I recently began working at a facility that bottles syrup, and have thus far enjoyed my time there. It's not even been a month. But…there are a few things I noticed right off the bat about this job.
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They're understaffed. I mean they have NO backstock. What they bottle goes right out of the door. They don't have the staff to support any extra work to catch up.
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The supervisors and managers have no clue what they're doing or what they're talking about half the time. As per fucking usual in my experience.
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They have hired countless new people and I am one of the few they've been able to retain. They really use and abuse the shit out of you if you allow it.
With all this said, today something spicy happened at work. I was pulled from my normal work station at order fullfillment, and put into production. I've had to help/cover for them a few times so I basically had the hang of it.
Well I begin boxing bottles into boxes and had no boxes made in advance nor another person (it is a 2 person station) there to help.
I did this for about an hour and was able to catch a breath while they pumped more syrup.
(Keep In mind this is at a relatively fast pace). I immediately went to the supervisor and politely asked to have someone help assist me assemble boxes while I boxed. She gave me a string of excuses as to why no one would be able to help me and and I look her straight in the face and tell her, 'Okay, but you're not listening to me. I NEED someone to come help assist. I'm not asking.”
I walked back to my station and she comes after me and says, “I really don't appreciate the tone I got back there. I'm doing everything I can. We're short staffed.” And la la la. Afterwards I tell her, “Okay I apologize I'm not trying to argue with you, but I don't think it's okay that I'm doing a 2 person job while I look around me and see people standing around doing nothing. Meanwhile I'm drowning.”
She just nods and walks away and after a few minutes I've got a bounty of fucking help.
Sometimes you just gotta speak up. Might not be effective, but it also might.
Edit: sorry about the shit spacing. I'm on mobile.