Workplace and Grace

I work in a restaurant. Specifically, I work at Olive Garden. But don’t worry; nothing in this article is critical of my employer. I want to talk about relational-based jobs, like restaurants.

When I say a “relational-based job” I mean a job where you rely on the cooperation of many people to get a task done, and as a result, it behooves you to be on good terms with as many people as possible to get your job done. Also, these types of work environments tend to be very vicious in the areas of gossip, slander, and passive aggressive problem solving (or creating). Any workplace that is so relational-based is extremely volatile. If you make the wrong people mad, you could find your food conveniently delayed or your table might not get wiped down as quickly as someone else. Money tends to make people happy in these kinds of environments. That’s why we tip our bartenders and bussers (or ought to anyway).

 Here’s a fun situation: If Jack doesn't refill the ice bin often enough, expect Sam and Brittany to tell anyone who will listen to them exactly how lazy Jack is. Then Jack hears what Brittany said and tells Jordan how many tables he had, and how he didn't have time to get the ice, and wouldn't it be nice if Brittany didn't talk about people behind their back. Except now, he’s done the same thing. Then Jordan, who is friends with Sam, tells him what Jack said about Brittany, which gets around to Brittany. All the while, Tony, Sarah and Tim have been running food for everyone else, which goes hardly noticed, since that’s what everyone is supposed to be doing anyway.

So why is virtue ignored as the bare minimum and vice held up as the greatest of crimes, to be passive aggressively discussed, with everyone but the person it concerns? If our workplace is a machine, then speaking poorly about someone behind their back is like an oil leak. Very quickly, it drains all understanding or empathy or grace that usually lubricates the social interactions of work.

Ever notice how when someone else doesn't do their job, it’s due to laziness, but when you don’t, it’s due to busyness. It’s like when we’re in traffic – someone cuts you off and it’s because they’re a jerk. But when you cut someone off, it was an accident or you were in a hurry or they were in your blind spot. If we extended the same grace to everyone else that we give ourselves, I imagine people would seem a lot easier to get along with.

So here’s my challenge – and coworkers, feel free to keep me accountable to this:
1) To speak poorly of no one - whether I think they've earned it or not.
2) To point out the good things that people do and not take them for granted.
3) To not speak about someone behind their back.