RHUer Needs Advice: How Do I Not Be An Asshole Supervisor?

Call me Polo Necked Strip Mall Monkey. I have been a retail slave at a pet store for 3 years.

We have a core team of wonderful employees who have worked there even longer than I - all hard working, knowledgeable, motivated, deal with our crazy customers in a professional manner, and a delight to have as coworkers.

However, we seem to be the object of some kind of voodoo curse - we can't seem to find half-sane people to cashier and do stock to round out the shifts. The people who apply are laughable, and the creme de la sludge who get hired are awful - they are mean, insubordinate, text friends all day, play with animals, habitually late, habitually call off, can't follow simple instructions, are miserable to coworkers. They take a 15 minute break, and they practically need to be retrained! They take attitudes with customers - crack gum in their faces, text while people are at the register, complain to the customers about they are sad because their boyfriend broke up with them etc. They are given a simple task, and they don't follow through, and we find them standing around again, texting again, forgetting to how use the phone, etc etc, and have to be told to do the simple task again. It feels like baby-sitting hellspawn on top of all the other stuff we core employees have to do in our busy environment.

Despite the misery of the retail environment, the core slaves are self-motivated and work very hard. We have a lovely, well run store with dedicated customers, and we hear way more compliments about how enjoyable it is to shop there than crazy people complaining. But the bad mean slaves are the carbuncle on the pretty face, the dog poo on the shoe. I've had our nice regular customers pull me aside and say, "OMG! So-and-So was just ROTTEN to me!"

They really run down the store, and it is demoralizing. The bad slaves also start so much trouble with customers that it ends up blowing up in the faces of the good slaves, which is demoralizing. The manager is aware of how bad it is, and it directly impacts her, but she doesn't seem to know what to do to manage them and seems to be afraid of confronting them. She seems to be afraid the owner will find out she can't manage difficult people, so she avoids the problem.

My problem, Fellow Retail Slaves: We barely have enough competent people to fill out the shifts, and even though I am not officially a supervisor, I am going to have to be a de facto supervisor, working alone in the store with these awful employees.

I don't want to be an asshole supervisor. I'd like to keep these bodies in motion doing their tasks without being a harpy. How can one firmly but politely set tasks, and enforce common sense rules about texting at the register and following through with tasks? I know that I have to come up with some kind of "method actor motivation"  to portray a person who does not want to  throw cat food cans at them to get their attention, or chop off their thumbs to stop them texting their friends when they need to be working.

Suggestions would be deliriously welcome.

--PNSMM

In future I will send some amusing Transient Co-Workers From Hell stories so your mind can reel too.

 

 

Comments

[grmrsan]

For the phone issue, try holding a raffle for people who turn in their phones to be locked up @ the beginning of their shifts. Maybe a daily candybar or a weekly $5 giftcard. Anyone caught with a phone is disqualified for the week? Something similar for reaching certain productive goals such as most customer compliments, or highest amount of people through the register, something where they are compeeting to be successful? Otherwise, sometimes you have to be an asshole, if you can't get certain members of your team to listen.

[Fortune Cookie]

get one of those cell phone jammers and catch to rats at once: the coworkers texting and the crusties talking on the phone while paying.

also, set rules. as in print them out ant hang them up. make sure everybody knows them.

speak in terms of "i" like " i don't feel like i am being respected right now", don't accuse them of stuff even though you might want to.

[Damn Yankee]

At one of the cafes in my market, there was trouble much like this with spoiled teens always on their phones. The manager finally got sick of it, and posted warning signs all over back of house. If one person got caught using their cell on the clock, for any reason, EVERYONE had to surrender their phones to be put in a Cambro and locked in the safe. The cafe very quickly became self-policing about cell phones.

As Fortune Cookie says, make sure that the rules are clearly written, and posted visibly. You could also have each employee sign off on a copy of the rules, which is placed in their file. That way, they can't say they were unaware of policy.

I always found that the sandwich method of criticism worked very well--compliment, complaint, compliment. "You're doing much better at answering the phone today! But can you try to help customers at the registers a little faster? I've been really impressed by your improved knowledge on dog food, too." If you can't find something to compliment about professionally, find -something-. Hair looks nice, great shoes, cute earrings, something. It disarms the employee, and makes them less defensive.

"Why" is a great weapon. Don't immediately jump on someone and correct them when they're doing something wrong. "Why are you doing it that way?" Use a nice, non-confrontational tone. They might have a reason behind what they're doing. It may not be a good one, but from there, you can suggest a more efficient method, or guide them towards store policy.

Always, ALWAYS say "please" and "thank you". It makes you look professional, and it automatically modulates your tone and posture. They may not consciously pick up on it, but they will, subconsciously. I use it with my horses, and they respond well to "please" because my posture isn't as aggressive. "Get off my foot!" versus "Get off my foot, please."

I think that's the basics. If I think of more, I'll post them!

[Mollywobbles]

You need to strike a balance between firm and friendly. I have two managers I can't stand because they're demanding as FUCK - always "Go do this" and such. On the other hand, I have four managers I love because they ASK me to do things instead of barking orders at me - "Would you go do this, please?" and almost always "Thanks" when I nod and start to walk off to do it.

A tip from my Crew Trainer Handbook (from McHell's): There are two kinds of feedback - Appreciative and Constructive. Effective feedback uses Appreciative and Constructive feedback together.

Appreciative Feedback - "The way you shake the fry basket is great!", "I have noticed you always wear a clean uniform. That's very good!", "Congratulations, you're keeping the lobby very clean!"

Constructive Feedback - "The meat should be place on the grill front to back.", "Be sure you thank each guest.", "You need to drain the fries for 5 seconds before emptying the basket into the packaging tray."

Effective Feedback - "I see that you are pulling the patties off the grill in the correct order; that is good. However, I noticed that you are not seasoning correctly; some patties have no seasoning at all. Let me show you the procedure again."

This can, of course, be modified to fit the pet store tasks, but do you see how the first option makes you sound syrupy and ridiculous, the second option makes you sound like an insufferable hard-ass, and the third makes you sound firm but appreciative? You could make that something along the lines of, "I see you've re-stocked the cat food like I asked you to. However, instead of texting in your down time, how about you come to me and ask if anything else needs to be done? That way we can get all of our tasks completed before the next shift arrives, and we can get out of here on time." Smile when someone does something right, always say "please" and "thank you", and try not to lose your temper or scold. Especially don't scold. It tends to piss people off.

[Finder Queen]

Sometimes there is no getting around it. Go over your store policy or employee handbook first to make sure there isn't already a rule regarding cells on the floor.
At make a mess for less NOBODY is allowed to have a cell from fresh hires to regional managers, once on the clock and in store cells go into the pocket or locker and stay there til break. It was preferred to not have the cells in pocket due to the "temptation to use them". The ONLY exceptions that were made there was 1) emergencies like family is ill, a baby is due to be born ect ect, you know big life things not "omg if I miss my bf calling I will die" and 2) Was the managers who traveled to various stores in one day just because going to so many stores someone may need to call you for an answer VS when you just stick to one or two stores to see in a day and can help them with what they need in person

And now I work at hellmart *gulp* but even there same deal, preferred no cells on floor BUT you /can/ have them in the pocket if you have no locker or the like, just no touching it while on the clock or you get written up no if's and's or but's unless it has been noted to management you need it for emergency reasons. And I keep mine in my pocket because 1) there's almost 600 people at my store and 200 lockers that are about the size of a large shoe box so do the math and 2) I don't fucking trust ANYONE near my car so my cell stays with me

So you may have to review if there's any rules or policy on cell phones being on the floor. If none hold a meeting with all other managers/leads/ whatever title is given to people to make them feel good and come up with one. And as stated before get EACH employee new and old alike to sign a copy for their folders so if they get written up for using the phone and not for cleaning/ helping people instead they can't cry to anyone but themselves.

I hate when custys use the phones enough but if I dealt with a SERVICE person whose job WASN'T to sell me on buying a new cell on theirs when they ought to be working I'd quit shopping there and report them to everything I could for bad service.

[AmigaTech]

Don't make rules you can't enforce, and those rules you do enforce make absolutely sure you enforce completely and without exception.

That'll go a very long way towards a 'firm but fair' reputation.

--AT

[Alshara]

And, if all these tips don't work, sometimes, you have to be an "asshole." I prefer the term hard ass, and when asked I am being a hard ass, I straight up say,"because the rules aren't being followed." It also helps to have everyone on the same page with vets mentioning to the people who are on the phone that it's not a good idea for them to be on the phone.

You are in a harder situation since you aren't officially a supervisor as I can gather from what I read.

[Soft Ice Girl]

In my opinion, DamnYankee´s advice is perfect.

[Lamer]

I only disagree with ONE thing DamnYankee said - do not comment on their personal attire or looks because it could be taken as sexual harassment.

Imagine, "I think it's really great you're greeting customers. You should be using the approved greeting though. And hey, that's a great pin on your collar." Employee takes it as, "You're not doing it right, but I'm looking at your chest!"

Sorry to bring up the crazy train, but now a days companies don't even want to risk it and will immediately fire the "harasser" (unless the management is stupid like Karebear's former employer).

[Skittles]

Just carry around a big mallet, whenever someone is getting out of line whakc them in the head with it. Absolutely nothing can go wrong with that.