Meantime, this morning we're going to have a Birthday celebration for Rachel, whose birthday is on the 12th. I am going to be so glad to have her and her family here for awhile. Her parents are both so busy these days that I don't get to see much of them. Of course, I don't really get to see much of anyone -- on my part-- because I too am busy with work.
Things are still smooth sailing at work. It's hard to believe how much the atmosphere there has changed since I got back from my vacation. And I really do believe that the boss LISTENED to me after all. I said how he got aggravated at me and I decided I better just keep my mouth shut and do the best job I could because saying something about my plight got him so stirred up that I thought I was going to lose my job.
Well, as it turns out, everything I said about how I was able to get my job done before -- as opposed to why I couldn't now-- has been done. I've been scheduled to come in early on Mondays. I'm not put on the register on Mondays. And every freight day since I've come back, I've had some help getting my freight out. That has freed me up to help in other places, which makes it look more like I'm willing to be a "team player." (I couldn't help anyone before because I was not given the time to get my own work done, or any help when my freight came in.)
Anyway, all that took place BEFORE we got the big announcement that our DM got promoted to the position that he has been coveting for some time now. And that there has been a re-districting of stores.
Then, in discussing all of this with my boss this week, I learned that he and the supervisor just above him believe that the pressure on us is going to be relieved now. They feel like when this redistricting is implemented that we are going to be "the standard" others will have to rise to. The thought is that the stores that will be coming under the supervision of our used to be DM soon-to-be-Regional-Manager have not been scrutinized so carefully in detail to bring them up to the position we are in now. So, the feeling is that those stores will now be the ones "under the gun". Of course, that doesn't mean we won't have to MAINTAIN what we have come up to, but at least we won't be having to stop our work every day or two and spiff things up because we're getting "a visit".
"A visit" is part of the package in any retail store. I notice them more now that I've worked in retail. I notice it when I see the walk-throughs at Walmart, or anywhere. I listen closely and learn that in all of these places those visits seem to center around what needs to be done differently. I fully understand that the district managers and those above are hired to be sure that the local stores are kept up to the standards that the corporation wants them help to and that's only accomplished with accountability. I understand all that. But at a time when we had fewer people and fewer hours to do the work, we were having FREQUENT visits which entailed stopping our normal work and being sure we would pass inspection on things like whether there was dirt in the door tracks at the entrance, dust under the waterfalls or on the top of the framework around an endcap. Things had to be recovered AGAIN because as soon as people (and their kids) come in the door previous recovery goes to pot.
Anyway, things are better and I was relieved to realize by mid-week that I actually don't dread going to work anymore.
On another note, I found out this "new" manager we have said he would "give this job a year" and he'd stay here only IF HIS HOUSE in Missouri SOLD . So far, that house hasn't sold and he's tired of driving back to Missouri to see his family. They need him. He has an eleven year old son and an older daughter. And his wife. He wants to be with them. His year will be up in June or July. If that house doesn't sell, he may just go back to Missouri and look for a job there.
At least we can hope.
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