Management. I was hired as a "Stockroom Supervisor" for my summer out of year 11. I was hired without an interview. I came in suit and tie ready for my first interview and they just asked my availability and gave me the job within 3 mins. Major red flag
My rota was back to back 10 shifts across 2 weeks 7-10 hours a piece starting off. I came in with limited knowledge on my position and how the company worked. I got taught by a fellow peer for about 20 mins and was left to my own devices. I didn't have lunch for the next 2 shifts as no matter who I asked no one had told me when or where I would take it. I eventually started taking it whenever and just came back within half an hour. I spent months just doing what I thought was needed in the stockroom. By myself. During their busiest sale season. There was rails upon rails upon rails of clothes and I was going up 3-4-5 stories high of lines of clothes trying to fit things in with no help in a hot stockroom for hours on end.
Eventually they randomly moved me to shop floor. No training. Nothing. No clue how to work the till so I asked around and found an amazing worker who helped me. Gave me his login and called out management for not teaching me anything. During slow periods he would let me watch and figure it out. I love the people I worked with.
Management never taught me. They would put me on random tasks on random days that no one else would do. "Sort out the shoe room" - leaves. What's the shoe room? How do I sort it out? No guidance even when asked for.
They started cutting my shifts back as they argued with me on my uniform that I had been wearing for months - I was forced into a suit shirt tucked in tie, everyone else including the managers were in summer dresses and jeans / T-shirts. I felt targeted. I was working once a week for a few hours and they wouldn't change my shifts unless it benefitted them. There was no calling out sick. No leaving early
I once was so sick and this was my 4th shift in a row, I begged to go home and I got shut down. I ended up throwing up in the toilet and having to clean it myself. I worked the full shift
Eventually a customer complained that my folding was wrong to me and how it was sloppy. I never got taught how to fold to nexts standards so I was doing it the way I did it at home. As a 16 year old boy this clearly wasn't the best but no one cared for nearly a year. This elderly woman complained saying I was rude, swore, rushed her and didn't fold and threw the clothes in the bag with no care. Me and my peers were all confused on what she was on about and I got backed up when management asked about this. My next shift I was called in and put on review. They apparently did this very month however after working for close to a year this was my first one. They said not only the complaint contributed but I was a beyond slow worker and did half as any normal employee would do and if I didn't improve by my 2 week review I would be sacked.
This was beyond scary for a 16 year old to hear and so I tried so hard for the next few shifts. Fast as I could. Best conversation. Always finding something to do. Short lunch breaks. I got called in to review. They said they were going to continue it for another 2 weeks. I was still too slow too sloppy and how they were going to lower my shifts and how this is my last chance. They made me stay late even when my dad was outside picking me up. Up to 2 hours past when my shift ended to "tidy up the store"
Shouted at me for having my phone as if I haven't had it for nearly a year. I used it when my dad called me 2 hours after my pickup time and my manager told me to put it away and get back to work, whilst he was on his phone.
Eventually I stopped going in and never gave them any warning. They didn't deserve it. Made me feel like shift for trying my hardest and hiring the youngest workers and trying to get every squeeze out of them before throwing them in the bin.
P.s - got a 10 gift voucher and still to this day never got my discount code - I was there for nearly a year and new staff members got it before me. I chased it. Never got it.
