RHUer Needs Advice on How To Handle Hellmart Decision Day

Hello from your friendly Hellmart Deli Slave, Ladybelle.

Today I am home for what they call a Decision Day. Basically it's the final coaching level before they give you the boot. Basically it's for BS reasons that everyone in the department was written up on the same day.

Now before I go back to work tomorrow morning, I am supposed to write up a paper or letter telling them how I am going to improve and a plan of action for improvement.

Now I am conflicted if I should write the ass-kissing paper they want, or if I should use the opportunity to write a letter to management detailing exactly what the slaves in our department go through and why things aren't running like a well oiled machine.

Broken equipment, understaffing, poor scheduling, and so forth leading not only to not enough time for everything to be done, but also massively low moral overall.

I do need this job, but quite frankly it is making my depression so severe that I feel like I'm drowning. I also considered writing both letters and asking which they would like to accept.

What do you think RHU peeps, should I keep my mouth shut and kiss up, just waiting for the next day management has a hissy and shows me the door, or should I go ahead and speak the truth, stating that if they want to accept the letter as my resignation, so be it.

--Ladybelle

 

Comments

[Boho]

I say kiss some ass. In this economical climate, it's not wise to leave a job that you need because you may not find another.

Retail is what you make of it. Come in there with a smile, work hard, and treat customers like family and you'll notice it get better. I've noticed that when I'm not happy working my retail job, the customers don't seem happy either. But, if im in a good mood, talking with them, etc., then the customers are always friendlier. Same rule applies to managers. Also realize that if managers are being assholes, it's probably because they get their asses chewed out all day. It's not easy being a manager tbqh. So if they're being horrible, don't take it personally.

As far as equipment goes, just move up the manager chain until it's addressed.

Hope things go better!

[Ponda]

I can't believe they are actually making you write a letter...I've had a d-day and so has my husband and they don't care about that in our store.
I say go ahead and kiss ass tho...keep after your assistant manager or one of the co managers till it gets fixed because you can't do anything about a broken slicer or rotis...I worked Walmart deli for 3 years before I moved over to the claims cage.
Save the bitching for the exit interview if it comes down to it.

[Wreckerator]

I agree with everyone else. Write the ass-kissing letter, and later on, ask to have a meeting with your team lead or manager, and explain how the broken equipment, lack of staffing, and other assorted issues, are causing a decrease in productivity. Keep emotion out of it in the second meeting. Just facts, and present them in a way where it hits them in the wallet. I worked for Hellmart's big brother, and that method got some results in the bakery.

[Granimore]

I say write one letter covering both. Explain the working conditions, and how, despite having your hands tied by various management policies, you will try to improve by doing whatever it is they want to hear.

[Tilly]

I am very new to this site but I just wanted to chime in here. It's the line it is making my depression so severe that I feel like I'm drowning that made me feel I had to comment. I went through something really similar recently - I was depressed after witnessing a pretty brutal car accident and working in a very stressful, unsupportive environment in a call centre. The first time it became a problem I kissed a lot of ass - which meant that I kept my job and slowly got worse and worse over the course of a year until I was self-harming and entertaining thoughts of suicide. You can't recover from depression if you're in a job that makes you miserable, because every time you make some progress your job knocks you back down again. I would heartily encourage you to speak your mind - politely, but honestly - because there's no point in keeping your job if the situation it puts you in is going to make you so unwell you can't do it or have to leave anyway. At least this way you have a chance of being heard!

[Kitchen Wench]

Although this is a day late, I have to second Tilly's thoughts on the matter. No job is worth your mental and emotional health (arguable I suppose for the medical professions, as they do see a lot of harrowing things but stick it out nonetheless. I guess I should say no retail job is worth your mental health!) I hope you were honest in your letter and let them know about the conditions that are exacerbating difficulties on the job, and how it affects you personally as well as the other staff.

Whatever you decided to tell the higher-ups, let us know how it turns out, and remember you've got a ton of people behind you at RHU!

[Kay]

I'm with Tilly and Kitchen Wench. Ass-kissing is only a stopgap. It's only going to get worse if the problems are with the store and management and the employees are being blamed. Start looking for a new job as best you can and do what it takes to stop your slide into depression. Also, if they want you gone then you'll be gone. You might as well hang onto some pride.

For now,Granimore's got a good idea. Tell 'em what's not working but couch the it in language that screams "overcoming adveristy and working as a Team Player (TM) e.g. "Despite being only one of two people covering a deparment better suited to seven I will improve my performance by cloning myself." OK, well maybe not quite like that. You get the idea.

[Bagel Bat]

If I was in your situation, I would probably write the ass-kissing letter just to get them off my back, and then see if my coworkers and I could somehow discuss the working conditions and broken equip. with the higher ups. With such a unstable job environment having a job, no matter how menial is something that needs to be held onto pretty tightly.

But on the other hand, if all of the problems within the department is causing you stress and causing severe bouts of depression it may not be healthy to continue working there. But, like I tell my boyfriend when he tells me to switch to another cust-serv. job, there's going to be asshole customers and jerk management everywhere, from fast food joints to big banks. It'd be nice if every company and department ran like a well oiled machine but they never do >>

Good luck and I hope everything turns out in your favor!

[Backroom Bitch]

Double duty without putting down the management/entire team! If you can show them how you as an individual can help the entire team operate more consistently given the challenges, they may shit themselves.

[Jennabee]

hand them the real letter but don't tell them that 'it can be your notice' for quitting. Make them fire you... because then you have options. ONE, you get paid out if you are fired (not if you quit) and TWO, you can fight them with the workers rights board on grounds of unfair termination. It's a win-win. And if they don't fire you... then it's a win-win, because you have your job and you got a chance to speak your mind. :)

[shuichiboy]

Without knowing the full details of the situation, I'm leaning towards the non-asskiss letter. It's been my experience that no job and no amount of money is worth sacrificing your mental health, and I'm getting the impression here that it's becoming an issue.

I quit a retail job once because I was a smidge away from a mental breakdown. It wasn't easy, but I pulled through, and I'm glad I did it. :)

[WMDKitty]

Your health -- mental and physical -- takes precedence. After all, if you're not reasonably healthy, you won't be an effective employee!

Also, don't be afraid to consult your doctor or therapist -- talk therapy can be helpful, but please don't discount the enormous positive impact that medications often do have.

I know what it's like to sink into the tar-pit of depression, so... um... *hugs*

[ScanGunMonkey]

If I recall correctly...Hell-Mart (and its fat cousin, where I used to work) has an open-door policy. I don't know what the standard is in other districts/regions, but I know down in Hell-Mart's hometown, they're pretty serious about that stuff. I'd go for the serious, honest letter, if perhaps a bit respectfully. If you're still having problems...Hell-Mart has a psych-help line. I never looked into it, and looking back, I really wish I had. Beyond that, if you feel that your immediate supervisors are a main source of the issue, particularly if they're expecting a full workload out of broken equipment, I'd go over their heads, like, out of the store over their heads, as high as you can find phone numbers for.

tl;dr, hugs and snuggles to you my dear....give 'em hell.

[Svantus, the Wageslave Avenger]

Unfortunately, depending on the store, the open-door policy is a joke.
At my old store, management discussed with other management, who discussed with favorite employees, who discussed with co-workers what you may or may not have said. Write the non-kiss-ass letter but try to be constructive and hold back the insults. Maybe something will click on in their brains....maybe...

[Trippetta]

I believe you should go ahead and give them the truth letter. Try to write it so you don't sound like you're complaining, rather just stating simple fact. Maybe tell THEM how THEY can improve.

Like Jennabee said don't tell them it's your resignation letter though, make them fire you.

If you don't need the job, go ahead and let it go if you have to. There is probably someone out there more in need of work who would be willing to tolerate the bullshit.

[Hellbound Alleee]

So, your job is ruining your mental health?

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.

[Graceae]

I find that in our hot and humid climate tinghs like flour and beans get bugs in them. I add bay leaves, but it doesnt really help for long term storage. We have decided to get a small chest freezer in order to be able to buy those items in bulk and store them.