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Abstract

sense of community was common to many industrial workers who were members of strong work communities and unions in the pre-industrial era (Sandiford and Seymour, 2007). However, part-time students and full-time service workers’ sense of community and its purpose in the 21st century is poorly understood and severely neglected. Nevertheless, collective coping techniques and service workers’ engagement in communities of coping indicates that a sense of community is not all deteriorated. This qualitative study takes on an ethnographic approach. It uses data from 6 part-time students and 6 full-time restaurant front-of-house (FOH) team members’ interviews to determine how their sense of community differs from each other, given the clear distinctions in life trajectories, mindsets, and attitudes towards work between the two groups.
Thematically analysed interviews and knowledge from the research context was used to find if a sense of community impacts job satisfaction and to develop the understudied concept of communities of coping (Korczynski, 2003). Findings showed vast differences between part-time students’ and full-time service workers’ sense of community due to their diverse life trajectories, mindsets and attitudes. The finding of an increased sense of community experienced by both groups existed in The Restaurant’s physical space, thus indicating that a sense of community has a function of coping with emotional labour. Various levels of involvement with colleagues and the organisation were a finding indicating to impact one’s sense of community and thus their job satisfaction. Communities of coping were found in The Restaurant; however, this study revealed flaws and inconsistencies in the concept. This study brought awareness to the unmatching sense of community amongst service workers and prompts organisations to realise the importance of maintaining a communal sense in its’ employees.

Course: Sociology - BSc (Hons) - C0315

Date Deposited: 2022-06-06

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13910.html