Here’s quick update from the wonderful world of work. Over the past month or so, our back room has turned to shit. The pallet racking that was present separating each department’s area was taken out, and now random boxes from many different departments are all over the place. There is so much crap that needs to leave the back room and go out on the shelves that may not be recovered because of the clutter. Finally, the market director (analogous to a district manager) came in and placed an ultimatum: the back must be cleared by July 4, or else the store director will be fired.
Here’s the plan: there are 8-10 or so workers and three managers who are working third shift Sunday (yesterday), today, and tomorrow, and their job simply is to take skids of product (usually backstock) out onto the floor and stock it if there is room. If not, it returns to the back. Normally, backstock is kept on carts. However, so much backstock (BS) exists that the carts are overflowing, and now skids and pallet jacks are being used to transport the BS instead of the carts. In addition, two salaried managers are working double shifts two days this week to help bring product out, and another manager will help out in the back instead of working in this department.
Meanwhile, there are forces working against this effort. My boss is taking her vacation this week despite pressure from the store director not to take it (which is why I love her), and some workers have spoken out against helping him. As for me, I will work, but not any better or worse than I usually do. I don’t think very highly of our director, but instead of working harder or worse, I will perform on the same level that I usually do despite my feelings toward the store director. I will not be fake and work harder or longer, like the aforementioned managers working doubles, and it is the fault of the product flow line, mainly the inventory analysts, that the amount of BS escalated, and they ought to be the ones fixing the mess they created.
Still, I don’t feel compelled to ruin my reputation of being a reliable, seemingly hard-working employee by refusing to do work or doing it poorly. I will do what I do, and we shall see in 1.5 weeks what the result of that will be.
