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Yesterday was a typical day; I came in at 10 for midshift. The opener was scheduled until noon. It was his early day. The closer wasn't scheduled until 5:00. That meant I was alone in paint for 5 hours. No biggy, I can handle that.
However, after opener left, I got busy. Not superbusy, but busy enough where I had a customer about every 5-10 minutes. Around 3:00 is when I got extremely busy. It was also time for my lunch. I called up my ZM to get coverage, but he called in. No help there. I called the GM, who didn't answer his phone. I called another ZM, told him it was time to take my lunch, and he said he'd try to find someone.
All this time, I'm working with customers. Did I mention I was busy?? Why were these people wanting all this paint on a chilly Tuesday afternoon?
4:00 rolls around, and still no coverage. I was now there for 6 hours, haven't left the paint desk, and haven't had a break. I call the ZM back and he said that no one working knows how to mix paint. You gotta be kidding me. It's simple. Just press buttons. That's it.
Then ZM tells me that if I can make it to 5:00, I can clock out when the closer comes. Since I get an hour lunch, and was scheduled to 6:00, that would give me my full shift.
5:00 comes. No closer. 5:15 comes. No closer. I call the ZM, ask what's going on. He calls closer. Calls me back.
ZM: "Closer's schedule was changed, but the GM didn't update the master schedule. She doesn't come in until 6:00. But she called and said she can't make it until 6:30. Can you stay?"
Me: "What choice do I have? Yes, I'll stay, but you had better get someone over here NOW so I can take a break. I've been here since 10, with no break, no lunch. I need to get a drink and go to the bathroom. "
ZM: "Ok, I'll see if we can find someone."
Me: "No, you will get someone, because in 5 minutes I'll put up a damn sign saying 'Back in 15 minutes' if I have to."
Yeah, I was a bit cranky with him. Not his fault, but he was there. I had to pee!
Someone came over, I clocked out, did my thing, and went outside and had 2 smokes. Came back in, walked back to paint, and was met with a wall of customers. The co-worker who subbed for me had a deer-in-the-headlights look. I thanked her and got back to work. I was uber-busy for 45 minutes.
The closer comes in at 6:20 and asks how I am. I tell her. I clock out and head for the nearest Publix to get a sub. A big one.
This is not a typical day for me, but for my store. We are understaffed. Schedule changes happen almost daily without any warning. There have been many times where I have to cover Home Decor and Flooring as well as Paint. Sometimes for lunch breaks, often for 4 hours because there is no one in those departments after 5:00 (no overtime, ya know! That's a big no-no).
In my department, we have an opener, sometimes a mid-shift, and a closer. More often than not, it's the opener that's there until 3, with the closer coming in at 1:00. 2 people for a super-busy department, with little to no help if needed.
However, after opener left, I got busy. Not superbusy, but busy enough where I had a customer about every 5-10 minutes. Around 3:00 is when I got extremely busy. It was also time for my lunch. I called up my ZM to get coverage, but he called in. No help there. I called the GM, who didn't answer his phone. I called another ZM, told him it was time to take my lunch, and he said he'd try to find someone.
All this time, I'm working with customers. Did I mention I was busy?? Why were these people wanting all this paint on a chilly Tuesday afternoon?
4:00 rolls around, and still no coverage. I was now there for 6 hours, haven't left the paint desk, and haven't had a break. I call the ZM back and he said that no one working knows how to mix paint. You gotta be kidding me. It's simple. Just press buttons. That's it.
Then ZM tells me that if I can make it to 5:00, I can clock out when the closer comes. Since I get an hour lunch, and was scheduled to 6:00, that would give me my full shift.
5:00 comes. No closer. 5:15 comes. No closer. I call the ZM, ask what's going on. He calls closer. Calls me back.
ZM: "Closer's schedule was changed, but the GM didn't update the master schedule. She doesn't come in until 6:00. But she called and said she can't make it until 6:30. Can you stay?"
Me: "What choice do I have? Yes, I'll stay, but you had better get someone over here NOW so I can take a break. I've been here since 10, with no break, no lunch. I need to get a drink and go to the bathroom. "
ZM: "Ok, I'll see if we can find someone."
Me: "No, you will get someone, because in 5 minutes I'll put up a damn sign saying 'Back in 15 minutes' if I have to."
Yeah, I was a bit cranky with him. Not his fault, but he was there. I had to pee!
Someone came over, I clocked out, did my thing, and went outside and had 2 smokes. Came back in, walked back to paint, and was met with a wall of customers. The co-worker who subbed for me had a deer-in-the-headlights look. I thanked her and got back to work. I was uber-busy for 45 minutes.
The closer comes in at 6:20 and asks how I am. I tell her. I clock out and head for the nearest Publix to get a sub. A big one.
This is not a typical day for me, but for my store. We are understaffed. Schedule changes happen almost daily without any warning. There have been many times where I have to cover Home Decor and Flooring as well as Paint. Sometimes for lunch breaks, often for 4 hours because there is no one in those departments after 5:00 (no overtime, ya know! That's a big no-no).
In my department, we have an opener, sometimes a mid-shift, and a closer. More often than not, it's the opener that's there until 3, with the closer coming in at 1:00. 2 people for a super-busy department, with little to no help if needed.
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