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Firstly, of course, there's always a few nice, good employees out there just like anywhere else, such as at any given workplace, there is usually that one or two really nice person/people.
Overal though...eeek. I got the brunt of it from everyone today!
You know we're in an economic boom when all the good workers have good jobs so fast food and retail places have to hire bad ones. It happens every time.
What bothers me is why we have so many bad workers in the first place.
What bothers me is why we have so many bad workers in the first place.
Because some people are lazy and only show up to get their paycheck. There are people trying to get the easiest jobs you can imagine (like stuffing envelopes, as just one example) and wanting to be paid $15 an hour to do it.
I prefer to be left alone while shopping. If I need help or have a question, I'm more than capable of asking an employee. I try to avoid going to stores where employees are always coming up and asking if I need help before launching into their spiel.
Same here. If I do ask them where to find an item, sometimes they want to lead me to the correct aisle and point it out. I know they've been instructed to do this, but I really just prefer that they tell me where to look for it - I can find it on my own if they'll point me in the right direction. Not complaining though - this is way way better than surly or dismissive employees!
Because some people are lazy and only show up to get their paycheck. There are people trying to get the easiest jobs you can imagine (like stuffing envelopes, as just one example) and wanting to be paid $15 an hour to do it.
My question was *why* they're lazy. This country didn't used to have much of a welfare system so if you didn't work, you didn't eat. *We* are descended from *them*. What happened?
Many older workers there are also people who were laid off from jobs and having trouble getting a new one. I thing insulting them for trying to earn a buck is lame, work is work. How long does someone have to work there before they are judged as trying to make a career out of fast food? Do people really think the 52 year old has been at McDonalds since they were teens???
Speaking from long years of experience, that 40 yr old might be there working a second job for 'fun money' or to help pay for a child's extracurricular activities, the 30 yr old might be a bored spouse looking for a way to connect with people or feel useful, and the 65 yr old behind the register might be retired with an impressive career and a healthy bank account who probably chuckles at the customers he helps who think he's just some low wage peon who made terrible choices in life.
No idea why people simply assume the older person behind the counter has to be some loser, it's not always the case.
Speaking from long years of experience, that 40 yr old might be there working a second job for 'fun money' or to help pay for a child's extracurricular activities, the 30 yr old might be a bored spouse looking for a way to connect with people or feel useful, and the 65 yr old behind the register might be retired with an impressive career and a healthy bank account who probably chuckles at the customers he helps who think he's just some low wage peon who made terrible choices in life.
No idea why people simply assume the older person behind the counter has to be some loser, it's not always the case.
I think you're totally wrong - 65 year olds with "impressive careers and healthy bank accounts" by and large, do NOT go into fast food work in their retirement years. They might do something like, work part time at a library or work as a tour guide but fast food isn't something a person of this caliber would even consider doing in their golden years. The 65+ adults in fast food don't have healthy bank accounts.
I also think it's sad when older adults take jobs away from teenagers who need to get work experience doing something. Most adults over 25 should have at least, a slightly better skill set than fast food work.
I also think it's sad when older adults take jobs away from teenagers who need to get work experience doing something. Most adults over 25 should have at least, a slightly better skill set than fast food work.
They can't just hire teenagers though. What happens during the school year, should they all shut their doors between 7-4?
I see plenty of teenagers working these jobs. And just about every restaurant and retail store has a now hiring sign in the window, so its not like they're having to turn away workers.
I think you're totally wrong - 65 year olds with "impressive careers and healthy bank accounts" by and large, do NOT go into fast food work in their retirement years. They might do something like, work part time at a library or work as a tour guide but fast food isn't something a person of this caliber would even consider doing in their golden years. The 65+ adults in fast food don't have healthy bank accounts.
I also think it's sad when older adults take jobs away from teenagers who need to get work experience doing something. (Most teenagers can't work mon-fri from 8-3) Most adults over 25 should have at least, a slightly better skill set than fast food work.
From experience, meaning I have worked with these people, mostly in retail (not high end) but a few in fast food. One guy finances his cruises by working his min wage job, his wife is the breadwinner in the family. One guy I worked with paid more in taxes than I earned in a year, but he was bored after retiring and he liked talking to people, so retail fit the bill for him. Another was the wife of a doctor, she was bored at home too. Sensing a theme?
But feel free to assume I'm wrong.
They are mad because they're not getting $15 an hour.
Especially when the customers are not worth the 8/9/10 an hour they are getting to work there or even co-workers. I mean the employees often have to deal with many bad customers a shift. Ones who challenge them to do right by them despite the worker following policy.
That said many people are just plain nasty, even employees.
As to retail clerks, everyone did not get a commission. Commission went to big ticket sales people, who needed a lot more experience and knowledge to serve customers. Check out people were not paid a commission. I worked for one of the best department stores in the nation, with mid quality to top quality merchandise. The ones that got commission, were the Furniture Sales (my job), major appliances, carpet and electronics sales people. The clerks got 85 'cents an hour. i would average at least one sale a day, where I earned a weeks pay for one of the regular employees. My largest sales, I earned more than the regular clerks earned a year. The big ticket commission sales people, brought in more profit to the store than the rest of the store combined. In today's dollars, the big ticket people earned from $125,000 to $150,000 in today's dollars per year each.
Commission for people that are not writing up sales, and need a lot of product knowledge would not be practical. Especially for check out clerks, etc. No advantage for the store.
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