job was more than just work to him. He clearly had great dignity in his work. I talked to Brandon after observing him for some time. I asked why he worked so hard and showed so much pride in his work. He thought for a second, then responded, “I’m good at what I do. You know people think working at McDonald’s is a piece of cake but I make sure everything 's running smoothly even when there’s a hundred people in here. No