Grocery store associate here.
Call me lazy but I'm one of those workers whose dedication to the job only lasts until the time my schedule says my shift ends. If they ask me to stay late I'll consider it, but overall I value my free time (and my ride's time) more than my job, as one should.
However, as I recently discovered at my job, we are expected (as a demand, not a request) to stay late to finish whatever task we have. On paper it makes sense, but I am quickly realizing how exploitative they're making it.
When I come in to open, I finish my opening tasks (unloading the truck/stocking the shelves) at a decent pace, and I become the main cashier for the rest of the day. Except when they send me on register, it is also paired with a tedious task (such as restocking all the bags) that I am often unable to complete, due to how busy it is and it keeps me behind the register all day.
Despite my effort, I complete the task enough to keep the store functional, but I am unable to completely finish it before my shift ends. I shrug and leave, I don't care. My managers hate this. They recently sat me down for a lecture about how I have to finish doing whatever they told me to do before I am allowed to leave, regardless of what the posted schedule says. I would be very understanding if I hadn't finished the opening duties and was trying to leave, but this is not the case.
So I'm very adamant about standing my ground on the whole thing, because the schedule says I leave at a certain time. I want to go home and I think they should ask instead of demanding I stay past my shift. But I'm afraid at this point that they will just fire me, and I've already been struggling to find a new job so far.