Christmas....
which means, things are "going crazy" at work. People are pushed for time. They pile so many activities into their schedules. They are looking for projects for groups. They would like to walk right in and find packages of everything they need so they could just grab it and leave. Not only are "group packages" a fantasy, at this point so is even finding the "ingredients" to put together a package of their own. They are looking for Christmas decorations-- which we are VERY short on right now, especially Christmas ribbon. And, this week, there have been all kinds of school projects that kids are going to have to turn in this week or next and people are scrounging for the materials to put those together.
They are stressed and on edge and on their cell phones, you hear them saying such things as, "Did she really do that?" Or, "I know I went off and I'm sorry, but I needed help and that was the only way it seemed like I was going to get it. I know it was bad. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to, but no one seemed to be willing to step up and share the load."
And comments to friends they meet, "There's no way I can make this myself. I don't have time. I'm having a get-together tomorrow night for 70 people and I haven't done anything to be ready for it yet."
At this time of year, people go through the store like a whirlwind. And what I mean by that is, wherever they go they leave a mess behind them that looks just like a wind has come through and whirled everything around. THAT stresses the employees because we have the messes to clean up. And that would be bad enough in itself, but added to that is the EXTRA work we already have of being cashiers because more people are buying. And wondering how we are going to find time to get our orders done to refill for all the stuff going off the shelves and then put it out.
One underlying theme that seems to be motivating EVERYBODY from customers, to employees, to management is IT'S ALL ABOUT ME AND WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW. Do for ME. ME. ME. ME. Consideration seems to have lost its way in life at Christmas time.
Last night I worked overtime to help get out last week's freight in the fabric department because they have been so busy cutting for folks that they've not had time to deal with the freight. Of course, not getting the freight out cuts down on sales because there are empty places everywhere.
All of the above is NORMAL. This year we have added stress coming from ABOVE. Our every move-- or lack of it-- is being scrutinized under a magnifying glass and our boss hears from his superiors sometimes several times a day about what they expect him to be doing. A lot of it is counter productive. They have been on us about not being overstocked. In addition to dealing with the"normal" shopping frenzy, we are now having to count (because nothing is computerized) how many items we have more of than they have told us to have. (This takes TIME, which is at a premium.) If that wasn't bad enough, they have also decided that we MUST NOT MISS on stock tests. (This was contrary to a store meeting that told us, keep your inventory where it's supposed to be EVEN IF YOU MISS ON STOCK TESTS.) The last time we had a stock test, everyone who missed got "written up".
You talk about stressed out employees and managers. And, of course, the end result is you either have good people quit or they are ending up with a hopeless attitude of ever being able to "get it right" so it is creating a "why should I care" feeling. That is not a good end result.
And the frenzy goes on.
I am praying my way through this. I missed two on Friday's stock test. One was in a tote of merchandise that I had not had time to get out yet. The other was a punch that I was supposed to have more of at Christmas time but they don't give me room on the peg to hold four so I was trying to keep it full but not have merchandise on hand that wouldn't go out.
I keep reminding myself that I'm doing my job as unto the Lord and not to man and that regardless of what anyone else's attitude may be about what is going on, mine had to continue to be that I will do my best and do what my boss wants (go quickly to the registers when called; cover fabrics when needed) even when I'd rather do something else (putting out MY freight, doing MY order).
In the midst of this, I'm having to deal with the feelings generated by a FALSE charge that I had shown "a bad attitude" toward my DM when actually all I did was explain to him-- when he said I was overstocked what was really going on. On the two items he looked at, the amount I was supposed to have on hand for one had changed and the backtag did not reflect the change, so I showed him in the book that I was on target. In the other case, I showed him that I had ordered properly but that it had been keyed in wrong and I got more of one item when I had actually ordered the item next to it. He evidently does not want to hear that I really am working to do my job right. He just wants to say, "You are overstocked here. You should NOT be." And all I can say back to that to please him is "Yes sir".
I have my own little squeeze going on to. I've not done my Christmas shopping. Thankfully Jeni is going to have the Christmas dinner at her house so I don't have to be too concerned about making sure everything at home is ready for company too although I do have company coming in for the Fellowship Meeting the week after Christmas.
And in my mind, I'm juggling how to pay for the bills that are coming in from my medical ventures of the summer. The overtime will help with that but the time given to overtime is time that is not available to "go shopping". So in that sense, my life is filled up like everyone else's.
I am very thankful that through it all I can remind myself that these are not the things I'm living for. I remind myself that when God saved me, He created within me a new heart and new desires and that my job is to USE HIS RESOURCES to keep it that way. I MUST, MUST, MUST come through all this in a way that pleases HIM.
I've always felt like He's the one who gave me my job. It's worked good in my life. And if the time comes that situations change and I lose it, then I believe He's still in control. Even with the stresses we face and all the stuff that's going on, I'd rather work here than any other RETAIL place I can think of. I like my work.
I also like having the support of family and friends and prayers of the saints. It's good to not be living for that job.
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