Who was out of line?

[scroob]

Let me set up the situation for you. There was one cashier on the registers. He had a line of a few customers, and it had been that way for pretty much the entire afternoon. His supervisor comes up with 2 lists: one for him and one for his cw to finish before they could leave. As soon as she reads them off, his cw grabs one and runs off. He says, "now I'm not sure how I can get this done seeing as I am the only cashier here, and I have not had a break in my line for several hours." This conversation ends shortly thereafter, and his sup leaves with the list. About 2 hours later, as the cw finishes his list, the sup comes up again and says "I've narrowed it down to just a few sections. You need to get this done before you can leave." He responds "Look, I have no time to do that right now. I haven't had time between these customers." She leaves, but then about half an hour later he sees some daylight in his line. As for the first time in several hours there are no cust's in line, he picks up some hangers and begins to organize the area around the registers. He also talks to his cw who was also helping to clear out the dressing rooms, and complains quietly about the list. The sup hears this and yells out "CLEAN ALREADY." He responds "with what time inbetween cust's? I don't have time to clean the store when I never have any breaks in my line?" She begins to shout louder about how he should be cleaning the damn store. Then he snaps and says "I have not had any time inbetween these customers to clean the store. You and my cw have not been ringing out customers for 7 hours and have had time to do other things. And by telling me to clean up when I clearly have not had any time to, you are out of line!" She screams some more about cleaning, but cw whispers to him "dude shut the hell up" and he does. Later the cashier is relieved so he could have a meeting with the sup and the mod. Both sides explain themselves, and the meeting ends with it being unclear as to who was really in the wrong.
As I have never had any management experience, I would like answers from people in authority (and also people who have witnessed the same scene.
So I pose the poll question.

[Aethian]

Sup because if he expect someone to do a job that takes him away from his primary job then he needs to provide reliefe to be able to do such a thing. And if the person has been checking people out for seven hours straight...what about breaks and lunch?

[scroob]

Shoulda been perhaps more clear. Meant 7 hours not including breaks (8.5 hr day, 8 hrs on clock, 15 mins breaks, total time on reg about 7.5 hrs give or take.)

[RetailWorkhorse]

I've been in that position.

The Sup was outta line.

[bunnyboy]

Looks more like the Sup, cashier is kinda after a while, but the sup just seems to be itching for something here.

too bad folks aren't there to witness for cashier.

[nomorecarts]

the sup was out of line

I've never been in management, but I have seen how things work, and someone should have opened a second register to get rid of the lines. you have to prioritize, and the list should have been an "if you get to it" type thing with the cashier being supervised to make sure they're working, ultimately having someone willing to work overtime if necessary to get it done if it's that important. if a cashier's normal job duties are not finished it's easy for the higher ups to look at the sales for the day and see if that explains it, which apparently would have explained this instance

that's one plus to the scorecard system where I work, if things aren't done management can look at how well the scorecard was followed, and also look at the actual sales vs the forecast the scorecard was based off of

[bunnyboy]

And coming from someone who was a sup for a different line of work, it almost seems like trying to get something to get said person fired.

Now unless said person has been constantly late, ignoring rules, only grudgingly working when needed and cussing up a storn when NOT dealing with customers I can see it... (OK Bunnyboy bitter much)

but given the story I doubt this is the person.

[wagegoth]

I've been in management and a real manager recognizes what can and can't be done and then fills in as needed. If the Sup really wanted the cashier to get the work done, the sup should have filled in at the register. Unfortunately, many supervisors have the attitude that they don't have to do menial work.

My parents owned their own businesses most of the time I was growing up, so I was brought up with a different attitude. You never ask more of an employee than you are willing to do yourself. Decent employees who see a supervisor who really helps out are more likely to do more.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Either the supervisor is a slave-driving POS or had it in for that cashier specifically.

I don't blame the cashier for going off. You can't expect somebody to be cleaning when they can't get off their register because of all the customers trying to check out.

[Tanasi]

IMO both were out of line at least a little. The supervisor should have been observant enough to see the cashier was real busy, and shouldn't have split the list but make it apply to all there. The cashier was out of line by complaining to the CW and continuing the arguement. Sometimes you have to suck it up and not argue and keep your mouth shut. If the cashier was truly that busy then their register tape will show it and obsolve the the cashier of being lazy and inefficient.

[Cats]

When you work in a buissness that serves customers, they come first, PERIOD (yeah, I said that). The company doesn't make money if the people aren't rung out for their purchases!

While the cashier maybe could have been a little better about handling it (such as wanting to speak to another MOD, if available), I do not blame them for going off, especially after already trying to make Sup understand. A sup should KNOW what I said above and either accept that it may not get done, or accomodate so as to make sure it does. That's part of their job!

What was Sup doing all this time, BTW? Were they cleaning/doing other dutied, or yelling at the cashier?



And I just realized when I voted my mouse slipped and I hit Cashier and not Sup. OOPS!

[scroob]

Damn, the BOHICA never ends! Today, the bitch takes away one of my breaks, without telling me of such, and then yelled at me for trying to take it. In what frickin world is that fair?

[Aethian]

They can't take away breaks, thats against labor laws.

[scroob]

I had one 30 min unpaid meal break and 2 15 min breaks. Now I only have 1 15

[katie kaboom]

Doesn't matter. There are still laws against denying someone break time. You can choose to give up your break, but they can't make you give it up.