Read the following description of an organizational communication challenge at a restaurant. Then respond to the prompts.

Joe's is a family-friendly restaurant.. The establishment has been in operation for over 20 years and is known for its delicious and authentic Italian cuisine. Along with its broad menu options and relaxing atmosphere, the restaurant is accompanied by an outdoor bar, known as the Cabana Bar, where guests can enjoy live music and entertainment in the spring and summer months.Together, Joe's and the Cabana Bar aim to provide high quality meals and drinks with exceptional customer service, along with a memorable customer experience that enhances the clientele's desire to return.

Despite building a reputation for offering quality food and service, the internal workings of the organization have started to struggle due to a lack of employee retention. Because the restaurant, combined with the outdoor bar, attracts high volumes of crowds, it requires a substantial number of staff members to fulfill the goal of providing outstanding service. If the business fails to secure enough employees, the level of service will decline, causing customer dissatisfaction, a decrease in company earnings and productivity, and over-worked existing staff members that must overcompensate for the inadequate number of employees.

The lack of employee retention poses an organizational communication challenge among the manager and staff at Joe's and the Cabana Bar. The organization's human factors play a significant role in the retention problems that the restaurant is currently facing. The establishment's size and the requirement for a large team of employees stresses the importance of efficient communication and interaction between the management and workers. Employee dissatisfaction and turnover may be exacerbated by the way they are treated by management, the absence of reward programs, as well as the absence of an onboarding and orientation procedure.

As a former employee of Joe's and the Cabana Bar for over twelve years, I did not directly endure any organizational communication issues with management. I worked with the same manager throughout this duration and my coworkers during that time typically stayed for several years as well. However, as the years progressed during my employment, I noticed a decrease in the management's desire to secure the same level of service and leadership as they once did and the daily processes seemed to slowly digress, which led to customer complaints and employee dissatisfaction.

1. Why do the stages of socialization stick out to you when regarding Joes and the Cabana Bar? (Anticipatory Socialization Stage-Socialization that occurs before entry into the organization. Encompasses both socialization to an occupation and socialization to an organization. Encounter Stage-Sensemaking stage that occurs when a new employee enters the organization. The newcomer must let go of old roles and values in adapting to the expectations of the new organization. Metamorphosis Stage-The state reached at the "completion" of the socialization process. The new employee is now accepted as an organizational insider.) Was it useful or not?

Potential areas to discuss; in your organization have you experienced socialization? How about Leader-Member Exchange Theory? In your organization have you ever experienced this or seen it in action? Did your experience line up with the theory or was the theory too linear, too narrow, etc.?

1. Think about socialization efforts you have experienced - e.g. at work, school (e.g. all new students at Penn State would have been socialized in some fashion), religious institution, etc.

What did you experience that isn't accounted for in the week's material? For example, perhaps, you see the phases to be out of date or too slow to explain your experience. Or, maybe the material doesn't adequately account for social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. How would you revise the material? That is, what would you add, cut, edit, challenge, etc., from the week's material so that it is more in line with today's experiences?

1. Think about methods and questions you might use to study socialization.

How would you go about studying your organization's socialization efforts? What questions might you ask to guide your inquiry? Remember research isn't always about finding "problems." Does your organization get it right? If so, and from a communication perspective, how would you begin to study why they do such a great job?