I know I've not submitted in eons...partly due to most of my write-worthy shenanigans about the workplace I have felt are too specific to my particular location or individuals thereof and could unhinge my anonymity...and also due to the fact that I've been medicated for a while so more things just waft past my existence without being acknowledged.
HOWEVER!
There are some small, irritating things that have accumulated to the point that I can bear them no longer! I think of them rather like gnats of mosquito's...but really they're just careless coworkers.
Some background for y'all...my prime directive is the training and informing of all the associates and new hires. Whenever corporate tosses down a new absurd policy or procedure, it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone is up to date on what they need to know.
A lot of this involves computer training programs or simple on-line acknowledgments. Not complicated or stressful...though they can be time consuming and VERY boring. Most of the programs are less than 10 minutes long...so not really all that bad. Plus they're done in the back part of the store, away from customers, and you get to sit in a moderately comfy chair to do them.
And yet I get consistant and increasingly argumentative flack from the associates when I ask them, ever so politely, to take the five to ten minutes to work on their required lessons. I understand that they're all busy and that they only have X amount of time to Y amount of work done...but yanno what? The lessons are part of the weekly requirements too. They are expected to be completed just as much as pricing or straightening shelves.
I try so hard to work around their daily duties, trying to catch them right after their break, since the training room is right next door, so they don't have to walk back to that area twice...leaving them a clearly typed note with instructions and a list of requirements so that they can get it done without my assistance when it's most convenient for them, in case I'm not there when they would be most able to do it. I ask nicely, I remind gently, and if it's a longer program I try to arrange for them to work on it in segments over several days instead of needing to take a full thirty minutes to an hour out of one shift to take a longer lesson.
And yet most of the responses I get are an exasperated sigh and a roll of the eyes at the nicer end of the spectrum and flat out refusal to do the work at the worse end.
Yes, that's right, I've had associates flat out refuse to do their lesson work....required by corporate...because they "knew they wouldn't get written up for not doing it"
So I think I'm going to make that all change. They wanna be pissy little babies? So be it...mama's pullin out the Whoopin Paddle and goin old school on y'all.
It is my intention to have a frank discussion with the store manager, and if need be, the district manager (next time they're visiting) and try to put in motion a policy that the associates who don't finish their training by then end of the designated time will receive a write up...three consecutive write ups being grounds for termination. (exemptions being any associates on leave of absence or are away at school for the semester)
I don't' see why so many people are so against doing the training. It doesn't take all that long, ya get to sit down and relax and be away from customers and noise, and, if you ask nice and clean up after yourself, I'll let you take a drink or snack with you...so it's sorta like getting and extra break!
But NooOOooOoOo...they gotta be all grumbly and snap at me for letting them know what needs to be done. And I'm not meaning that they snap at the third or fourth reminder...they snark at me at the first mention of the lesson plans.
And getting department managers involved isn't any help...they refuse to do their training every bit as much as the associates. And I'll ask them to remind their associates of how important the training is and to incorporate it into the daily tasks list, so that it's directed by their manager, rather than by mously little Spritzy, and they never do...I get no help from management (not even the store manager) nor supervisors in enforcing the requirements and then the managers grouse at me when the training reports are incomplete.
It's always so amusing when a manager asks me why the training isn't complete and who needs to finish it, then I look at the list and tell them "well...YOU do...for one" and they can only stammer and mumble that they'll do it later.
So, yeah.,..AaaAaAArrRRrUuUghhhh!
I really hope that the store manager takes my concerns to heart and implements the policy...cause I;m sick of not getting any cooperation and being trampled all over for something as mundane as this.
Peas, Louvre, and Shoulder Cats
--Spritzy




















