Work Engagement among Baristas in Franchise and Non-Franchise Coffee Shops: A Qualitative Study Based on the Job Demands–Resources Framework

Abstract

This study explores work engagement among baristas in franchise and non-franchise coffee shops using a qualitative case study approach grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) framework. The research aims to understand how job resources and organizational context shape employee engagement in service-based work environments. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations involving baristas with operational and supervisory experience. Thematic analysis was applied to identify patterns of meaning related to work engagement. The findings reveal that work engagement is strongly driven by the availability and quality of job resources, particularly social support, autonomy, feedback, and opportunities for skill development. A key insight is that franchise coffee shops tend to strengthen engagement through structural clarity, standardized procedures, and predictable reward systems, which reduce role ambiguity and increase psychological security. In contrast, non-franchise coffee shops enhance engagement through greater autonomy, informal learning opportunities, and closer relational ties with owners, although this is accompanied by variability in role clarity and organizational consistency. Leadership quality emerges as a central mechanism that determines whether structural rigidity or flexibility translates into positive engagement outcomes. Supportive and transformational leadership strengthens meaning-making and emotional attachment to work across both organizational types. These findings indicate that work engagement in barista work is not merely a function of individual motivation but is shaped by the interaction between organizational structure and psychosocial work conditions. The study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how different business models in the coffee shop industry produce distinct engagement dynamics through varying configurations of job resources and leadership practices. Practical implications suggest that balancing structure and flexibility is critical to sustaining employee engagement in service-oriented workplaces.