SCENARIO

Sally has been working at Maxi Bistro for almost two years. When she began she had no prior waiting experience, but in the time she had spent at Maxi her skills had improved to the point where she was one of their best waiters.

She had always aspired to work in the bar area at Maxi's and had begun to feel that it was time to move away from waiting. She made her wishes known to Jessica the Bar Manager who jumped at the idea because she had just lost one of her best bar staff.

Jessica asked Sally if she had any prior bar experience and was satisfied to hear Sally say that she had watched the other staff in the past and that she felt fairly confident that she could pick things up quickly as she went along.

Jessica gave Sally her first shift the following Friday night as another staff member had canceled that night leaving a vacancy. Jessica warned the other staff to "look after Sally, and show her the ropes."

Sally arrived for her first shift half an hour early to familiarise herself with the bar and to introduce herself to the staff, which she proceeded to do as Jessica wasn't going to be in till 7.30pm.

By 6.30pm the bar was full of patrons and even though Sally knew very little about drinks service as yet she helped out where she could.

After a short while though she began to feel that she was only getting in the way, as other staff rushed to get drinks and use the till.

Sally tried to serve a few customers but ended up having to wait for other staff to come and help her which resulted in frustration for the customers, the other staff members, and in disappointment for Sally.

When Jessica arrived at 7.30pm, Sally was missing and the two remaining bar staff were rushed off their feet. Jessica found Sally in the staff room in tears. Sally explained what had happened and told Jessica that she thought that bar work was not for her after all.

Answer the following questions:

  1. What problems have occurred here?
  2. What should Jessica have done to prevent these problems occurring?
  3. What could Jessica do now to rectify this problem?