It's amazing how different your work environment can feel when different people are working the same shift as you.
So yesterday was a rather 'rough' day for me.
Which considering I had to deal with quite the Karen of a customer at the very start of my shift.
It wasn't surprising at all that it was a struggle to keep the easy going relaxed attitude I was trying for at work.
Especially when my closing manager came on duty.
As this particular manager....tends to radiate their stress.
And like overall I've been good with closing with this manager.
There hasn't been any major issues.
Until yesterday.
When I was trying to take a simple fifteen minute break.
As since I was working an eight hour shift.
I knew I had two fifteens and a half hour lunch that I could take during that time.
And usually I like to take a fifteen 2 hours into my shift.
A lunch around the halfway mark.
And then maybe, depending on coverage and how crazy it is, take my last fifteen about an hour before I'm off.
However, due to the pandemic.
Things have been a little crazy.
And many of the managers have been focused on ensuring that the evening crew gets their lunches in before the morning crew leaves for the day.
Which means that they often want us taking our lunch breaks only a couple of hours into our shift.
Which I'm fine with.
I don't really care what order my breaks come in. I just want to be able to take them when I want to take them.
Yesterday though?
There was something off.
As like the manager seemed...more stressed than usual.
And I don't know if they were just overthinking things, or over complicating things, or just trying to stay focused on one task at a time.
But trying to go on break was like pulling teeth.
And it was like that from the very beginning.
As the manager came on duty around the two hour mark after I started my shift.
Which is usually the time I take my first break.
So I asked.
If I could take a break.
And the manager hemmed and hawed and requested I give them another ten minutes to get further along in the task they were doing before going on break.
I'm an easy going individual.
So I was like "Sure"
and we eventually decided that it would be best if I did my lunch first and then my two fifteens after that point.
Which after a bit more hemming and hawing because for some reason the manager apparently wasn't willing to multitask helping customers in the department with the task they were trying to complete....
I was able to go on my lunch.
And me.
When I take my breaks.
I try to take them when there's a lull in customers.
When the lines are down and the department is dead.
So around two hours or so after my lunch.
I requested to go take a fifteen.
As I wanted a small break from peopling as I didn't get the breakroom to myself for my lunch break as others were using the breakroom at the same time.
So I wanted to try and take a fifteen and hopefully get a few minutes alone.
But the manager was like "Oh let me finish this other task first." "Let me finish backing up the cashier first." "Let me send the cashier on lunch first and maybe we'll be able to get you your fifteen later."
Like yes. There was a rush the after work people.
But an hour passed.
Then two hours passed.
Then three hours passed.
And about each hour mark I again asked if I could go on a fifteen. Pointedly stating that I needed to sit down.
To which I think after the second time I requested my fifteen after my lunch break.
The manager was like "Oh, there's been a change in policy. You only get one fifteen and one lunch you don't get two fifteens and a lunch."
And I was like. No. I get two fifteens and a lunch.
As I was not aware of any 'policy' change. and IF there was a Policy change on how often and what types of breaks we could get then it should be CLEARLY posted where the coworkers can see it and communicated at the BEGINNING of the shift and not halfway through when I'm trying to take a fifteen minute break that I planned to have because I only have so much energy to deal with customers and I like some time to sit down and chill and recharge.
The manager was like "Oh, I asked the head manager and they said they weren't sure so we looked up policy and it had changed, I can see if I can get them to send me the form so you can see it."
I was like. Ha.
And I went to the work computer, looked up the policies on the corporate website on said computer, printed out the breakdown of what types of breaks we get. Highlighted them and presented it to the manager. So that they could see that since I was working an 8 hour shift. I could have 2 fifteens and a lunch if I so desired.
(Usually I only take one fifteen and a lunch but sometimes I really do need that second fifteen)
And like.
I'd only taken a lunch break at this point.
I could still use two other fifteens if I desired.
And I very much desired to have a fifteen.
But the manager was like "Well we don't have time for you to take one."
And by this point.
I was furious.
Like I know my rights. I know I get breaks and the manager was making me upset enough that i seriously considered walking out of the store then and there because I was not in the mood to be denied what breaks I rightfully deserved.
I didn't walk out.
I just went silent.
Silently fuming as i continued helping customers and trying to avoid getting the ache behind my eyes that was threatening to become a full blown migraine because the manager had tensed me out and stressed me out enough to form one. (I managed to avoid it in the end luckily)
And like the third or fourth time I requested to go sit down.
The manager was like "We're too busy, if you need to go behind the fish wall for ten minutes then you can, but you can't take a fifteen right now."
Like.
I was totally fine to go take a fifteen right then.
Everyone in my department had been helped.
The line for registers was down to three people.
I could have taken a fifteen then.
But noooo.
The manager couldn't seem to fathom the concept of trying to run the entire store on just them and the cashier.
*exhales*
Like I get it that it's hard. Only having two people on the floor is hard. I've done it. During a rush. It's not fun. So I could see where the manager was coming from.
But at the same time I just wanted to tell them to deal with it.
Like a fifteen minute break isn't the end of the world.
If there was no one to go to petcare customers are usually okay to wait to be helped.
And again. Fifteen minutes isn't that long.
Finally. The manager was like "Okay, once you finish closing down the department" (as we close my department early because we don't have the hours to keep it open all day) "you can go take a fifteen minute break. But after then you'll need to face the department before you leave."
Like...closing down the department....if I get everything done lickety split. Would give me half an hour before I'm off to take a fifteen minute break.
Which is against policy by the way.
You're not supposed to take a break so close to the end of your shift.
And by the time I was able to get things closed down and go take my fifteen there was like only 8 minutes left before I was off.
So yah.
It made me more furious.
Like.
I could have taken a fifteen minute break three hours earlier.
When it was slow.
Before the crazy work rush.
But the manager kept saying no. For various reasons.
And like.
I couldn't understand it.
Why now?
Why tonight?
There hasn't been issues with me taking breaks before.
Yet tonight and last Saturday there had been.
(Saturday I requested to take my second fifteen and was told "later" and later never happened.)
So yah.
It was a rough way to end my shift.
Furious. Tense. Stressed out. Exhausted.
All because the manager didn't think 'now was a good time'
So.
Today.
I spoke to the head manager.
Because I had no idea when or if the manager from the day before would talk to them. And if they did if what they learned would be communicated to me.
Because communication isn't a strong point between many of the managers.
So I requested to talk to the head manager.
So I could check and see if there was a policy change.
There wasn't.
Show the manager where to find the breakdown of breaks so they knew where to find it.
And explained just what went down yesterday and how I had to ask multiple times to have a fifteen before being granted one in the last half hour of my shift.
At the end of our talk I was feeling vindicated.
Because the head manager was on my side.
Because I have a right to take or not take the breaks offered to me.
And the fact that I was denied a break multiple times was not something my head manager liked to hear.
And they discussed possible options to help the other manager with their 'time management' so that we could ensure that everyone got their breaks when they wanted them.
So hopefully we'll be able to have things go smoother from here on out when I have to do closing with this manager again.
We'll see.
But tonight with a different manager it was like a night and day difference compared to last night.
As this manager was more chill.
And like. I took my lunch first to make it easier since there was more coverage earlier in my shift rather than later.
And then a couple of hours later when I saw an opening I asked if I could go on break.
And this manager was like "Oh yah sure, I gotcha covered."
So off I went to break.
And then I came back and continued working.
Then towards the end of my shift I asked for another break.
And the manager was like "oh yah that's chill."
And so I went off on my second fifteen.
And like the fact that there was no hemming and hawing. No "wait a bit and we'll see"
Was so gratifying.
Granted. It wasn't as crazy busy tonight as it got last night.
But still.
The store just felt like it was running so much smoother.
And I was able to handle talking to customers much easier because I could break away for a few minutes to recharge.
And like I was able to get everything I needed to get done done before I was off plus some extras.
And it was just so nice.
So nice to relax.
And not feel the stressed energy emanating from my other manager.
It was just a chill evening.
And I have to say I really liked that.
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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