DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Bad Manners and Brimstone
HTML https://badmanners.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: The Work Day
*****************************************************
#Post#: 72361--------------------------------------------------
Need work advice
By: spunkyboy08 Date: December 10, 2021, 12:52 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I have a work situation I need help with.
I previously posted about this situation to get advice, but I
need more advice because other problems have come up regarding
the issue.
The issue is this…
I currently work in the fuel center that is managed by a *major
grocery store chain*.
One of my duties is collecting product inside the store that is
sold at the fuel center. The entire process includes 1)
collecting the product, 2) scanning the product, and 3) having a
member of store management verify the collected product.
How long that takes depends on how many products need to be
collected and scanned as well as how long it takes for a member
of store management to come to the front of the store to verify
the collected product. I must page a store manager when I am
done collecting and scanning the products.
Usually there is only one fuel center employee on staff for each
shift.
I have been told by the fuel center lead as well as by the
manager over the fuel center that this is one of our job
responsibilities that must be done 7 days a week.
The grocery store is short-staffed, and so there is not another
employee who can do this.
When I am inside the store collecting product, the fuel center
window is temporarily closed because there is no-one to relieve
me or the other fuel center employees. So that means customers
cannot pay cash at the window for fuel.
The fuel pumps are available for self-serve only.
Lately when I am inside the store collecting product, a member
of store management pages me several times asking me how long it
will take for me to finish or what time will I return to the
fuel center. Yesterday I received many pages from the same
assistant manager regarding this.
Then a store employee told me that customers were complaining
about the fact that there was no-one at the fuel center.
A sign was posted at the fuel center stating that the fuel
center clerk is collecting product inside the store, that the
fuel center employee will be away for approximately an hour to
two hours and to pay at the pump.
I need advice regarding 1) what to tell store management when I
am continuously paged by them, 2) what to tell the store
employee who told me that customers are complaining regarding
no-one being at the fuel center, and 3) specifically what should
the sign include.
#Post#: 72362--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: Jem Date: December 10, 2021, 1:11 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I remember you posting about this before. Are there other
employees having this same issue? Are you the only person with
your job description? How are others handling this?
I would recommend you have a face to face meeting with your
supervisor and clarify what your job description is. You cannot
physically be in two places at once. Ask your supervisor to
clarify the expectations of how long various tasks should take
you. Should it take 1-2 hours to collect the products? Do they
instead anticipate that it should take only 5-10 minutes so they
think you are slacking/not meeting expectations? Be sure that
they understand how long it ACTUALLY is taking you and why, and
that if they think it should not take so long they should
provide training as to how to speed up the process.
Management should be addressing this. Either management has not
clearly explained expectations to you, or their expectations of
you are not reasonable.
Best wishes and please update us!
#Post#: 72363--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: spunkyboy08 Date: December 10, 2021, 1:26 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
According to my co-workers, who also have to do this, it does
take that to complete the entire process. That does include the
assistant lead. Everyone working at the fuel center has to do
this.
My co-workers have also told me that they have waited 30 minutes
or longer for a store manager to arrive to verify the product
collected after paging a store manager.
#Post#: 72367--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: Jem Date: December 10, 2021, 2:31 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=spunkyboy08 link=topic=2233.msg72363#msg72363
date=1639164397]
According to my co-workers, who also have to do this, it does
take that to complete the entire process. That does include the
assistant lead. Everyone working at the fuel center has to do
this.
My co-workers have also told me that they have waited 30 minutes
or longer for a store manager to arrive to verify the product
collected after paging a store manager.
[/quote]
So how are your coworkers handling this then? Why not have a
united front to address this global issue? Or are you the only
one who is being targeted? If yes, I would ask specifically how
you are not meeting expectations and confirm that you are doing
what all of your coworkers are also doing.
#Post#: 72369--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: spunkyboy08 Date: December 10, 2021, 2:44 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Jem link=topic=2233.msg72367#msg72367
date=1639168317]
[quote author=spunkyboy08 link=topic=2233.msg72363#msg72363
date=1639164397]
According to my co-workers, who also have to do this, it does
take that to complete the entire process. That does include the
assistant lead. Everyone working at the fuel center has to do
this.
My co-workers have also told me that they have waited 30 minutes
or longer for a store manager to arrive to verify the product
collected after paging a store manager.
[/quote]
So how are your coworkers handling this then? Why not have a
united front to address this global issue? Or are you the only
one who is being targeted? If yes, I would ask specifically how
you are not meeting expectations and confirm that you are doing
what all of your coworkers are also doing.
[/quote]
According to my co-workers, they are having the same issue or
similar issues.
Similar issues being either followed into the store by a
customer asking them how long they will be away from the fuel
center or a customer calling self checkout asking them when will
the fuel center clerk return. The self checkout clerk will page
my co-worker to come to self checkout, hand them the phone, and
my co-workers will have to give the customer who called an
answer.
#Post#: 72370--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: Jem Date: December 10, 2021, 2:54 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I recommend you and your coworkers jointly and directly address
this with management.
#Post#: 72372--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: oogyda Date: December 10, 2021, 4:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
1). Tell management you do not have an exact time, but it gets
longer every time you have to answer a page.
2). Tell coworker to take the complaints to management as there
is nothing you can do to change or address the situation.
3). I think the current wording is fine. Perhaps it is too
explanatory, since they don't really need to know what you are
doing, just that you are away.
#Post#: 72376--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: Winterlight Date: December 10, 2021, 8:32 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Jem link=topic=2233.msg72370#msg72370
date=1639169694]
I recommend you and your coworkers jointly and directly address
this with management.
[/quote]
I agree. Clearly this is a problem, but management at this point
is either not realizing it or ignoring it. Bringing it front and
center that this is a duty they're requiring of you all, and
that you've been told you have to do it because there aren't
enough people in the store, but the process is being prolonged
because you have to keep answering pages or waiting for store
managers to show up, which makes things take even longer.
#Post#: 72381--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: Effie Date: December 11, 2021, 12:06 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I think the solution to this problem is fairly simple, but
unlikely to be implemented. (And no, not one that the OP can
make, either).
Until such time that the store has sufficient personnel to bring
the products out to the fuel center, the fuel center should stop
selling anything except fuel.
#Post#: 72388--------------------------------------------------
Re: Need work advice
By: holly firestorm Date: December 11, 2021, 7:27 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=oogyda link=topic=2233.msg72372#msg72372
date=1639176417]
1). Tell management you do not have an exact time, but it gets
longer every time you have to answer a page.
2). Tell coworker to take the complaints to management as there
is nothing you can do to change or address the situation.
3). I think the current wording is fine. Perhaps it is too
explanatory, since they don't really need to know what you are
doing, just that you are away.
[/quote]
1) All of you having this problem should talk to the manager
together. Of course, you guys should stay as positive as
possible, maybe stressing how much you are concerned about the
customers dealing with the situation. Maybe the Manager should
do some of the product collections?
2) Was the coworker trying to boss you, give you grief? Or was
it an butt backward way of trying to warn you or voice
solidarity?
3) Good point! But, these customers should have the info. about
what to do if there is a problem while you are not there,
probably talk to the manager.
This is the perfect time for you and your coworkers to urge the
manager to find a fair resolution, especially with a shortage of
employees you HAVE to be more valuable to them.
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page