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In June I was chosen to be the Employee of the Month by the Front End Manager, and the Asst. Store Director. I found this very surprising at the time, and being a private person found all the new attention kind of embarrassing. I think I was chosen because I always show up for work and on time, always willing to stay later or cover someones shift, I am not quarrelsome and never complain, take others advice (such as smiling more around customers) and work very hard and thoroughly. Being "friendly" and social are things I struggle with.
A few days before becoming Junes EoTM the Asst. Store Director asked me what outside departments I would like to work, I told her "Dairy or Produce". She tried to get me to work Deli but I said no, knowing how godawful Deli is. Later on, the Store Director was having a meeting with the Department Heads, and told me that he had heard that I wanted to work in Deli to which I said "No".
A day after becoming EotM the Store Director pulled me to the side and asked me what other departments I wanted to work in, and he suggested the Deli. I mentioned my top choice of "Dairy" which was immediately shot down. Then I mentioned "Produce", to which he told me that I would start training in 2 weeks or so. Moments later the Produce Manager pulled me to the side and began talking to me, and then told me training would begin next week or the week after.
Two weeks rolled by and nothing happened. In those 2 weeks the Produce Manager occasionally pulled me to the side and gave some brief unofficial training to explain what I would start out with. Four weeks passed by without a word from the store director or managers, and we were both scratching our heads. Each week I excitedly went to look at my schedule to see if my training would begin, only to find that it didn't. So finally I asked the Asst. Store Director when I was going to start my training, and she said "Next week...Maybe" to which I replied "Next Week? Maybe?" "Yup, hahaha." The Store Director behaved evasively, not making eye contact and asked me if I was "glaring" at him once (I wasn't).
In the meantime, she and the Front End Manager ran around and tried to push/guilt me into other positions, such as the Deli, Bakery and Combo Clerk (which is a courtesy clerk with the added responsibilities of a Checker, and a 10 cent raise). They made me work both the Bakery and Deli, because they were short staffed, with no training, while still being a courtesy clerk, and getting paid courtesy clerk wages. They tried to guilt me into being a Combo by saying things like "I wouldn't have to be doing all this running around if you would just be a Combo already" or "I NEED another Combo but HE won't DO IT!!!"
A new guy was hired to work in Produce in July.
Last week I asked about my Produce training again, to which the Asst. Store Director turned red in face and said "Not yet! Haha, not yet!" and rushed off. She did not make eye contact with me throughout the rest of the day. At the end of the day, I reminded her that I also wanted to work Dairy, which she seemed more open about, but did not give any indication of training.
So the waiting game continues...
Should I just suck it up and work as a Combo/Deli, continue to wait, transfer to a bigger/better store or find a new job entirely?
I honestly do not know what to do, or if I am just being whiny or entitled. This BS has caused me much frustration, and I have grown to LOATHE being a courtesy clerk, while I get to watch everyone else move on to departments and positions that they desire...
Seems like communication in your store is lacking, not surprising in grocery stores.
In the end it all boils down to, management felt your best fit was in Deli, you said no, they moved on to other employees who they felt could do a better job in those departments. Is it fair? I don't know, I don't know their reasoning and you might not ever know the true reason either, but it is what it is.
From the sounds of it, this job is a low paid hourly stocker job, in which case you should always be looking for a better job and next career steps. Instead of simply jumping from one low paid job to the next, use this time to figure out a good 5 year plan, and how you are going to get there. I'm sure you don't want to stock the dairy or produce area in 5 years.
As a courtesy clerk, you don't have the luxury of saying no to a move to another department, especially when they needed someone there. Instead you caused them to hire someone new. You will probably never get another chance at it.
Just request to be placed on the overnight stock crew. I used to do nothing but smoke a joint and stock for a full 8 hours. Nobody would bother you, no managers, no customers, etc.
Just request to be placed on the overnight stock crew. I used to do nothing but smoke a joint and stock for a full 8 hours. Nobody would bother you, no managers, no customers, etc.
^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^ If you have issues with being "Sociable"
Now if you really want to HATE the customers, then go with Deli, I can promise you that you'll be starting to drink after the first week....Even if you hate alcohol, you'll use it to blind yourself to the misery...
In June I was chosen to be the Employee of the Month by the Front End Manager, and the Asst. Store Director.
...Store Director asked me what outside departments I would like to work, I told her "Dairy or Produce". She tried to get me to work Deli but I said no, ....
A day after becoming EotM the Store Director pulled me to the side and asked me what other departments I wanted to work in, and he suggested the Deli. I mentioned my top choice of "Dairy" which was immediately shot down. Then I mentioned "Produce", to which he told me that I would start training in 2 weeks or so.
Two weeks rolled by and nothing happened.
In the meantime, she and the Front End Manager ran around and tried to push/guilt me into other positions,
A new guy was hired to work in Produce in July.
Should I just suck it up and work as a Combo/Deli, continue to wait, transfer to a bigger/better store or find a new job entirely?
I honestly do not know what to do, or if I am just being whiny or entitled. This BS has caused me much frustration, and I have grown to LOATHE being a courtesy clerk, while I get to watch everyone else move on to departments and positions that they desire...
1. As an employee, you are 'supposed' to work whatever departments they ask you to work.
2. From your 'story', it does not appear your store is union. If it is, you should have been taking all this up with the shop steward. Your store is not union?
3. Everything about all this 'meshugas' is dependent on what your career goals are.
3a. If your goal is to make the grocery business your career, then remember that in order to become a Front End Manager and then a Store Director, it is necessary to rotate through all the departments. With that in mind, you hardly have the option of declining being asked to work in any of the store's departments.
3b. If your career goal(s) are outside the store, then focus more on your medium/long term goals and spend less time fighting the system as to which job you work at that store. Are you going to school or have some other activity in which you are engaged in order to be qualified for a job per your career goal(s)? If so, you are wasting energy on your day-to-day job when you ought to be spending that energy working the other legs of your career progress.
4. As an hourly, non-exempt worker, you are in the position of being expendable so stop rocking the boat and showing your hand. If for some reason, all this is going to cause you to want to quit and take another job, you need to hold your cards closer to your chest while you work on your job replacement plan. Otherwise, you may find yourself being given the boot before you have prepared for and found your next job. So stop broadcasting your angst and play along while you work your Plan B.
5. I left out a 'strategy' conversation where you would say 'this' and 'that' to your various managers and it would all come out in your favor. First, I would need to know a lot more about the dynamics of the people involved and second, you are too junior in the organization to expect to be able to orchestrate the situation in your favor. At best, I can only say that if possible, you could somehow leverage your Employee of the Month recognition but that is probably a pipe dream since as we all know all too well, employers are sweet on you one day and cold the next.
Without knowing more than is reasonable for this kind of forum exchange, I can only say that it all boils down to keeping your job, making the most with the cards you are being dealt and either focus on your in-store career goals or as I said, if your true career goals are external to the store, then put your energy where it will do you the most good and put on a happy face and work your Plan B/Career Goal Plan.
Simply said, you need them more than they need you.
Paul..........
...
Last edited by HeadhunterPaul; 08-15-2016 at 01:51 PM..
Reason: typo correction.
1. As an employee, you are 'supposed' to work whatever departments they ask you to work.
Absolutely agree. However, it's stupid for management to ask an employee what other department they "would like" to work in when they don't give a damn about their answer anyway. If you intend to move your employee to Deli, then do it. Don't try to paint a rosy picture by asking them where they want to go, only to discard whatever answer they gave you.
In June I was chosen to be the Employee of the Month by the Front End Manager, and the Asst. Store Director.
A few days before becoming Junes EoTM the Asst. Store Director asked me what outside departments I would like to work, I told her "Dairy or Produce". She tried to get me to work Deli but I said no, knowing how godawful Deli is. Later on, the Store Director was having a meeting with the Department Heads, and told me that he had heard that I wanted to work in Deli to which I said "No".
In the meantime, she and the Front End Manager ran around and tried to push/guilt me into other positions,
A new guy was hired to work in Produce in July.
Last week I asked about my Produce training again, to which the Asst. Store Director turned red in face and said "Not yet!
Should I just suck it up and work as a Combo/Deli, continue to wait, transfer to a bigger/better store or find a new job entirely?
I honestly do not know what to do,
PeterPan.....
Here is a tool you can use now and if necessary, in the future:
Long ago [too long ago!], as I was walking the hall at my employer's place, thinking out a management problem, I was stopped by one of the owners and was asked what was bothering me.
I explained that I had a situation and was working to figure out the best solution.
"Kid", he said to me [oh, to be a kid, again!], "...just think of it this way" and then he explained that all I need do is base my thinking on what was best for the company.
..................
So, Peter (and anyone else who has not thought of this, already), base your strategy on what is best for your own interests.
If you think that using a battering ram is going to get you what you want, then that is your strategy but if you can see you need to play this differently, then act accordingly.
Always double check yourself by asking yourself if what you are doing is in your own best interests.
Absolutely agree. However, it's stupid for management to ask an employee what other department they "would like" to work in when they don't give a damn about their answer anyway. If you intend to move your employee to Deli, then do it. Don't try to paint a rosy picture by asking them where they want to go, only to discard whatever answer they gave you.
You are, of course, correct.
I have a suggestion, though:
Were I to be asked 'what department' I'd like to work in, my first response would be to say '...whichever department you most need me to work!'.
That is how to play the Game.
Mod cut.
Last edited by PJSaturn; 08-20-2016 at 10:47 PM..
Reason: Personal attack.
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Should I Just Suck It Up?
and work your Plan B/Career Goal Plan.
