Thanksgiving an American Family Holiday- Missing what is Important

It is November again, my how time flies. I'm going to do some ranting in this blog, so beware.

I just got my work schedule and I am scheduled to work through Thanksgiving weekend. I did not volunteer to work. I'm upset that I don't get to spend at least Thanksgiving Day with my family. Why can't businesses close on a family holiday to let people be with the ones they love. Selling luxury items is not a necessity, but the company is only thinking about the bottom line and not the moral of their employees.

When I expressed my deep disappointment about having to work on Thanksgiving Day with my boss, he tried to tell the upside is getting overtime pay.

Well, family is more important than money. You can't ever get this time back.

He proceeded to tell me that I was not the only one who was upset about this and then he went on to tell me about his getting a three day weekend on Thanksgiving and how he is going to enjoy it. I truly am happy for him, but his timing in telling me this was inconsiderate and downright rude, especially since I had been tearful in expressing my own frustration and disappointment. It totally felt like he was putting salt in an open wound.

I'm really upset that I have to work, and people like me have to work, because the public can't take a day off from shopping and dealing with customer service issues for one day during a family holiday.

I want to thank the public and the companies (and I mean this sarcastically) for expecting us to to put aside our own families and not being able to be there for them because you feel the need to do your shopping on Thanksgiving Day for luxury items. Because of this, large companies like the one I work for does not want to miss out on the sales that this one day can generate.

You already have black Friday, now you have to include black Thanksgiving????? I'm also very upset at the companies that can't make a stand for their employees for this very important day in November, Thanksgiving Day. If you believe in family values, why take this time away? Why force mom's, dads, children and grandparents to have to work for fear of losing their jobs. This certainly doesn't boost moral.

Retail has a blackout period where their employees cannot even ask for time off from just before Thanksgiving until after the New Year. Every holiday during the year is like that as well. We cannot travel to be with our families, we are stuck working. Now not only has this whole block of time been taken from us, Thanksgiving Day has been stolen from us as well. We have to work on Thanksgiving Day, an Iconic American Family Holiday, because of the bottom line. When are the managers, company heads going to stand up for the employee and let them have this day back? This is a very sad world we live in.

For those people, who say, well you shouldn't work in that job, if you don't expect to work. I actually had a manager tell me, "This is what you signed up for when you got employed by the company, if family is more important to you, then maybe this is not a good fit for you." How cold and impersonal is that? Jobs are not easy to come by and like most people we have to pay our bills and we don't always have a choice in the jobs we have to take. Retailers are part of the problem of the breakdown of the family and family values, because of what they expect of their employees on important Family holidays. People need to celebrate time together on family holidays.

For those who say, "You can celebrate it before or after the holiday". Are you kidding me? The whole year leads up to this day as a family holiday. Why are we forced to have to celebrate, before or after the holiday??

Because of my work schedule, my whole family won't have a home cooked Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day, because they are elderly and disabled and can't cook without assistance. My work schedule doesn't only affect me, it affects my whole family on this special day.

This is the ripple effect of large companies decisions to stay open because of their bottom line. It's no wonder people become insensitive to what is important.

The attitudes of people need to change when it comes to what is important and what is expected. Everyone needs to respect the family and their time together, because that is where it all starts. You can't get back time lost. Why wait to realize this when it is too late, after your mom, or dad and grandparents have passed away. YOU CAN'T EVER GET THIS TIME BACK!!

If you can't look forward to family time during important holidays, what do you have?

Things That Matter

As I get older, and yes I'm old. I realize that the important things that matter the most in life is family and friends.

For the first time in my life I work a job that pays a decent wage and both my husband and I can finally save for retirement. We are a little late in life to be having to save for retirement, but we are finally trying to play catch up. We've always worked hard and we've never really had a break when it comes to making enough money. Just like most people.

The thing that is bothering me the most is, that even though I'm very thankful to have a job I'm missing life.

I work as a customer service representative in retail. Retail jobs are not family friendly. I was told when I started my job that after six months I'd be eligible to have two days off in a row. Of course ideally I'd love to have Saturday and Sunday off, but I know that would be very difficult to have. I am trying to get Sunday and Monday off. As it is I took the unsavory hours of second shift, mainly to have the morning with my husband as he also works the second shift. The only day we have together is Sunday. One day a week, which is filled with chores and we don't really get a chance to go anywhere together. I also get a random day off during the week.

My job is giving me grief about getting two days off in a row. They offered two days off during the week, but that defeats the whole purpose of spending time with my husband. It isn't like my husband has two days off during the week, and he can't call out sick to take off with me, any more than I can call out sick for him.

Why is it that job these days are not family friendly? Why do we have to trade what is important to some company's bottom line? Why do jobs penalize their employees for trying to do what is right for our families? How did this world get so mixed up?

Not being able to plan outings with family and friends is stressful and is very depressing. I don't even have time to write anymore. Anyone who knows me knows that writing is a huge part of my life as well. Both my husband and I feel like we are spread too thin. The breaking point is looming ahead like a thunderstorm in the distance. The dark clouds are building and moving towards us, and one day soon the deluge will hit hard and we'll have to make a change, or we'll have lost what is most important to us.

Working retail prevents us from taking time off at Christmas and Holidays together with aging parents and family. We know we only have so much more time before they are gone. Our jobs, don't allow time off if you don't have the time on the books, they scrutinize and frown when you take a sick day and question you if you are late.

I've looked for jobs that are more family friendly, but there aren't many out there, none that are hiring anyway.

People don't last long at the job I am working at this time, which makes it difficult to feel secure. Just as you get to know someone, they are gone, either by getting laid off, fired, or just outright quitting. There is at least a year learning curve for the job, before you actually start to get comfortable, then it changes, so in truth, you never feel comfortable. It is very difficult to feel valued when you know you aren't.

Both my husband and I feel like we have traded what is important for trying to work for our retirement. We are thankful for the opportunity to work, but we are not happy, because we are missing being able to spend time with each other, our family and friends.

We keep working because no one will pay our bills, or provide for us if we choose not to work, so we are working and trying to bide our time.

We ask ourselves if we'll ever get a break in life to have the chance to do what is most important to us.

I wonder will we ever have the courage to walk away and live life the way it is meant to be lived?

Value Each Other

Working with the public is an insane job. Don't get me wrong, it can be fun, fulfilling and exhilarating. It can also be frustrating, maddening, and irritating. There's a whole list of other words I could write down, but I think you get the point.

It amazes me that people in general expect other's to be almost perfect even though they themselves are no where near perfect.

If you make a mistake, or say something wrong unintentionally, or someone misinterprets what you say, because they weren't privy to the whole conversation, it seems they are there to point it out, and I must admit it feels like salt to an open wound. It shouldn't surprise me, but there is always someone there to jump on you like it's the end of the world. To nit pick what they perceive to be wrong about you.

Where were they when you did say and do the right thing?

I am a firm believer in learning from my mistakes as I think everyone should. We should all try to be better people because of our shortcomings, but, I also think that we can learn better when we focus on what is good and what we do right. I believe that focusing on the positive and our strengths truly make us better.

After all, we value things we love and believe in. Shouldn't we try to value each other?

Taking a Chance

Good morning everyone! I hope you are doing well. We woke up to snow this morning. I thinks it's the second snow storm we've had this winter.

Here is an update on my life. Back in October I took a leap of faith and quit my job of 4.5 years. I had applied at this company,(a call center)it will remain unnamed. They offered me a seasonal position. The money would have been great, but I didn't want to quit my full time job for a seasonal job. I had another interview with another company and that job would have been good, but the job that had offered me a seasonal position called me back and offered me a full time position with an offer of money that blew me away along with great benefits. I'd be stupid to turn it down. With a leap of faith I jumped at the chance to better myself and learn a job I had never done before. I was reassured that that the learning curve would take six months to a year to learn. The computer system was complex and the processes were hard to learn. I was asked in my interview if I had the patients with myself to learn, because they would teach me if I didn't get frustrated with myself if I didn't pick it up right away.

So, I gave my notice at my job of 4.5 years. I wanted to leave on a good note and gave notice as you should, as I wanted to be rehirable. It's important when you are applying for jobs, because employers ask if you are rehirable or not. I missed about a week of training in the new company. They said that they'd work with me though.

I'm not afraid of hard work, or facing challenges especially if it betters me as a person and gives me a chance to learn something new in my career since I have to work. (Most of us have to work)

No one talked about goals, or numbers. Just focus on learning the processes and everything else will fall into place they said. I did exactly as I was asked and came in early to start working before my shift trying to soak up everything I could. I asked questions over and over again. I listened to everyone around me trying to pick up how they handled situations and I learned.

Getting on the phones the first time was scary. I remember the first few days, I was unsure, because every phone call I needed help with. Every situation was different, I had customer's yelling, unreasonable people, then I had the customers that had great experiences and just straight forward requests. It was normal, all of the other new people were going through the same thing I was. They had coaches that helped the new people and explained things in detail. I was told that even people who had been there a long time still had to ask questions and learn new processes.

I took in a huge amount of service calls, took credit card information and received calls on complicated issues. In fact, I sit next to the supervisor and he hears my calls all day long. He told me I had a knack of getting phone calls that were complicated and complex. They take follow through and time to complete.

I learned that I have exceptional customer service skills, I follow through and make sure I get back to the customers with their issues.

Little did I know this was a problem. This follow through, took me off of the phones and yes the computer system keeps track of everything you do. This is not a problem. I work my ass off and don't goof off, so I have nothing to be ashamed of.

Out of the blue my co-worker from my old job contacts me, says she is going to be the manager and she wanted to know if I want to come back to be an assistant manager. it was a great offer, but at the new company the money is still way better. I need to think about the future and retirement. My husband and I are finally able to pay the bills and put money away for retirement. I am one of those people who doesn't have a retirement. I'm trying to catch up this late in life.

It was January when this offer came through. I had heard rumors in December about the people who bought out the company would be making changes and restructuring. In January I began seeing a trend of people leaving, hearing more rumors abut payroll and changes. People who had been hired were leaving, even full time people. It was scary. I was insecure, because I'm not even four months in, I'm still learning, but it's a struggle learning the processes and where to find the information needed to help customers. I love being there. I love the complexity of the situations and love working with customers, but I questioned if my job was safe.

I decided to be honest with my supervisor, probably something I should not have done. I've never had a break in life and I can be insecure and my confidence isn't there. I asked if they were going to lay off people. My supervisor was in the process of having one on ones with all the employees under him. He told me he'd have my meeting with him.

He told me, he had never seen anyone be a magnet to some of the most complicated calls he had ever seen. Like he said, he sits next to me and hears the calls, he has assisted me with the calls and has heard every time I have asked for help on calls.

He told me my sales numbers were great in December, but the month of January was really bad.

I have to be honest, no one had said numbers were important up to this point. I was told to learn the processes and the computer system. Also, considering they have me in the service Que, taking service calls and not sales calls, I'd say that assessment wasn't fair of them to hold against me. I feel they had set me up for failure. I can't control the calls I get.

On the bright side, he also told me that I had some of the best customer service skills he had ever seen. My follow through was great, he said if I told a customer I'd get back with them, they knew I would, because I did. This follow through takes me away from the phones though. He said he wanted to get me out of the service Que and into sales, because he thought I'd be great at the sales end, which would improve my numbers. He said sales calls were easier and funner as well. He asked me about the opportunity with my old job. I told him it was financially smarter for me to stay at this company. That I needed to make it work. He seemed to understand.

I met my friend at the old company after about a week and let her know that I had to stay at the new company, because it was a financially smart move for my husband and I's future. I had to give it all I had. She understood.

A week later, I was asked to come back in for a follow up meeting. I had a sense of doom. My supervisor asked me if I still had an opportunity with my old company. I said I turned it down and they had hired someone else. He said, that since my numbers were really bad and I still had to ask questions about the processes they needed to see an improvement. That they had to watch payroll and changes were being made. He said he didn't want there to be any surprises.

So, there you go, my job was on the line.

I can't help but think I was set up for failure in this job. I think the timing is impeccable that they are letting go all of the seasonal people they hired for the peak season and here they are telling me I had to improve, or my job was on the line even though I was told from the beginning from everyone that it takes 6 months to a year to even start to get comfortable with the computer system and the processes.

My supervisor said he'd set up more training for me. This actually meant that they were going to start documenting my failures.

I went home that night truly upset. I've worked hard my whole life, I've always had to work and the chance at a college education had always been out of reach. My schooling consists of on the job training and the university of hard knocks.

Do you know how difficult it is to stay strong and positive when it feels like everything is working against you?

I actually like the job I'm at now. Despite the black cloud that is hanging over my head at this job. The drive to Seattle everyday, really sucks, but the job itself is something I really enjoy.

I got called in again for another meeting, this time with my supervisor and his boss. I thought my job was gone. To make a longer story shorter, I was told I had to improve. They told me they felt I was struggling and they wanted to make a plan to help me, that they would do everything they could to get me where they thought I should be. That they had invested a lot of time and effort in my employment and if they didn't see improvements that they'd have to start thinking about exit strategies, if this job was not a fit for me. I was told I was still asking basic questions, that I should have already gotten down.

My immediate supervisor did stand up for me and say that I had some of the best customer service skills he had ever seen, and I had the bad luck of getting some of the most complex calls like a magnet. I expressed that I didn't feel that all of my questions were basic. A question I had asked a week before was thrust at me like it was bad. It had been a basic question.

They said, they'd meet with me weekly for a couple of weeks, because if I didn't improve, that we'd have to start looking at exit strategies. So, yes they are documenting my every move. I can't just quit though. I have to try.

I still think it very interesting that they are letting people go left and right. They had invested the same time and energy into them as well. The company is now a privately owned company and changes are happening because of the new owners. If they are going to let me, go, then so be it. Let me go, but don't try to make me feel like it is my fault. Especially when I had been told by everyone that the learning curve is normal. I had been told by the seasoned people there that I was by far not the worst.

I'm a fighter and I don't give up very easily. I cry a lot, I'm feeling very insecure and not very confident about the future of my job, but I still show up to work everyday and give it 100%. I still show up early and start work before my shift even starts to try to learn.

On average I get more good surveys from customers than bad. I even got a glowing review from a customer who when out of her way to email in to our leadership. I got an email from my supervisors boss telling me to keep up the superb work.

I know they are still documenting my failures, but at least no one can say I have a bad attitude, or have given up. I will keep going until they decide to let me go.

I have to live in faith, that what happens is meant to be.

I have no idea what my future holds for me. I pray everyday for a miracle.

A real experience in the life of a writer. What can I say.