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#Post#: 69403--------------------------------------------------
I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: spunkyboy08 Date: August 18, 2021, 4:32 pm
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I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at.
I currently work at a fuel center that is managed by a *grocery
store chain*.
I work at a location that has a fuel center and a grocery store.
The fuel center is not located near the grocery store.
I do not have a car, and so I take public transportation, or I
get a ride to work or a ride home from work.
I do not go directly to the fuel center when I arrive because I
clock in inside the main grocery store.
Since I have open availability, my work schedule varies. I work
the opening shift, mid shift, and closing shift.
It takes several minutes to and from the fuel center and the
grocery store if you must go to the bathroom, get change for the
register, heat up your lunch since there is not room at the fuel
center for a microwave and so on.
There are several job responsibilities for the fuel center
clerks
For example
•
the fuel center. This job responsibility takes you away from the
fuel center for an hour or more, and this must be done 7 days a
week because the District office gets a report every time this
is done, and this office wants the report done 7 days a week.
You use a handheld scanner to scan the items, and when you press
finish collecting, a report is sent to that office
•
dolly or cart that was used as well as the totes that were used
to collect the items and the handheld to the grocery store
•
certain duties to complete
•
•
products change
Regarding replenishing/restocking/refilling the items that are
sold at the fuel center…
The department head and the fuel center lead both want the
opener to do that even when there are overlapping opening and
mid shifts on the fuel center schedule.
The department head over the fuel center as well as 2 other
departments does not want the fuel center clerks leaving the
fuel center unattended, and if she sees me inside the store, the
first thing she says is “who is at the fuel center?”
The are five fuel center clerks, but only 3 of us, including me,
have open availability. The other 2 clerks have limited
availability.
The department head makes the weekly schedule, and there are
several days in a week when there is either only an opener and a
closer or three shifts back-to-back, but no overlap between the
opening shift and the mid shift. There is some overlap, but it
is not consistent. This is the same for every week and month.
This has been going on since I started working there last year.
As of this month, one of the Assistant store Managers does not
want any personal items inside the fuel center. The fuel center
lead does not want that as well because that information is
indicated on some paperwork the opener completes every morning.
Her solution to this problem is to put your personal items
inside a locker, but the lockers are located inside the grocery
store on the second floor. I do have a personal locker on the
second floor. So, that would mean you bring what you need to the
fuel center, such as your breakfast if you work 6 a.m. to 2
p.m., which I do at times, as well as your lunch and other
items. Then when you are done with your breakfast, you go back
to the store and put your personal belongings, such as the
thermos I use for my coffee and the thermos I use for my hot
decaf green tea, inside your locker. The same for your lunch.
And so on.
What is the best way for me to approach, address and handle
these situations?
#Post#: 69406--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: BeagleMommy Date: August 19, 2021, 8:12 am
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Have you brought any of these issues up to the management? It
seems like you may not have much choice.
#Post#: 69407--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: AnnNottingham Date: August 19, 2021, 8:39 am
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I think you have to sit down with your department head and try
to find a solution. If it's just you there, you can't both be
at the fuel center and in the store getting product. I can
understand management not wanting the fuel center to be
unattended, but then you can't stock. Is there anyone at the
store who can bring the products to you and then take the
dolly/tubs back to the store? The same with getting change-is
there a runner from the store who could bring that to you?
Who relieves you for your breaks/lunch period? Or are you
leaving the fuel pumps, going in to get your lunch, and then
coming back? Ideally, there should be someone who can stay
there so you can go to the break room and eat/use the restroom,
etc. That way, you also have a chance to visit your locker.
I work in a grocery store (although we don't have gas).
Management is infamous for coming up with policies that are
untenable in real life. I suspect it's the same in yours.
#Post#: 69408--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: Hmmm Date: August 19, 2021, 9:13 am
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When you next get a schedule with no overlap between opening and
mid shift, ask your department head how they want you to handle
restocking. Do they want to leave the fuel center unattended to
do the restocking or do they want you to skip restocking? Ask
the same thing about needing to go to your locker during your
shift when you are the only one there.
#Post#: 69411--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: spunkyboy08 Date: August 19, 2021, 11:13 am
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There is no one to receive the fuel center clerks for break when
there is only an opener and a closer
There is not a store employee who can get change for us
As for the restocking…
The fuel center opener is expected to do the 7 days a week no
matter what according to one of the Assistant store managers
The department head will not do that unless absolutely necessary
as deemed by the store manager or by his manager
2 of her other employees used to do the restocking, but moved
one to the overnight shift and the other one was promoted to
assistant lead and has more duties to do
So that means the fuel center clerks are stuck doing the
restocking
How do you deal with an untenable situation at work?
#Post#: 69412--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: AnnNottingham Date: August 19, 2021, 11:23 am
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How do the other fuel pump workers handle their breaks and
personal things?
I'm starting to think the restocking issue is between your head
and the manager. I still advise going to your department head,
with the assistant manager there if possible, and getting
everyone on the same page. You can't do both things to the
satisfaction of both people.
#Post#: 69419--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: Hmmm Date: August 19, 2021, 2:56 pm
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[quote author=spunkyboy08 link=topic=2142.msg69411#msg69411
date=1629389589]
There is no one to receive the fuel center clerks for break when
there is only an opener and a closer
There is not a store employee who can get change for us
As for the restocking…
The fuel center opener is expected to do the 7 days a week no
matter what according to one of the Assistant store managers
The department head will not do that unless absolutely necessary
as deemed by the store manager or by his manager
2 of her other employees used to do the restocking, but moved to
the overnight shift and the other one was promoted to assistant
lead and has more duties to do
So that means the fuel center clerks are stuck doing the
restocking
How do you deal with an untenable situation at work?
[/quote]
I'm sorry, I'm sure what you have stated is very clear to you
since you are close to the issue.
Who is your direct supervisor? You need to go to that person for
clarification on if it is allowable to leave the fuel center
unattended to do the stocking or if they prefer to skip the
restocking.
If your direct supervisor says to skip the restocking, and if
asked by Asst Store Mgr just state "We are instructed to not
leave the Fuel Center unattended. Please address this with my
supervisor."
If your direct supervisor says to do the restocking and leave
the Fuel Center unattended and challenged by someone, all you
need to do is reply "My supervisor has said we must restock each
morning no matter if we have overlapping coverage. Please bring
your concern to my supervisor.
I get it's annoying. But you have no control over this scenario.
You can only do as your direct supervisor instructs. Let the
questions about who is covering the fuel center roll off your
back and instead direct it where it should go.
#Post#: 69428--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: Aleko Date: August 20, 2021, 4:06 am
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[quote]Who is your direct supervisor? You need to go to that
person for clarification[/quote]
This. There will be somebody directly responsible for telling
you what to do: if by some managerial incompetence nobody has
ever spelt out to you who that is, ask. (If by even bigger
managerial incompetence there really is no such person - if they
have really just hired you to do tasks for the department head
and fuel centre lead without specifying who is to be in charge
of you in general - you need to ask them to make up their
minds.) Get them to give you a general rule to abide by, and
then if anyone else asks you to do anything different you just
tell them they'll have to ask your own boss to instruct you to
do it.
#Post#: 69433--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: bopper Date: August 20, 2021, 8:12 am
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FIrst I would try talking to your supervisor.
Sometimes you need malicious compliance.
No personal stuff at fueling station? Fine.
Then Lock up Fueling Station and go get your stuff.
#Post#: 70667--------------------------------------------------
Re: I need advice on how to handle situations where I work at
By: TootsNYC Date: October 6, 2021, 1:54 pm
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Give yourself a tool to use when you talk to them. A detailed
schedule
Take a piece of paper with lines, and label each line for a
half-hour (or 15 min., whichever is most useful or most
dramatic) of your shift:
[list]
[li]9am
9:30am
10am
10:30am[/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]
etc.
Then write what you're doing by each line.
Include other people's shifts, to show the overlap.
[list]
[li]9am: arrive
9:30: walk to store (5 min.); pick up stock (20 min.) walk back
(5 min)
[/li]
[li]10:00[/li]
[/list]
Also: Document your "commute" time to and from the store. get
out the stopwatch on your phone, and time yourself walking at a
reasonable pace (not so brisk you're out of breath, but don't
lolly-gag) to the part of the store you normally go to. First
for restocking, then for lunch
Have that available, and also plug it into your schedule
Then present this to your direct supervisor as a puzzle you need
their help solving.
"I'm required to do things that clash with one another--I don't
know how to keep the shelves stocked without leaving the booth
unattended. Can you work out a schedule for me that will get you
what you need?"
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