The 19-Year Old Manager

[anwserman]

I HATE MY JOB AT TIMES.

I work with my peers, who are two years younger then me. Yes, I do admit that I was more 'relaxed' at the beginning of the year, but now my employees are pulling all sorts of stunts that I don't find acceptable and snap at them at.

Yes, I said snap. Why? Because for any other manager that might be on the shift, they're near perfect angels.

But for me? Nope, I sit there and watch them do shit and stop it - but no, I say something in a wrong tone of voice and they squeal to my manager... so yes, I officially cannot yell at an employee then. Wait a second, how can I manage if I cannot correct them? I can't reprimand them?

But then again, when I do make a decision, either a "Yes" or "No", they ask me again. I give same answer, then they ask again. Until I get irritated to the point where I have to get stern with them so they shut up. Then they tell other employees that I'm a irritable bitch. Or better yet, I make a decision and want to know WHY I made it. Well, if it is about another employee then YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO KNOW.

So, I'm going to talk to my manager now and tell her that I'm getting sick of this shit the employees are doing to me. I'm a manager, I've earned the position and I earn respect for it and I better have my orders listened to. Now, I might sound like an arrogant asshole right now, but my motto is this....

The customers pay for our jobs. Make sure the customers get the best experience possible, and if they see something they don't like [employees screwing around, especially a shift of teenager employees] they won't come anymore. So don't screw around when there are customers around.

They don't comprehend that either, and they pull things infront of the customers, often times me having to call them on it infront of the customers. Would you have faith in a resteraunt if you were a customer witnessing an employee being told to knock something off? Not really.

The fuckers.

[Blue-Hawk]

That's why I say it never pays to hire people under the age of 18. None of them take the job seriously. I know. I worked with those age groups before and with maybe 2 or 3 exceptions, NONE of them wanted to work. Oh, they did stuff when the manager was around, but when he leaves, they just sat on their asses and did nothing. Not the trash, not help people, nothing. Even when they knew I was the acting manager when he leaves, they defied me. Now, I'm a bit easy going myself. I never report people unless they deserve it. These people deserved it. You have seniority, right? Well then, exploit it. Take it up with your manager, and if that doesn't work, well then there's always the regional.

[Armok]

2 words

Sack them

If you don't have the ability to do so then they will never respect you.

[Daikarin]

Get someone to loan you a camera, and hide it. Then show their behaviour to your superior.

Against facts there are no arguments, something like that.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Even_Jin on 2004-08-16 14:17 ]</font>

[WraithVerge]

Option A: Let this course continue on its path. Ask for the managers to place cameras within the workplace or something of the like. If not, just wait it out until SOMEHOW a different manager discovers this and fires them or gets them to act in line, then subtley don the 'I told you so' attitude.

Option B: Hidden cameras. Place where this happens most often.

Option C: Take them out back and beat them with a spatula/broom/metal pole/whatever. Then throw them in the trashcan.

C should not be done unless extreme circumstances dictate that this course of action be acceptable.

[InfernoNR7]

1. You don't sound like an arrogant A-hole.

2. Those kids are complete F-ups.

3. I would give a lot to even be able to legally work, and have a good manager to boot.




EDIT: My original post was cluttered.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: InfernoNR7 on 2004-08-17 10:50 ]</font>

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

On 2004-08-15 12:42, anwserman wrote:
I HATE MY JOB AT TIMES.

Now, I might sound like an arrogant asshole right now, but my motto is this....

The customers pay for our jobs. Make sure the customers get the best experience possible, and if they see something they don't like [employees screwing around, especially a shift of teenager employees] they won't come anymore. So don't screw around when there are customers around.

They don't comprehend that either, and they pull things in front of the customers, often times me having to call them on it in front of the customers. Would you have faith in a resteraunt if you were a customer witnessing an employee being told to knock something off? Not really.

The fuckers.


Same stuff happens to me on a daily basis.

I work in a fast food restaurant as well. I work my ass off, I believe. If I worked like these kids who are my co-workers, I'd be fired by now.

I've been around about a year when plenty of people have come and gone, a staple of the fast food industry is major turnover. The management appreciate those who stick around, bite their lip and suck it up.

If I'm told to "watch the store while I'm gone for (insert short time limit here)," the other employees immediately goof off. They will even not be subtle about it either, just a flat out "oh (the manager's name) isn't here?!" or "Where is (the manager's name)?".

Little do they know I'm watching them. I used to feel bad about 'telling on people', not anymore. Goofing off and not working affects the whole operation, and pisses me the hell off.

I run circles around these jerk co-workers, I'm not perfect either but still do have self respect for my work and the tasks needed to be done. Initiative is one thing, but is there actually an opposite to initiative?, because it seems that some people have this disease.
I care more than the next person about orders and am a bit too critical of errors, but it works both ways and I'm harder on myself than anyone else can be. I've experienced many an order gone awry, many errors made that could have been easily prevented, and do my best to make sure they don't happen again.

It is maddening to have soo much responsibility sometimes while others next to you have little, if any.

An event occurred last night when a co-worker didn't do the job required at the time and stalled from doing it when many many customers waited for their orders. If I have to go soo far out of my way to do someone else's tasks, I'm gonna be very angry about it (but thankfully kept calm and explained it well enough to my manager to garner a nice scolding). If that person takes offense, oh well. They should take responsibilty for their actions and laziness and shape up, not hold a grudge for the person who caught it, which would have happeed eventually anyway.

Haha.
I'm on schedule to be a 19-year old manager as well. I better learn the art of Zen fast food managing to keep calm under duress soon enough.