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Time for a conversation with the boss. Tell him you understand they don't want you working late, but when you're pulled from your main responsibilities to do other tasks, things don't get done.
Ask if he wants you to:
--Focus on your main tasks and refuse extras, or
--Leave work done at the end of the day, or
--Pay you overtime without hassles, or
--Hire another person to pick up the slack.
The place is understaffed. Let them solve the problem.
A lot of speculation going on by many when we really don't know anything at all about the quality of the OP's work. Maybe the boss thinks the OP works too slow and should be able to help on the line AND get the cleaning/prep done? And how do we know they aren't correct? I'm not calling it one way or the other but I've seen a lot of "slow" workers and their inability to get all the work done didn't mean there was too much work to be done just that the wrong person was hired to do it.
A lot of speculation going on by many when we really don't know anything at all about the quality of the OP's work. Maybe the boss thinks the OP works too slow and should be able to help on the line AND get the cleaning/prep done? And how do we know they aren't correct? I'm not calling it one way or the other but I've seen a lot of "slow" workers and their inability to get all the work done didn't mean there was too much work to be done just that the wrong person was hired to do it.
So, it gets back to a discussion with his regular manager who I assume up to this point has not expressed a problem. It could also be a case of different managers have different expectations. Even if the OP is "slow", his regular manager may be fine with that if he is punctual and has good attendance -- very important in the restaurant business. Not to mention the turnover rate is very high. Try finding a dishwasher who is also a utility player who works fast and comes to work every day on time on a restaurant wage. The fill in manager may have unrealistic expectations.
Last edited by Maddie104; 11-09-2022 at 05:17 AM..
A lot of speculation going on by many when we really don't know anything at all about the quality of the OP's work. Maybe the boss thinks the OP works too slow and should be able to help on the line AND get the cleaning/prep done? And how do we know they aren't correct? I'm not calling it one way or the other but I've seen a lot of "slow" workers and their inability to get all the work done didn't mean there was too much work to be done just that the wrong person was hired to do it.
If he has a conversation with his boss, he might learn just that. In any event, the current staffing isn't working.
Easy to see here that some people have never had an abusive boss and/or never been the whipping boy at dysfunctional workplaces.
Following orders is good but only to a point. I look back at a few situations and wish I had refused orders. One very similar to OP's situation is the restaurant where I worked for an alcoholic narcissist, who loved manipulating people. I usually worked lunch rush alone with him. He mostly worked the kitchen while I ran floor, bar and cash register. I typically came in about 10:00 to get ready to open at 11:00. Many mornings, he was passed out at a table from drinking all night. I would bang on the door which usually didn't wake him. So I would go the the nearby phone booth, call in and leave the receiver off the hook, go back and keep knocking. That would eventually wake him, but sometimes it was 10:45. So nothing was prepped and we were often out of various stock. Imagine starting the day that way. Lunch was usually chaos and I had a lot of cleaning up to do. Tables were a mess. He would barely let me get started, then find some off the wall task to divert me. One was repotting plants for the front window. A rainy day job if there ever was one. The regular bartender came in at 3 and he would let me start back on cleanup about 2:45. Naturally, all was still a mess. She would come in and he made out to her that I had been slacking off. He manipulate all of us with things like having 2 people on the floor, give one some dirty work, not let the other person help, then tall the first one how his buddy was slacking off.
I should have refused his little games and done what I knew needed doing. This guy was the same type the OP is dealing with. You who criticize OP should get part time jobs as a rank & file person at a restaurant or other service industry place. Do it for a year or so and you will see things you never thought possible. And you will see that some people do not have the option of walking out at the moment. Be grateful if you have better work places than this.
Easy to see here that some people have never had an abusive boss and/or never been the whipping boy at dysfunctional workplaces.
Following orders is good but only to a point. I look back at a few situations and wish I had refused orders. One very similar to OP's situation is the restaurant where I worked for an alcoholic narcissist, who loved manipulating people. I usually worked lunch rush alone with him. He mostly worked the kitchen while I ran floor, bar and cash register. I typically came in about 10:00 to get ready to open at 11:00. Many mornings, he was passed out at a table from drinking all night. I would bang on the door which usually didn't wake him. So I would go the the nearby phone booth, call in and leave the receiver off the hook, go back and keep knocking. That would eventually wake him, but sometimes it was 10:45. So nothing was prepped and we were often out of various stock. Imagine starting the day that way. Lunch was usually chaos and I had a lot of cleaning up to do. Tables were a mess. He would barely let me get started, then find some off the wall task to divert me. One was repotting plants for the front window. A rainy day job if there ever was one. The regular bartender came in at 3 and he would let me start back on cleanup about 2:45. Naturally, all was still a mess. She would come in and he made out to her that I had been slacking off. He manipulate all of us with things like having 2 people on the floor, give one some dirty work, not let the other person help, then tall the first one how his buddy was slacking off.
I should have refused his little games and done what I knew needed doing. This guy was the same type the OP is dealing with. You who criticize OP should get part time jobs as a rank & file person at a restaurant or other service industry place. Do it for a year or so and you will see things you never thought possible. And you will see that some people do not have the option of walking out at the moment. Be grateful if you have better work places than this.
That's a pretty extreme example. We're clearly talking about "orders" the manager gives to make the business run well. OP isn't being asked cover for him so he can cheat or drink. What you should have done is look for another job. And maybe one cannot quit on the spot and leave themselves without income but if this is going on for an extended time and you aren't doing anything to find someone else, that's on you.
That's a pretty extreme example. We're clearly talking about "orders" the manager gives to make the business run well. OP isn't being asked cover for him so he can cheat or drink. What you should have done is look for another job. And maybe one cannot quit on the spot and leave themselves without income but if this is going on for an extended time and you aren't doing anything to find someone else, that's on you.
I gave it 6 months and left, should have left within the first month, but live and learn. This was extreme but such extremes were normal for that workplace. Again, be thankful you haven't had to deal with such. Many people are not so fortunate.
That's a pretty extreme example. We're clearly talking about "orders" the manager gives to make the business run well. OP isn't being asked cover for him so he can cheat or drink. What you should have done is look for another job. And maybe one cannot quit on the spot and leave themselves without income but if this is going on for an extended time and you aren't doing anything to find someone else, that's on you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmellc
I gave it 6 months and left, should have left within the first month, but live and learn. This was extreme but such extremes were normal for that workplace. Again, be thankful you haven't had to deal with such. Many people are not so fortunate.
The order the manager made was based on the immediate need (or his perception of the immediate need) to serve the rush of customers. To run a business well also involves all other aspects -- prep work, washing dishes, etc. the things the OP is tasked with. With guests out the door, I can understand how dishes were getting backed up on the OP.
Practically speaking, rodent infestation is a problem in the restaurant business so it is important that everything gets properly cleaned down at the end of the night. If the OP does not have adequate time to do it at the end of his shift, whose responsibility does it become?
The OP sounds like a very conscientious employee and, according to him, made to feel his work wasn't as important and by extension he wasn't important. . . everyone else goes home at the end of their shift and he has to stay later to catch up after helping out. The restaurant business can be stressful at busy times and I suspect his regular manager can better handle the stress.
Last edited by Maddie104; 11-11-2022 at 03:33 AM..
I think you need to have a discussion with your manager about priorities when you are pulled to other tasks and working beyond your schedule.
This.
I have been known to tell my boss, "hey I'm scheduled to leave in an hour, prioritize remaining tasks for me because that isn't enough time left for me to do everything you want done"
Toss the ball back in their court and make them decide what's most important.
This.
I have been known to tell my boss, "hey I'm scheduled to leave in an hour, prioritize remaining tasks for me because that isn't enough time left for me to do everything you want done"
Toss the ball back in their court and make them decide what's most important.
During a busy period when your manager asks you to do a reasonable task, you do it. You certainly don’t just walk away. If you can’t get your normally assigned tasks done before your shift ends, the next person will just have to do it. If you feel the need you can explain to the person who comes in after you, we were slammed at lunch and I was pulled to help the line so I didn’t get all the dishes done, etc.
I get the impression that you take a lot of pride in your work and getting your work done before the next person takes over. That’s to be commended. However, there will be times when it’s just not possible such as exceptionally busy periods when you’re pulled to help the line.
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