Hey everyone. I really think this story is so funny and absurd that I could not resist sharing it here. This will be long cuz I’m very detailed lol
I had been working as an asst manager at a retail store for literally 4 days when this happened. Last week I clocked in 10 mins late to work. I was very upset with myself for being late but it had been raining and the roads where I am are kinda dangerous. Plus it’s hard to see, so I drove a little slower. Sue me. Anyway, I arrived 10 mins late expecting to be confronted for it. Nothing I would’ve been mad about or taken personal, I should be on time.
What I was met with instead was the silent treatment and alienation the whole day. The store manager pretty much ignored me the entire morning except for an aggravated “greeting” telling me how behind we are on everything. all of our conversations were started by me asking “what do you want me to do now?”
For context we were in the middle of a floor reset so there were a few things that had to be done around the store. But I assure y’all it was not anything huge. I have seen much bigger demands for floor resets (I have worked at Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, AND IKEA lol). The store is literally small as hell it’s just the other leads hadn’t been doing their part on their shifts.
So I deduced that the SM was maybe angry with me because I came in late but seriously what could I have accomplished in 10 minutes anyway?! The day continues and the store is literally silent when it’s just us two! I’m not an ass kisser so I just kept my distance and focused on my work until I had questions. You know that look a person gets when you ask a question and they are already irritated with you? That’s the feeling I had been getting every time. Making me not even want to ask questions which significantly reduces the quality of my work.
Eventually another cashier comes in and what do you know the SMs attitude completely disappears when he walks in. That’s how I knew it was purposely being done to me. The entire day they just talked and laughed and giggled. SM continues to avoid me and didn’t speak to me at allll.
Few hours go by, I go up to the SM and stood to the side while they were ringing up a customer and was finally acknowledged with “do you need anything??”, I’m like yes what else should I start working on because the other coworker has come in and completely taken over what I was working on (at the request of the SM of course). SM responds very annoyed but trying to hide it “keep working over there. It goes faster when two people are doing the job and we really need to get this done”.
In theory, and most of the time in practice, yes 2 people can complete a task faster. However, I had reached a good stopping point. The associate would’ve been able to finish the task in an hour ALONE. I figured why not go work on something else if we’re sooo behind?? we’d both be done with 2 tasks by the time the hour was up!
I can clearly hear the irritation so I’m like ok. Still being respectful because I think it’s comical honestly. I head to the back to bring out the merch & keep working on the section like I was told to. Within 5 mins I had done all I could without literally working over the guy so I went BACK to her and asked “what now?” And she (SM) gives me another assignment.
As I’m completing the assignment the store is pretty empty so I have time to just observe and think. This is literally my 4th day working here as ASM and I’m being iced out for coming 10 mins late? Granted I didn’t text her to tell her because it was raining and shit it was 10 minutes! It was the polar opposite from the day before and days before where the SMs personality was so enthusiastic and upbeat and happy to have me there. I was shocked by the pettiness. And it reminded me of why I NEVER wanted to do retail again (I am looking for jobs in my industry but taking hourly work in the meantime).
I have anxiety which causes me to get extremely nervous and full of dread every shift for about the first month I’m at most jobs. Because retail is customer facing it takes me about 2 months to become fully comfortable. I pour into my mental health every morning before work so that I at least show up with a good attitude! I pray, I listen to podcasts, journal, talk myself out of all my anxious thoughts – literally I do all this before going in. Just think about that. I’m doing all this for a job where I’m treated like a high schooler who’s been ousted from the lunch table. I went to break, grabbed my keys, left the store keys, and went home!
It felt good as hell too. Starting my new job next week.