I may have neatly ironed and folded my laundry but the apartment is still a mess.
I need to do a vacuum and general clean before heading out to post my mail, get more change for the laundry, recycle my batteries and bottles, finish my shopping list and pay more bills. One thing I must do today is complete my online entry and pay the fee for this year's Blackmores Running Festival which is sceduled to be on in September but at this point is still in doubt as to whether it goes ahead on that date or postponed. It is quite important that I enter as it is the 20th anniversary run and it is the one fun run I do annually in memory of my mother who passed away suddenly quite a few years ago now whilst I was away running in it that year ( prefer my previous blog). I would like to enter the 10 km Bridge run which I normally enter but this year due to the circumstances of not knowing if the Blackmores Running Festival will even go ahead as planned and due to my lack of fitness from not exercising since the beginning of the Corona virus pandemic I am entering the 3.5 km Family Run only which is the race I started off running probably a decade or so ago in the Blackmores Running Festival after running in the annual City 2 Surf 14 km in August ( which I retired from running in after 25 years - refer previous blog).
Tomorrow I find out how I did in my trial shift last Thursday. I thought I would have had some feed back by now but looking at their metrics system there was nothing when I looked therefore I may not hear anything until the end of this week or next week. If I am successful in gaining the job then it will be the normal 3 months probation period which will be very close to the Christmas trading period but not quite. I would like to say that the job won't be enough to survive on so I will still need welfare payments to supplement my income ( and I hope that Centrelink will not cut me off from welfare payments if they think I now have a job - it's only casual and I may only get 1 or 2 shifts a week if I am lucky). Wages are minimal and definitely less then what I was earning in my previous job as well. I therefore am still looking for alternative employment as Centrelink specified that you cannot turn down any form of suitable employment/work - I query what the word "suitable" means to Centrelink - is risking your life from contracting the Corona virus via customer contact, taking a pay cut and being paid minimum wages for a casual position where you may only work 5 - 10 hours a week not guaranteed whilst being watched over your every move whilst at work via cameras onsite and online methods using at least 4 different systems ( compulsory downloading of 1. the Kronos app to punch in and punch out and notification of shifts to be worked, 2. WSS for payslips, personal detail recording and amending, leave requests and online training, 3. Mymetrics for monitoring and recording good and bad customer feedback and sales etc which you must retain a 80% or above result and 4. Pressure of individual sales put through registers to meet or reach KPI's, targets and budgets rather then a group effort ( which I am previously used to) to meet or reach KPI's's and budgets) classified as "suitable employment or work"?
I am surprised after all this writing my blog hasn't crashed once this morning!
After having a shower and washing any dishes but not much else I venture out to go shopping in the dark cold wet weather outside.
After catching a bus to Chatswood my first stop is to recycle my bottles at the nearest earn and return. Next onto the post office where I caused some complications with my 2 parcels to be sent to the USA. I really hope they get there and in one piece. I also purchase some local stamps just in case I need them.
Next stop Woolworths Metro to get a few toiletry items, recharge my Opal card and get some more change for the laundry then onto Aldi then finally onto Coles to complete my shopping list items. Unfortunately some items are still unavailable. Coles was in short supply of stock as they are currently undergoing renovations.
No time or hands to do other shopping so I head home by bus.
I get home take my mask off wash it then wash my hands before putting my groceries away and cleaning out my fridge at the same time.
Some YouTube while I make some dinner. After dinner the Food channel, catch up on my blog then off to bed early.
So cold dark and wet outside. I wonder if Corona virus likes rain?
Tuesday 28th July 2020
Today I woke up at 5 am then went back to sleep. It's colder wetter and darker then it was yesterday.
My allergies are quite severe and have been for the past 3 - 4 days. Partly due to the wet weather but also because I had a merino wool skivvie on without a cotton skivvie underneath and I was so itchy my skin felt as if it was burning. I had to take an antihistamine to calm it down.
So I spent most of today (12 noon - 5 pm) finding out how my last week's trial shift went. I didn't do very well - I had a one on one with the manager but other staff members' feedback said that I was "enthusiastic". I am starting to think maybe this potential job is not for me. Too many systems, information overload - 2 of the systems that I had to download didn't even work 1 crashed before my trial shift even started - I found out through other Myer employees at my trial shift. I could not even see how I was doing from my metrics nor could I see any feed back from my trial shift - I couldn't see my metrics from my trial shift because they had not been uploaded yet until I was actually at my one on one with the manager today.
I loved the customers but not the company.
I can't believe after years in retail customers were still telling me that there is never anyone serving at Myer - there never was! ( flashback a decade or so ago to the embarassing times when I was shopping during my lunch breaks at Myer Bondi Junction located in the Westfield Shopping Centre and customers used to ask for my assistance and I would have to tell them that I didn't actually work for Myer - BUT very tempted to pretend that I did :) ! Probably not a good idea as they have cameras everywhere not just watching customers as potential shoplifters but their employees every move as well) By the way I'm not saying I work for Myer ( not offically yet).
OK so the job I applied for and have been blogging about was for Myer but I had to use my " it's not what you know but who you know" contact there - although I planned to apply for a job at Myer way before the Corona virus pandemic @ the last AGM in Sydney in October or November 2019 but used my contact as a last resort to try and find employment. I stumbled upon a recruitment advertisement for " casual staff" at Warringah Mall in June on Indeed and thought why not apply for the position on my own. My contact didn't really give me an advantage in anyway ( and which I later found out through their communications page online, although a little shocked, that she was leaving Myer in a few weeks. Leaving or yet another management sacking? It makes me wonder what's happening within Myer) - I was still up againt about 100 applicants where only 50% were successful and I am still going through their very long winded recruitment processes. I am now upto and completed my first trial shift of 5 hours and was trying to see how I went on their my metrics site online but could not see any feed back so just had a one on one as mention with the manager today and I did not perform very well at my trial shift as mention.
So far I am really unimpressed by the way they operate - minimum hourly rates paid, no guarantee of hours each week and you can't plan anything more then a week in advance, they expect you to use and check your phone every day and download all their apps - some of which don't even work properly on an android phone ( not everyone is an Apple user or fan!) and they watch your every move - ( eg you need to turn your location setting on in order to punch in and punch out of every shift using Kronos including your orientation session and trial shift and today's one on one - I only turn my location on to punch in and out. Every other time it is off as I don't want my phone to be drained of battery life nor do I want Myer to know if I am at my tax agent for example (particularly when I'm not offically employed by them yet) Maybe Myer should pay more attention to their customers then tracking their employees every move and sales AND streamlining all their systems so it is not so complicated and works more efficiently. Communications within Myer is REALLY bad!!!!! One thing I found REALLY unacceptable was the very last minute start and finish times of your shifts on the kronos app. You are expected to check it daily as it changes so I checked it every day and made note of any shifts and start and finish times in my diary and the night before even double checked as it takes me 2 hours one way to get to work. I don't mind if shifts are only allocated a week or so ahead but I do mind that my start and finish times suddenly change on the morning of my shift on Kronos without notice. I thought it was only me and mentioned it to another work colleague who also completed the online training and was at the same safety orientation. Read on and you will find out that it was not just me experiencing these last minute shift changes - as I previously mentioned UNACCEPTABLE!
Being a Myer shareholder is very different to being a potential Myer employee. I think what I have learnt so far about Myer ie the recruitment process upto the trial shift and feedback session is enough to see why Myer is failing as a major department store and it is not all about the changes to the retail environment and the current situation - yes there is an economic down turn but I think it has to do more with the " people and culture" side of Myer as well as the "Systems and Technolgy" in place. They need to change and adapt and they are either not doing this fast enough or using the resistance to change model " if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach. I once said I could write my PHD on Myer!
Enough said about what I think about Myer and my going through their recuitment process - I am by the way still looking for more suitable stable part time employment that is closer to home preferably in or closer to Chatswood.
On my way home I stopped at Woolworths Metro for yet more food. I had not eaten the whole day as most of my time was spent travelling out to Myer and the one on one session with the manager. All I had eaten all day was a fruit leather and a Mexican sausage on a roll with bbq sauce and lettuce for $6 around 11.30 am. For dinner tonight it was a hot watermelon flavoured tea, buffalo wings, a dark chocolate Cherryripe, a spinach scroll and sliced up pear and persimmon. Weird dinner but I was hungry and just ate whatever I could find.
Bloody communications from Myer I was reading and looking at the my metrics "app" ( I don't think it actually is an app) and was on a bus from Chatswood home and I missed my stop by about a km. Luckily I reach the Hospital stop and realised, getting off at the next stop after the hospital and the next train station. I was able to cross the road and catch a bus back in the opposite direction home. I could have ended up all the way back in Manly which is an hour away if I had not been paying attention!
Went to bed hoping that I had not contracted the Corona virus. I fear that I will contract the virus every single time I leave the apartment even wearing a mask almost everywhere I go - obviously when I was at Myer I was unable to wear one. I always wash my hands as soon as I get home and wash my hands with soap and my mask in disinfectant and hot water. I also change the filter in my mask daily.
To help me fall asleep I watch YouTube. End of a very long day - on the bright side it has completely stopped raining.
Wednesday 29th July 2020
Blogger has now automatically switched to it's new version - yes the one I was having so much trouble using due to not being able to upload photos but it didn't crash like the old version which I have been using for as long as possible. Let's see how it works now. A little annoying with formatting as the on screen keyboard covers the paragraph you are writing and formatting as well and you can't scroll up any further above the screen keyboard to see it. You have to make the keyboard disappear off the screen in order to see what you have written behind it.
So it's no longer raining and didn't throughout the night. I would love to spend a day out and about but today is a catch up life admin day. Stuff that needs to be done that has not been done.
Laundry MAYBE LATER as I am trying to do a full load of laundry not just a half of one, vacuuming DONE, rubbish out DONE, put away rest of my clothes and put away the clothes that were hanging up to dry that cannot be put in the dryer DONE, fill out volunteer application form from Vinnies for tech assistant job ( gee they are keen to have me volunteer they have contacted me 3 times now after the email regarding the tech assistant position came the 2 x retail from Brookvale then Chatswood with probably a missed call in between whilst I was at my one on feedback session with the manager at Myer), wash my dishes DONE , make lunch for Saturday MAYBE LATER, filing receipts into my diary ALMOST DONE and several other things.
This morning I was dealing with a mould problem I am having which is getting quite bad on the walls facing the window. I am unsure if it's from the rain or from the condensation on my windows that has been constantly forming. I do squeegee the condensation off my windows whenever I can if it forms. Today I have opened the window to it's limit but I don't like opening it because of the noise and carbon as well as these tiny insects that manage to fly in and have been randomly flying about in the apartment. It could also be the cracks in the front wall near the window which seem to be more pronounced but not causing any harm unless it is the source of the mould.
For a late lunch early dinner I just baked a batch of home made potato wedges and brussel sprouts. No protein as I had a baked piece of salmon earlier for breakfast - yep another weird meal.
After dealing with my mould issue amongst other things, I opened the window to let the apartment air a little but by doing that 3 large blow flies managed to find their way into the apartment via the open window therefore I had to spend time getting rid of each of them by spraying or catching them. It's Winter and I don't want maggots hibernating in the apartment waiting to hatch in Spring and invading the apartment.
Today was basically a do nothing day and after yesterday's one on one session with the manager at Myer I really needed it. No venturing out just watched the Food channel and YouTube.
Still haven't filled in the application form for the volunteer tech assistant position. Shower and very early bedtime.
Thursday 30th July 2020
It's meant to be another beautiful day today. What to do?
I did quite a bit around the apartment today. I think I have managed to get most of the mould off now. The batteries in the remote for the ceiling fan light are dead again and I just changed them last time the maintenance guys came to fix the smoke alarm. I haven't even used the fan much - probably twice.
It's just after 12 noon and I think I will start heading out as I have been rostered on for another 3 shifts at Myer and also for a stocktake on Tuesday night - not looking forward to finishing at 9 pm and having to walk about 15 minutes then get 2 buses going in the opposite direction to get home the long way as the bus direct to Chatswood does not run after 8 pm. I always get out of a stock take and thought I could get out of it this time but unfortunately not. It just means I won't get home until around 11 pm as buses don't run that often at night towards where I live. If I fall asleep and miss my connection or transfer stop I will end up in the City which usually means I can get the train back to Chatswood however that night there is trackwork on the North Shore line yet again!!!!! So there is a bus replacement service and I have no idea where it goes from.
I am not liking this job at Myer at all. Let's see how long it actually lasts. So far I am not doing very well.
It's just after 12 noon and I think I will start heading out as I have been rostered on for another 3 shifts at Myer and also for a stocktake on Tuesday night - not looking forward to finishing at 9 pm and having to walk about 15 minutes then get 2 buses going in the opposite direction to get home the long way as the bus direct to Chatswood does not run after 8 pm. I always get out of a stock take and thought I could get out of it this time but unfortunately not. It just means I won't get home until around 11 pm as buses don't run that often at night towards where I live. If I fall asleep and miss my connection or transfer stop I will end up in the City which usually means I can get the train back to Chatswood however that night there is trackwork on the North Shore line yet again!!!!! So there is a bus replacement service and I have no idea where it goes from.
I am not liking this job at Myer at all. Let's see how long it actually lasts. So far I am not doing very well.
If I hear the words " There's no one around to serve me" from a customer in Myer trying to make a purchase one more time I will scream!
I check online to see if my job search efforts were still showing on the Job Active website that I had entered and again all 4 jobs applied for that I entered have been deleted again. Luckily I have taken a screenshot of the last 3 job searches - I completely lost the first one before I could take a screenshot of it. Apparently the mutual obigation requirements are starting up again on 4th August 2020.
I finally ventured out this afternoon and was hoping to go to 3 places of interest/events within walking distance of each other but only ended up having time to visit one of them - the one that is only on for a few more weeks.
I check online to see if my job search efforts were still showing on the Job Active website that I had entered and again all 4 jobs applied for that I entered have been deleted again. Luckily I have taken a screenshot of the last 3 job searches - I completely lost the first one before I could take a screenshot of it. Apparently the mutual obigation requirements are starting up again on 4th August 2020.
I finally ventured out this afternoon and was hoping to go to 3 places of interest/events within walking distance of each other but only ended up having time to visit one of them - the one that is only on for a few more weeks.
Myer had a similar event a few years ago I think at their flagship store in Melbourne on their top floor and because I was unable to attend it while it was on decided a while ago to attend this event at Broadway Shopping Centre on their roof top car park. It was called HAPPY PLACE and is on until around 9th August 2020. It is a series of immersive interactive rooms half art half sensory. Although I had been planning to go for a while, I delayed doing so because I didn't think an adult ticket for $32.50 plus a possible booking fee online was worth it. Now the entry fee has been discounted by 30% and when I went today I was almost the only visitor there. The lifts took so long to get up to the rooftop parking and the doors out to the HAPPY PLACE tent would not open. A security guard had to open it for me from the outside. I show up outside the big yellow tent and ask if I could buy a ticket to go in as I was having trouble buying one online through Moshtix. There was no one else there at around 2.30 pm except for the staff. Wow I came at a perfect time and spent about 2 hours inside having a good look and taking heaps of photos. It was a little difficult taking photos on my own, it is an event that is better in a group - I can just see parties happening here - kids during the day and adults during the night. The setup is actually quite good althought it is one way in and one way out - making sense not just for COVID SAFE reasons. There are wipes and hand sanitiser stations everywhere and staff were more then happy to give you photography tips and even take photos for you with your phone or camera. I had quite a bit of fun with the props and my stuffed possum I had brought along with me. Photos below of each section of HAPPY PLACE. Note it is note the quickest and easiest way to get up to the rooftop car park in the Broadway shopping centre. Use the lifts near the NAB and go to the very top 4th floor. Lifts are very slow to go up and down in so you need to be patient. Doors to the rooftop car park don't open automatically but there is a security guard up there to assist if stuck. I also have never seen a toilet up on the rooftop so go before you get up there. Rating 8/10 a place to have fun and get creative. Use of all your 5 senses. Photos below.
Foyer/Entrance Welcome to Happy Place - sanitise your hands, check in your contact details in a book & purchase your ticket or scan online ticket.
Gum Ball Room where there is a basket full of complimentary mini gummy bears, a wall of gumball machines ( which only take US coins unfortunately) and a large gumball slide which looked fun for kids but a little small maybe for adults and heart messages scattered on the floor. Senses used Sight & Taste
The Hugs and Kisses Room features a bright red lip lounge great for selfies and a snuggle on. Over the top walks covered in red lipstick lips and a big XO. If red is your favourite colour then this is the room for you. Senses used Sight & Touch.
This Flower room had to be my favourite room hundreds of thousands of artifical flowers hanging from the ceiling and planted like a sea of flowers. Spot my stuffed possum amongst them. A selfie and photographer's paradise. I have been to a few art installations at art galleries with a similar idea. ( refer previous bogs at NGV). Senses used Sight and Touch
A slight break between rooms with this neon sign on a wall for a chance of a quick selfie.
C is for Cookie Room . It sure was. This room not only had a peekaboo giant plastic chocolate chip cookie which you could open the chocolate chips up & stick your head through for selfies, the walls wete printed with cookies and the room smelt like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies - only thing missing were real cookies to sample. Senses used Sight Smell & Touch
This is my second favourite room - the Upside Down Room. Look closely - how is my stuffed possum defying gravity? He loves hanging onto lamps but he has not been photoshopped and he is definitely not being held in place with a large bull dog clip which is what one staff member came out with and suggested I use to hold him up and in place with ( he maybe a 30 year old stuffed possum but he is in very good condition and clamping him down with a large bull dog clip may damage him) This room has photographic potential. Senses used Sight
Can We Be Friends Unicorn selfie wall
Rainbow Confetti selfie wall
HAPPY selfie wall
Giant Inflatable Duck
Under The clouds selfie bench
Rainbow selfie centre stage
Rubber Ducky & Bathtub selfie booth - with props however all the yellow balls had been removed probably due to COVID Safe regulations
The Infinity chain selfie booth
Sequence selfie booth
Rainbow Confetti Snow Dome - when I arrived home I found come confetti that had hitchhiked all the way home with me in my !
Sorry my blog crashed again and I just lost half the photos and descriptions I uploaded. It is getting very frustrating as sometimes i am working and don't have time to blog except in the middle of the night.
The final room is The Backyard Area complete with different selfie walls & booths (photos above). My favourite walls were the chain wall and the rubber ducky bathtub walls complete with extra rubber duckies however all the balls in the bathtub have been removed.
You can even purchase HAPPY PLACE merchandise such as totes and t shirts
This cute little lemonade stand selling light snacks and drinks - I am assuming non alcoholic drinks as I don't believe it is a licenced event.
I catch the bus to Town Hall and walk to Woolworths to do a quick shop for dinner. I think I just purchased some mixed leafy greens, bread a chocolate brownie slab a mini bottle of Evian water and a few other things.
I went to sleep really early as I was rostered on to work tomorrow which according to Kronos is from 10 am - 5 pm therefore needed to prepare for my first real shift at Myer after my (dismal 67% performance review after just 1 not even full trial shift) one on one session with the manager. I really don't like the manager - you know how you can tell if someone is approachable or not? Well she looks mean and she was mean to me right from the start. I think I have been treated a little unfairly by that particular manager as my other work collegue who went through the same online training, safety orientation and initial shift was very confident and I wondered why - it was because she had worked 6 shifts in a row already and I had worked only 1 part shift. It gets worse to the point where I am thinking of terminating my employment already after just 1 more shift so keep reading my blog.
A reminder don't forget to watch my YouTube channel too! ( my YouTube channel is nothing to do with work)
Friday 31st July 2020
Today I am at Myer. This is only my 2nd shift after my one on one session with the manager and it is already a problem shift. I must have checked the Kronos app for my scheduled shifts several times to ensure I was not late for my shifts including checking it the night before and I had recorded my shifts with the start and finish times for each shift in my digital diary on my phone. My original start and finish times for today's shift was 10 am - 5 pm but this changed to 10.30 - 4.30 pm this morning. I thought that this was totally unreasonable and told a few of my work collegues about it and was told to speak to the manager ( communication is really difficult as the manager is difficult to find and so unapproachable). My start and finish times for tomorrow's shift also changed to 9.30 am - 2.30 pm when originally it was 9 am - 2 pm. I thought it was only me but later found out that another newbie also had the same problem and advised me that he is taking screenshots of his shifts on the Kronos app in the event he is accused for being late. Common courtesy by Myer to at least text if they decide to change shift's start and finish times on the day of a shift - just another UNACCEPTABLE policy and procedure from Myer.
So I attended the huddle they had at 10 am downstairs thinking I was suppose to go to it. It was interesting but the store manager looked really scary, mean and unapproachable. I am pretty good at telling whether people are suited to a position just by the way they act and look having hired and fired staff, trained staff and looked after apprentices myself.
One of the ladies I worked with, although not present as she was on her day off got an award for employee of the week. Other news the Myer change of mind returns policy has been relaxed and extended from 30 days to 60 days. We were also reminded about staff discount abuse which is a sackable offense and how previous staff members have been terminated from their employment at Myer for this abuse ( made clear from the very start with examples at our safety/ orientation session). There was the current promotions in the cosmetics department for Clinique and World Lipstick Day. Finally there was the call for anyone who had any fund raising ideas for the local womens shelters as it is no longer possible to hold bake sales due to COVID safe restrictions/regulations.
After noticing today how many customers were not interested in joining the Myer One loyalty program ( there is a push and competition for staff to sign up as many customers as possible to it - who cares I certainly don't), you can't force people to join and too bad if I don't get any customers at all to join as it is their decision. I certainly wouldn't ask non English speaking customers to join as they would not understand. I therefore came up with a possible fund raising idea which I discussed in detail with a work collegue of mine as to whether it would be feasible or not ( as she knows hpw the myer systems work better then I do) to be forward it to the store manager. This was my possible idea - What would happen if customers that made a purchase from Myer who did not want to join Myer One donated the points they would have earned to a specific Myer One card and those accumulated points were converted to either gift voucher equivalent or cash equivalent to be donated to the local women's shelter? All you would have to do is have one same special bar code on each register and ask the customer if they didn't want to join the Myer One loyalty program if they mind if we donated the points they would have earned to charity and just scanned the barcode allocated on the register. I have not approached the store manager yet with my idea as I am just too scared to. I don't want to "rock the boat" at Myer with all their policies and procedures in place especially in my first few days "on the job". I am treading as lightly and as carefully as possible but believe still not lightly enough.
There is a certain "people and culture" at Myer which will take me a VERY long time to get used to and adopt/ adapt - all the systems the procedures the technology the way you communicate the hierarchy of personnel the codes the passwords etc etc. I loved the customers and found they were just like the customers at my previous place of employment and from the beginning I felt welcome from whoever I approached when I told them that it was my first day. There is just something about working at Myer which makes me feel "trapped" and does not feel quite right. I think one work collegue described it quite well in a few words " robotic" and " not being able to be yourself" which greatly affects customer service and from which I saw from the beginning. This is also illustrated from the way so much time is spent on the metrics of individuals rather then on the quality of customer service. I unused to having my every move monitored via camera, online via various apps, through the registers etc. That is if not bordering on invasion of privacy by an employer. Myer is not my life and I don't want it to take over my life especially with it's shit pay ( yes their hourly rate is substantially lower then what I was previously paid per hour as a retail casual) and you are expected to use your phone and computer and check it every single day for communications.
It's not all bad the customers I had on my first day were fantastic and very patient especially as I am terrible at using the register. I also found it lovely how I approached random employees wherever I went and they welcomed and assisted me even the merchandiser from French Connection who doesn't even work technically for Myer.
Now the bad - What do you do if you haven't even started work at Myer and you spot a customer trying to find some shoes do you approach her or Not? There obviously isn't anyone around - later the assistant in tgat s department appears from the back shoe reserve however she is serving someone and this customer has left. I feel really bad but I let the customer be as I am not offically on the floor yet and it is not my allocated department. There is that stereotypical Myer customer comment again "There is never anyone around to serve me"- I wonder why!
IPad not fun to use, click and collect love it, remembering codes not fun - still no I'm new badge or lanyard, The Hub everything goes to this area - orders, click and collect, laybuys, phone inquiries ( oh ya one phone was pretty dodgey),parcel pickup, concession and visitor sign in and outs, phone sales, etc etc.
During my first day at Myer I hear "The Hub" was going to move from upstairs in the spascious open Homewares section to downstairs cramped up and hidden behind the Seafolly swimwear section. Why and who's decision was it? was on everyone's minds. Something to do with foot traffic perhaps - there is none!
Being a shareholder at Myer first then working for Myer is very different. Have I gone too far in my curiousity and quest to actually find out how Myer operates? I'm not a spy by the way. I am giving myself 3 days to settle in and I am pretty good at assessing whether a job is a good fit for me. I have told a few work collegues this and some think I am being too hard on myself and others advise me to give it a little more time.
Finding things around a rabbit's warren on the mezzanine was just as challenging as using the register! So glad when the end of my shift today was over - I didn't even have a break - no idea when to go or for how long. Very important you have to remember to log on and log off each shift but not too early before you start and not to late after you finish your shift. Bit of a tall ask as the lift can only take 2 people at a time due to COVID restrictions and is EXTREMELY SLOW even with only 3 floors.
A quick shop for food and home on the 280 bus direct to Chatswood then onto another bus home. End of my offical second shift (I think but who cares as some shifts were only half shifts) after my one on one with the manager. Do I really want to do it all again tomorrow - no but I am rostered on for another shift tomorrow , Monday and for Stocktake only on Tuesday which I am not looking forward to as there is no direct bus to Chatswood from Warringah Mall after 8 pm therefore I have to travel the long way home via Manly or Neutral Bay Junction with a bus transfer.
I remember back to my very first trial shift where there was information overload and I made it known to my work collegues my head felt as if it was going to explode!
Saturday 1st August 2020
Myer 9.30 am - 2.30 pm Ditto above except this is my 3rd shift if the last shift yesterday was actually my second shift. ( refer previous day's blog last minute change from original shift start and finish times)
Worst shift to date and I am beginning to think it will only go downhill from here.
It is no excuse for a manager to yell at an employee partularly a new employee in front of a customer and this is exactly what happened to me this morning. The manager was in a really bad mood and stressed out and I felt as if she was taking it out on me , no - correction she has something against me right from the beginning as she was the same manager I had my one on one with. I feel she has always had something against me and if she was recruiting I would not have been recruited - Myer shareholder or not but fortunately she wasn't recruiting, the store/operations manager and assistant store manager ( both a little more approachable) were recruiting. They were the ones that approached me and asked me how I was doing on my first few shifts which was quite nice - my response was that all my previous work collegues started at Myer or David Jones before working for smaller retailers whereas I am the opposite and there is so much to learn.
By the way when I mention the manager I had my one on one with - she has the title of customer Service Manager or people leader ( whatever that means) Team Trainer would be the correct title possibly however I do actually wonder why a Customer Service Manager is actually performing duties that aren't actually related to customer service. Shouldn't they be spending time mire on the floor dealing with customer complaints, feedback, enquiries, returns, faults etc instead of spending all her time performing one on one staff appraisals each month and looking at metrics? It is difficult to locate her and that is why there is a communication issue within Myer.
The other thing I have noticed is and someone has already mentioned it to me is you would get told one thing and someone else will tell you another. I am finding this very true therefore I am only paying attention to those who have been working at Myer a while and know exactly what they are doing. Finding out how long people have been working at Myer is interesting too. There are quite a few people that have been with Myer for 6 years which in casual retail employment world is a long time. I'll be surprised if I last 6 days!
Back to being yelled at in front of customers by the Customer Service Manager. It is no excuse and it is not only unprofessional but will probably influence whether that customer will return to Myer in the future. I won't go into details but it was a return so I had to walk the customer to the electrical department and leave them with the electrical returns team. If a manager is stressed and struggling they need to ask for assistance or not be employed in that position. Yes there is a stocktake and yes there is a lot to do but there are enough employees to form a team to complete what is necessary. Maybe Myer has not yet learnt about the catch phrase " We are all in this together".
To avoid another confrontation from the customer service manager, I kept away from the counter as much as possible and pulled expired sale signs off shelves as well as interacting with customers as much as possible for most of the morning. I like to spend time with customers and getting to know them to build up a good relationship with them although this is limited due to social distancing rules. Around noon, one of the more senior Myer employees arrived and she shielded me from being the target of the customer service manager's stress and anger. She advised me to stay on the floor and serve customers and explained how the customer service manager was stressed out and how she didn't want me to cope her ( What I would describe) foul mood. I understood and advised her that I had been doing that all morning ie trying to avoid contact with the customer service manager whenever possible however there were times when I am about to do stuff and she will ask me to do something. Yes Sir whatever you say Sir ( but ignore her as others do - don't let people's power get to their brains) .
So glad today when today was over.
Sunday 2nd August 2020
My day off from "work". I not only need it but made my Sundays unavailable to work for 2 reasons 1. There is no bus service from Chatswood to Warringah Mall running on Sundays (and after 8 pm on every other day therefore I should also let Myer know that I would not be able to work Thursday nights which is late night shopping although on my original availability job application form I did mention availability Mon - Sat subject to public transport restrictions) where the only way to get home is a one way 2 hour 2 bus ride with a transfer point either at Neutral Bay Interchange, Manly or Wynyard. 2. I like to attend events and visit places of interest on Sundays such as trade shows and fun runs or day trips out of Sydney.
I went to bed quite early last night so have been up since 1.30 am this morning blogging. It is so quiet outside on the road hardly any motor vehicles driving by althought by 3 am there tends to be an increase in motor vehicles driving by.
No plans today except life admin stuff. I have to keep on top of this. Watched some YouTube as well as have a cup of hot green tea as it is quite cold and a midnight snack of chocolate brownie, a few blueberries and the leftover chicken substitute ( you know what I mean - vegetarian soy protein patty) cheese & mixed leafy greens sandwich.
I went back to sleep and woke up again at 8 am - yep I slept and I ate more blueberries, a mango yoghart, a piece of poached salmon a few cups of tea the rest of my brownie, 2 fruit leathers but I am still hungry.
In between I changed my bed linen and vacuumed part of the apartment as well as separate the blacks and colours from the whites ready for laundry. Next to catch up with my filing and diary records ( very important for annual tax return lodgments).
Upon returning from my shopping trip to Woolworths to recharge my Opal card and get some change for the laundry then onto Priceline, Aldi and Coles I unpacked my groceries and did my 2 loads of laundry however could not dry my laundry as someone has left their uniforms in the dryer. It's late and I have to leave for work no later then 8 am tomorrow morning so will have to dry my clothes after I return from work tomorrow. To have something to wear for work tomorrow I used my hair dryer to dry a black skivvie to wear tomortow with a pair of black jeans and my favourite black velvet jacket ( because it has pockets).
My blog crashed yet again and I lost what I had written yet again.
I go to sleep early again after organising everything for the next 2 days. I check my Kronos app for the start and finish times of my shifts at Myer for the next 2 days. They hasn't changed - I must have checked my Kronos app at least half a doz times today!
Time for bed.
