My workplace has changed me emotionally...I don't know how to cope.

[dee_1]

Hey guys,

So, I struggle everyday with anxiety, I'm not on medication at the moment but I feel what contributes to my anxiety is my workplace.

My workplace is at a petrol station and you would think its a simple job but it couldn't be farther from the truth. Inside my petrol station we have a barista coffee station, the middle is the console and the other end of the business is a Juice bar which I run as a team leader. I absolutely love working there. It's an amazing job and when I'm left alone to run the joint I'm at my happiest but it's not like this at all.

My daily routine consists of:

Getting to the store and there is 2 people on. One person is stuck on the coffee machine all morning literally from the time I get in at 5am or 6am until a 3rd person comes in at 9 where they can help out.

During that 3 to 4 hour morning period I'm responsible for opening up my business which takes 15 minutes but in between that I have to serve customers in the middle to process fuel, shipping items, coffee orders, make toasted sandwiches, go back to my store finish up opening, go back to the centre help out on the fuel side, take care of store, sometimes I need to prep fruit because without fruit I can't run a juice bar. I then have to consider ordering stock, serving customers some more and then taking care if my store. My store opens at 8am which means I'm making smoothies, running back and forth between 2 stations, serving fuel, making sandwiches, making smoothies, taking orders for etc etc...

I'm exhausted by the time the 3rd person shows up at 9. Even when someone shows up I'm expected to keep the shop in emaculate condition which I want to do but I'm stuck on my own cleaning, prepping fruit making sure weekly and daily tasks are done.

I finally get a lunch break but I'm in the office having a half hour break and I can see a line up of customers needing to be served but they have to wait because once again there's only 2 people who can serve.

This nightmare of yoyoing between stations has been going on since the covid lockdowns with the business reducing hours in the shop to save money! I'm at my wits end and I feel like a crazy person because I can't handle the stress anymore. It doesn't help the customers treat you like dirt all the time because the service isn't prompt enough. My entire mentality has been compromised I don't know whether I'm just weak and can't handle pressure or my work place is mistreating employees. I feel hopeless.

[dee_1]

To continue...

I know it sounds like I am doing what I'm supposed to be doing which is my work and for the most part I get things done but not before having several meltdowns about how I'm going to be able to manage running my shop, organising stock for the day, serving in the centre, serving customers. The shop I'm in I feel requires the attention of 4 staff but we're yoyoing tasks in between 3 people it's insane.

most days I come home exhausted from stress and I cry thinking I'm incapable of dealing with work. I don't want to be upset all the time 😞

[Gambit87]

Hi Dee!

I'm so sorry youre going through this! I can see why you're under so much stress!

Is the juice bar a separate business that operates in a service station? or is it part of the service station business?

Retail can be so brutal and a thankless industry! people have such superiority complexes and I feel covid has only made things worse.

I can highly recommend getting a boxing bag and gloves and punch the bag for a few rounds - great stress reliever!

Have you talked about staffing with your boss?

[Petal22]

Hi dee,

Im sorry you are feeling this way.

You can only do the best you can, and I can see that you are trying to do this.

Your Manager needs to “manage “ the store. It’s not your responsibility and you can’t do everything.

Please raise your concerns with your manager.

Your doing a great job but don’t allow the stress of a job effect your mental health, make your Manager aware of the difficulties in the understaffing it’s up to your Manager to manage the situation.

Its not up you.

[dee_1]

So my particular petrol station is part of a franchise and even though I complain about the work conditions to my store manager, my store manager is managed by a business manager and this business manager is managed by one management person above him so through this person we have had hours given to us and hours reduced.

Overall they look at the sales figures of one entire shop and if it doesn't meet a Kpi quota weekly they automatically think that our shop isn't busy enough to run a staff of 4.

Our shop is quite big and as part of a chain I feel like this company can afford a 4th person on. I walk into tiny cafes with 4 people on all standing around on a quiet day fiddling their thumbs whilst our all rounder business is trying to please everyone.

It became especially hard through covid because throughout the entire day there was always 2 people on and we were insanely busy with people using our facility to get essential services which meant we were a loop hole for people getting coffees and Boost. We did not shut down as we were classed as essential.

My juice bar is contracted to be a part of the petrol station we are in as part of a convenience service. But you need one person to run the juice bar, one person to make coffees and occasionally help out on fuel sales, manager should be focusing on paper work and minor aspects of the shop and a casual employee should be helping in between every thing else whether its the boost bar, shop floor or outside cleaning the forecourt which barely gets done because of employee hour restrictions.

today im having a better day because its quiet in the shop so I got stuff done but when the shop is busy...its hard to get anything done. But the expectations to get tasks done by head office is unreasonable but it is expected that we get it done even though sometimes its impossible.

[Petal22]

Hi dee,

Im glad that you are having a better day today.

I believe the manager ( your boss) has the responsibility of being a “manager” this is why the manager is paid the big bucks.

Its your managers responsibility to take on the stresses of the work load and not having enough staff.

Your manager needs to take their concerns to their manager.

When the managers see that things aren’t getting done then maybe they will realise why……

Try not to bend over backwards to get things done you can only do what you can do..

Please do what you can, please don’t stress yourself out by the things that aren’t getting done……… that’s your managers job.