Topic > The Role of Consent and Normalization in Luxury Hotel Work

Consent and normalization are the two concepts that Sherman established exist in luxury hotel work and that allow workers to maintain autonomy in their work. Consensus is the idea that workers are truly engaged in the work they are doing, while normalization is the idea that inequality is just in the nature of the work they are doing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The atmosphere of luxury service is unique in the sense that although inequality exists between workers and guests, it is mostly ignored, and workers have more power than it may seem to outsiders. It is important that workers can feel like they have power in situations where structural inequality is so present, because otherwise they would not be able to successfully do their jobs. One way workers feel power is through the relationships they build with their hosts. Starting from the Luxury Garden there is a very hierarchical environment, the experience is standardized, the core values ​​are transparent and the workers are expected to speak to guests very correctly. In creating a standardized experience for guests, workers are expected to pay attention to personalizing their experience, such as setting up a room with their favorite teas and biscuits, as well as anticipation, such as knowing what time they would like tea and the biscuits were in their room. Through this process, workers learn intimate facts about their hosts and "friendships" form between them. In any atmosphere outside of the luxury hotel, workers and guests rarely met and friendships rarely formed. This can give workers a sense of empowerment because they have had the chance to create these unlikely friendships with individuals who usually have a much higher social status than them. At the Royal Court, there is no clear hierarchical structure for staff, who are encouraged to be friendly and authentic in interactions with guests. Even in this luxurious environment, workers are able to form legitimate friendships with guests. When workers at one of the hotels form these intimate relationships with their guests, they see themselves as powerful by association. The hotel setting distorts the sense of class consciousness. Another reason why workers feel powerful is the fact that guests depend on them for everything. Although the guests who can stay in these luxury hotels are obviously wealthy, the workers see them as disadvantaged because they are “needy”. Guests depend on workers to perform simple tasks, such as making the bed, and workers see this as a character flaw. Since some of the jobs in luxury hotels require workers to give advice to their guests, they consider themselves superior for obtaining this cultural capital without spending as much money as the guests. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Different workers in the same hotel may also consider themselves superior to each other. For example, receptionists may have to personally travel to the restaurants and shops they recommend to their guests, a privilege that a delivery driver may not have. This also deludes the workers that, having had these experiences in these restaurants and shops, even if the experiences were essentially part of their job, they are aligned with the guests, and this leads them to feel even more powerful.