I follow this sub and am really encouraged to see so many people doing much of what I started doing 20 years ago when I was laid off yet again as a software developer. This was a company I thought I could grow and advance in. Over time, back stab after back stab, I actually started to “quiet quit” – or rather, worked my wage, in the mid-Aughts. Note: I have the fortunate privilege not to have to work right now and I have a hobby that does take money. I am not however, immune to what is going on the work force today at various types of jobs from service work to white collar work. So much of what is going on now is far worse than what I experienced in service/retail work.
My husband and I are currently staying the Hampton Inn Tulsa / Sand Springs. In fact, my husband is in the shower as I type this as we're getting ready to drive home today. Here's what happened yesterday.
My husband visited me at the track yesterday. We had to extend our night one night and as what happens with many hotels, when you extend a night your keycard expires the day you were supposed to check out so that means you need to either get new ones or your current re-configured, not all hotels are like this, however, this one is. My husband just so happened to have gone out for a vape and come back up to the room to find our keycards not working. He came down to the front desk for new ones and was chatting with the young man at the front desk.
This young man explains that he's been there for 15 hours. FIFTEEN HOURS!!!! That poor man! He had said that the person who was supposed to show up for the next shift didn't show. I don't know if he tried to call that person, but, IMO, that shouldn't be his responsibility, it should be the manager's so I don't blame him if he doesn't try to cover the next shift. My husband leaves the track as he was just there for a couple of hours, I was the one why we're here for this event. My husband actually met me in the parking lot when I get back around 6pm to help me with my bring stuff in when he says, “There's no one here.”
Me, confused, “What do you mean?”
Him, “Staff. There is literally NO ONE here.”
Me, seriously confused, but ok. We bring my stuff in and there are some folks milling around the lobby. I see a green sign saying, “Be back in 5 minutes.” I regret I did not take a photo.
For the next several hours as my husband periodically goes outside to vape, or we take the dog for a bio break, or I go down for some fresh air and fiddle with my car, still, there is no front desk employee. One thing I've noticed in the last few road trips we've taken there's usually only ONE employee for the night shift at just about any chain hotel we're staying at.
One of the conversations my husband had with literally our next door guest was that that guest called corporate to let them know no one was at the front desk. Also, the phone was just constantly ringing. From speaking to another guest about interacting with any employee yesterday, we're guestimating that poor man (I am assuming that it was the same one my husband spoke to at noonish) left around 4:45 ish or so. More guests starting showing up getting irate that there was no one around to check them in. For Hampton Inn, you can actually check in via their app. Some folks figured that out and were able to get into their rooms. We even saw a few folks in the lobby changing the TV channel to watch it, and someone brought in a 24 pack of bear. LOL I don't know if they drank in the lobby or not, but I quipped if they're having a lobby party since the “cat's away.”
By 10-ish pm or so there was still no one at the front desk. Exhausted we had gone to sleep.
This morning my husband goes out to vape again and he talks to the person at the front desk. He doesn't know if he's the manager or not, but that guy said that he received a two word text from the young man working yesterday, “I quit.”
To the young man who worked very likely close to 20 hours, if not more yesterday: I have no words for how you were treated. It's awful the disrespect and inconsideration you were shown. In a better world the manager or maybe even the owner themselves because this is their business, should have come in to relieve you. I don't know if you'll see this, I know this sub likes to “name and shame” so I am. I hope you find a better job. We sorely need unions in this country. As a software developer I had one job where we were forced, at the threat of our jobs, to sometimes work overnight and well into the next day to fix some system problems with barely pizza for dinner and finding ourselves hazardously driving home bleary eyed to finally get some rest. It's awful.
For any managers who buy in to this corporate bull still believing your C-suite overlords will recognize you and your “hard work,” LOL you're being used just as badly as those you try to beat into submission.
And franchise owners of any type of retail/service reading this: YOU TOOK the risk, YOU take responsibility. Want employee loyalty? Don't treat them like horribly. Make your SOP such that if someone doesn't show up for work the employee on duty can call YOU in and YOU ACTUALLY GO INTO YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU WORK YOUR BUSINESS until YOU can find someone to cover the shift. You don't pay your employees enough to care about your business. You just don't. NO ONE other than YOU is invested in your business.
And for Pete's sake, next labor day? Heck, maybe even today? YOU WORK LABOR DAY AND GIVE YOUR EMPLOYEES THE DAY OFF WITH PAY!!!! You have zero clue how far that just bare minimum will go.
Y'all, I'm so angry for that young man and I certainly don't blame him. The bar for small business owners to “come through” for employees is so low and these bosses keep trying to win a limbo contest against Satan.