Not getting the support from managers re getting colleagues to help during my shift

cheesefest

cheesefest

cheesefest

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I work at a supermarket for 14 years now as a customer services assistant. Not paid extra to supervise.

Finding that I am not getting the support from managers and colleagues. It's really affecting my health (asthma) - the hot weather is contributing to it.

One day this week, I should have three other colleagues with me 1.5 hours before the store closes for trade. It's just me! As one is on long term sick after surgery and the other two are on annual leave. My manager is also on holiday too. Have asked the managers and they said someone is coming in. This colleague's reliability to turn up is very low. This colleague doesn't turn up for a third of their shifts, including yesterday. Plus has a tendency not to turn up for another shift 2-3 days later. This thread isn't about this colleague, its about the lack of support I am receiving from managers and colleagues.

Plus have the usual thing of colleagues leaving without being replaced.

I don't feel I can do all this work on my own. Will get shouted at by customers.

We do have overtime available but the few that take it up only do the mornings and the others don't budge with their shifts when they have no other commitments etc outside work that go with the times that are needed at work. Then we have a shift change sheet and not many sign up for the later shifts.

Plus am I getting to the stage that I am physically and emotionally fed up with work. Wanting to quit retail. Unsure what's jobs are for me. Don't fancy call centre work again.

Short term - what can I do if the other managers and colleagues won't support me in getting someone more reliable to work with me? It's not my fault that my health isn't brilliant at the moment. Do they want me to become too ill and unable to turn up to work? It's feeling like this.
 
Document where you are understaffed and submit it in writing via email e.g. your example of running at 25% staff when 3 colleagues were missing. They shouldn't really be authorising multiple people to be on leave at the same time if they don't have cover for the shifts.
 
Leave....

I did Morrisons for 14 years, was a billiant company to work for when Ken was still in charge, but at the end it was just awful, and leaving retail was the best thing i ever did

Try looking for warehouse work, if you like being on your feet, i could not think anything much worse than sitting on my arse in call center, would sooner go back to retail lol

Short term - what can I do if the other managers and colleagues won't support me in getting someone more reliable to work with me? It's not my fault that my health isn't brilliant at the moment. Do they want me to become too ill and unable to turn up to work? It's feeling like this.
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I am a bit confused by this? you are just an assistant right? All you need to do is keep feeding back you can not complete your job with one pair of hands, i would 100% go to your personal dept and get something in writing, as then that forces their hand, as you would create a legal document
 
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In a very similar situation myself, there is really nothing you can do about it in retail now, they've all gone the same, piling the work on, people leave and do not get replaced you're expected to pick up or work faster for the same crappy pay etc, I can absolutely assure you management won't be interested, nor if you contact people higher in the company either they simply won't care as long as the jobs getting done and they're been paid.. My only advice to you is really look for another job because retail is absolutely done.
 
I thought supermarket workers were key workers though and that as a society we should value and respect them more? Turns out it's all a load of virtue signalling and people couldn't care less.
 
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