(OP) So, I (21F) have been working in a well-known retail store since September. And let me tell you about how much shit I've gone through. I'm not the type of person that gets angry fast or to complain about work but I'm thoroughly and completely livid.
Let's start off with the Hypocrisy. In the beginning, I had no clue how to do any of the maintenance or upkeep of a retail job. I had no training or guidance whatsoever until I get pulled aside by the Store Manager. SM instructs me to go into the computer lab to do the online training that was never mentioned in the first place. So I go in and do the training, feeling confident and excited to, ya know, do my job. I come out start scanning things and off I go working until I get stopped again by SM. He tells me that I'm doing it completely wrong, shattering my fragile confidence. I ask him to show me and he waves me away to go learn from the Assistant Store Manager. I go talk to ASM and she comes and shows me how to do it. The kicker is, I WAS ALREADY DOING THAT.
Another example with putting product on the floor. (Stay with me on this one, it gets technical and stupid.) MWF we have a thing IRP, which helps with downstocking product and putting it onto the floor. And TTH, is downstocking day. The store opens at 6am, maintenance takes me about an hour, and we have until 10am to get things down. On my list there is generally 30-50+ items that need to be brought down within a 3hour window, but they only allow you to get shit down if you've got the tallest ladder there. I'm 5'4″ and having things stacked 4-5 big boxes high makes it difficult to safely get things down without breaking my neck.
Both the SM and the ASM won't allow me to complete the list after 10am, but then get pissy and demand me to finish it… But not during 10-2, which I leave at 2pm. I'm damned if I do try to complete it and I'm damned if I don't.
There's a fair bit of Blackmail and Gaslighting from SM and ASM. Throughout this time, they repeatedly told me that if I wasn't doing good enough or doing enough to help customers, that I was replaceable. That I am expendable. That makes me feel like a pawn on a chess board. It occasionally was a daily thing, that my work isn't good enough, I'm not doing enough, I'm not interacting with people enough. Why should I try doing anything if you'll never be happy with it? With the same thought, they would flip and tell me that I'm amaxing and that I should be proud to work there, that I am the only person they can count on… For the moment. Back and forth, I feel insane and constantly questioning which one it's going to be that day.
Public Humiliation. I have a lot of health issues and have been sick several times this past year, but in this case I have prescription glasses that I need in order to read or see anything far away. I broke my glasses while at work one day and had made an emergency appointment for Saturday around noon. With my schedule going and making appointments is nearly impossible without interrupting my work schedule. So I told my manager, who is a really nice and chill dude we'll call Steve, and the SM about how I was leaving early to go to this appointment. My manager was cool with it, but the SM was not. During morning huddle, with everyone there, EVERY. SINGLE. COWORKER IN THE BUILDING, was there to witness the following conversation.
“SM: So I heard you were leaving early today.
Me: Yeah! I have an appointment to get new glasses.
SM: You should be making those appointments on your day off.
Me: I… I tried to but today was the only day they could fit me into to have an entire eye exam.
SM:(No sympathy) You should be more responsible and not cut into company time like that. Saturday is mandatory for everyone to work through entirely. You shouldn't waste time with appointments you could make a different day.”
I couldn't say anything. I was shocked. I'd been working my ass off for 6 days straight and the only thing I needed was glasses to see, so I could do my fucking job. No one else said anything and I tried not to cry in front of my peers. It took me talking to my manager Steve, who spoke to the SM and 3 weeks later for him to feed me a bullshit apology. And while he was apologizing he didn't even own up to what he did. He said something along the lines of, oh I guess I humiliated you. That's really unfortunate, I'm sorry. (That's not being sorry, that you getting caught.)
Being slighted. I applied for a new position in the warehouse. It was an early morning position that had a better schedule that was routine based, same pay, an awesome manager and I didn't have to work weekends (which is big for me because I'm religious). I applied, was interviewed and was accepted into the position, but there was one catch. SM and ASM had to sign off on it. I didn't think much of it and waited. 2 weeks goes by, nothing. I talk to ASM and she tells me, “Oh! We need to find a replacement for your position before we move you over.”( …but I thought I was replaceable? What happened to having people wanting my job?) I nod my head and go back to waiting. 2 more weeks go by, I'm irritated and frustrated. I go back to ASM, she says, “Oh! It's the end of the fiscal year. We won't be hiring anyone until after February.” At this point I'm livid, “What do you mean you won't be hiring until February? Its not my responsibility to have my position filled before I move over.” I did not gain any sympathy and was waved away.
Parting words from management. I previously saw my position posted on LinkedIn where I was mentally preparing to be fired. I put in my two weeks Monday and I immediately regret not walking out completely. On Monday, I sent an email to both the SM, the ASM, my manager Steve, and to the hiring manager that I was putting in my two weeks. I then went and talked to the ASM to make sure that she was aware that I was quitting. She then said to me, “Oh I saw your email. It's good timing because your replacement is in training right now so you can teach them everything about paint before you leave.” What a nice slap in the face. A few days later the SM comes around the paint desk and talks to me. He asked me where I'm going and what I'll be doing after I quit and I told him I'm going to therapy. I had previously been going to therapy because I have seasonal depression, generalized social anxiety, and ADHD, the trifecta. My mental health has tanked so severely that I began to have self-harming ideation again after 7 years and seriously considering it. He laughed like it was a joke. And then he added,” Good your replacement starts Monday. Have fun teaching him for the last week.”
For everything I've gone through, mentally, emotionally, and physically I'm so angry. And from the deepest reaches of my soul, fuck you Dave and Michelle.