FORMAL REPORT
Below are the stages that were taken to draft the final formal report, including a proposal and a progress report:
Proposal
The proposal outlined what the report would entail and broke down each section. This assignment was extremely helpful for the final report as it prepared the sections and research that needed to be done, highlighting the importance of proposals and the tone that should be maintained throughout the document.
To: Dr. Paterson, ENGL 301 Professor
From: Danae Echeverria, ENGL 301 Student
Date: 10 July 2022
Subject: Revised Proposal for implementing retention strategies to reduce employee burnout and combat staffing shortage at local café, C Market Coffee, in Port Coquitlam, BC.
Audience
This formal report is intended for the C Market Coffee store manager, Jun Park, who takes on a supervisory role and leads the management team by overseeing all aspects of the café’s operations including hiring and scheduling staff, maintaining inventory, monitoring sales, expenses, and budgets.
Introduction
The covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the Canadian labour market that became central to how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were affected by the crisis; and now that the large baby-boomer generation is heading to retirement, British Columbia’s (BC) workforce is experiencing an even greater decline. As a local café that has recently opened up a second location—the headquarters—in Port Coquitlam, C Market Coffee is one of many local businesses that are experiencing the negative repercussions of BC’s labour shortage.
The new venue offers coffee, alcoholic beverages, and food, and is designed to seat 75 people. It also plans to function as a training center for new baristas, coffee brewers, and roasters looking to advance in their coffee knowledge. While the new establishment has received positive feedback and reviews, it has also led to an increase in demand for staff to keep up with service and production at the second location. According to a study about the labour shortage in Canada, 56% of entrepreneurs said existing staff must work more and 43% said a shortage of workers hinders their company’s growth (Wormstall 6). The lack of workers at the café has led to overworked staff and is deteriorating employee morale. Moreover, C Market Coffee is also paying an opportunity cost when senior staff spends more time supporting production as it prevents them from working on new projects and high-value activities that can encourage growth. The café needs time to train new hires, but there is difficulty in retaining them—new employees are quitting before training is complete because they are dissatisfied or have found a better opportunity.
Statement of Problem
The staffing shortage at C Market Coffee is causing senior staff to face additional workloads and spend extra hours on the shop floor. Consequently, employees are experiencing difficult workplace challenges such as intense levels of burnout and this is leading to an increased intention to quit. To limit the rates of attrition, a burnout prevention plan should be implemented to mitigate the effects of labour shortages and improve employee morale and retention.
Proposed solution
This proposal addresses the staff shortage problem from the viewpoint of a C Market Coffee staff member experiencing burnout. Identifying the extra challenges faced by senior staff as a result of the current operating system offers a realistic and effective plan for streamlining hiring and retention strategies to improve the well-being of the existing workers and increase staff numbers. Potential strategies can involve changing compensation practices to attract new employees and retain existing ones by:
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- Increasing base and performance pay
- Offering company stock to key employees
- Organizing social activities and events
- Allowing flexible schedules to enable a better work-life balance
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Scope
To assess the feasibility of developing a plan to combat staffing issues and ensure it aligns with the strategic objectives, I plan to pursue five areas of inquiry:
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- How do existing C Market Coffee employees perceive the business?
- What additional workloads are senior staff facing?
- What are the key aspects of the company that employees value most?
- Which hiring strategies and training programs are we currently using? How can we communicate the company’s vision, values, and objectives for the café’s potential and existing employees?
- What are the potential strategies for offering compensation and developing strong HR Policies?
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Methods
The primary data sources collected for this formal report will be my own observation of the company’s operations, and workplace-wide surveys with both new and senior employees. This will allow me to get first-hand feedback from employees about their engagement with and motivation to work.
Secondary sources will include publications on recent labour shortage studies in BC as well as different mutually-benefiting hiring and retention strategies that small businesses can potentially implement in their companies.
My Qualifications
I have been employed at C Market Coffee for over three years since the opening day of the first location, and plan to remain a loyal staff member at the recently established second location. Being highly familiar with the café’s daily operations and having a close relationship with the baristas and kitchen staff permits me to execute an in-depth feasibility study on improving employee morale and increasing staff numbers.
Conclusion
Labour shortages are not expected to improve for at least a decade. The direct link between a shortage of workers and slower growth in company sales is a major concern for many small and medium-sized businesses, including C Market Coffee; a decrease in employee morale leads to poor quality work and in some cases, attrition. The company must have a strong employee foundation with proper compensation and efficient operating systems if the goal is to increase sales and further develop the brand.
Works Cited
Bouchard, Isabelle. “How to Adapt to the Labour Shortage Situation.” Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) 2021.
Wormstall, Michael. “Labour Shortage: Here to Stay.” Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) 2018.
Progress Report
MEMORANDUM
To: Dr. Erika Paterson, ENGL 301 UBC Professor
From: Danae Echeverria, ENGL 301 UBC Student
Date: July 8th, 2022
Subject: Progress Report – Implementing retention strategies to reduce employee burnout and combat staffing shortage at C Market Coffee
The following is a memorandum written as a progress report—it contains the objectives and plan of action for the Formal Report on implementing retention strategies to reduce employee burnout and combat staffing shortage at C Market Coffee. Please note the two survey links and outline that are attached below.
Purpose and Significance of Report
The purpose of this report is to provide a realistic and practical plan for streamlining hiring and retention strategies as a way to improve the well-being and morale of the existing workers—specifically senior employees—and increase staff numbers at the C Market Coffee second location in Port Coquitlam.
Intended Audience
This report is for the C Market Coffee store manager, Jun Park, who leads the management team by overseeing all aspects of the café’s operations including hiring and scheduling staff, maintaining inventory, and monitoring sales, expenses, and budgets.
Report Objectives
The objects of this report are to:
1. Identify the additional challenges senior staff is facing as a result of the current operating system
2. Assess and confirm the feasibility of developing a plan to combat staffing issues, ensuring it aligns with the strategic objectives and requires a minimal expenditure
3. Recommend ways to build a strong employee foundation through proper compensation and reasonable workloads in order further grow and develop the brand
Methods
Primary data collection through two online surveys intended for current employees at the second C Market Coffee location; while the Employee Satisfaction Survey is designed to evaluate the employee satisfaction levels of all seventeen staff members, the Senior Staff Survey is aimed to identify the extra challenges faced by senior staff and address employee burnout.
Secondary sources will include publications and statistics on recent labour shortage studies in BC as well as different mutually-benefiting hiring and retention strategies used by businesses.
Research Plan
In order to analyze the feasibility and provide effective recommendations, I plan to:
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- Conduct an Employee Satisfaction Survey for all senior staff and new hires
- Research the approximate costs for offering compensation such as raises, profit-sharing, stock options, commissions, and bonuses
- Survey senior staff about the café’s management and operating systems
- Identify different operating strategies to improve efficiency and increase sales
- Survey new hires for feedback on the training and hiring process
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Research and gather statistics on the different retention and hiring strategies used by other local businesses
Writing Schedule
July 10: Conduct both the Employee Satisfaction Survey and Senior Staff Survey
July 13: Organize and design visuals using the data collected from surveys
July 15: Research the approximate costs and strategies for offering compensation such as raises, profit-sharing, stock options, commissions, and bonuses
July 17: Identify and recommend operating strategies to improve efficiency and increase sales
July 18: Research and gather statistics on the different retention and hiring strategies used by other local businesses
July 19: Organize all survey data and research into a document
July 19-22: Write the rough draft for Formal Report
July 22: Rough draft due
July 24: Self-edit and write a peer review
July 27-August 1: Receive peer review and revise formal report according to feedback
Aug 2: Final Formal Report due
Thank you for taking the time to read and review this progress report and the attached links. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.