I walked out of a job on Monday. I made my three months. I actually got a good performance review and I was able to see that I was really really helping the people there.
It is a very small company. This was my first time working for such a small buisness. The owner is never in office, but his father and brother are. I basically never dealt with them. The manager had been working alongside this family for years and the other two women had been there for over ten years each.
Sounds great right? But if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Because I recently realized I am also valuable myself and I don't need to be licking boots to barely pay my bills, I would stealthily inquire about past employees. The two women were always so busy and so swamped and apparently have been for ages, so why did they just hire help in May? Apparently a young man was there for exactly three months prior to me. He never came back after his review. Thats exactly what happened to me. Another lady worked to cover a mat leave and they offered her to stay but she left. I always take note of these things as they always blame the person (young people don't wanna work blah blah)
So for the first little bit, I wouldn't even look at my phone. My dad is very sick and sometimes the doctors call me as he has trouble speaking but I was too scared to answer. My coworker told me it's totally fine. As time went on I'd see my coworker scrolling for a solid 15 minutes, lost in her phone. She would sell her MLM products, they would talk for 20 minutes about their personal lives, order fireplaces to work and spend twenty minutes bringing it in, storing it and then discussing who it is for. Coworker on the phone to her husband half the time, ordering birthday cakes, calling their banks, having their family come in and chat, going to bakeries on bank runs. I must note I have no issue with any of this.
I have been so focused, so productive, afraid to have a single minute of downtime. I was always doing something and when I wasn't I was given tasks to do like packing up files boxes and moving them and storing them in the 35 degree backroom. For three months I was trying my hardest and all I'd see around me is very relaxed behaviour.
So last Friday, I had been so productive. We went for our thirty minute lunch at the same time, and when I came back on time, they all continued to eat for 10 minutes. So I opened my phone and was watering my animal crossing flowers. My boss left the room and walked by and saw and made some comment. I sensed she was annoyed so I put it away and asked her what she would like me to do. Prior to that day, it was stormy. The owner never comes in and came in that day for a meeting. At exactly four, she came out and announced the owner called and wanted the other two women to leave due to a storm in their town and I'd be staying for the remainder (he does not even live in their town and apparently he called my manager to tell them to let the ladies go)
Now I have absolutely no problem with this except the whole thing seemed weird and staged. They didn't even leave lol. Low and behold, on Monday, she calls me in for my performance review and her first topic is thunderstorms??? She explains that when there are storms they are allowed to leave early since they live further, and that's an agreement they made with those employees. I never ever contested the Thursday or said anything to anyone. I had no idea why she was telling me this or what she was looking for? Like, your agreement with your employees isn't my buisness or problem and if I feel like it's unfair I will speak up or leave. It was so weird she was presenting me this in my performance review and then saying “so thats fine right? That's how it is here.” I'm not dumb. I live 5 mins from there and they knew that. Now I'm cluing in. These women want to work from home more and go home earlier (fair enough) but they brought me in to pay me 16 dollars an hour so they can use me to make the other two happy.
She then brought up again that small incident I was on my phone and told me I'd have to put it away. I very politely and professionally contested her points and how if there is a no phones on the desk rule it should be that way for everyone. She freaked. She said they've been there for years, I'm new, I have to prove myself, she doesent have to answer to me blah blah. She literally turned into a child because I politely stood up for myself.
To me, the low ass pay is me proving myself. I did a ton for them and showed up each day, on time, and was productive almost always. Wanting me to follow a completely different set of rules in addition to that? Not happening. Needless to say she is pissed and contacted me twice. Whose gonna stay for all the “thunderstorms” now. I have a feeling it wasn't exclusive to thunderstorms and eventually it would be I stay to answer phones while their hours are reduced on the same salary. I was not about to stick around to see what a Canadian winter was like here and I don't tolerate managers speaking to me like shit.