Speaking as an employer here, what gripes me the most is the fact that all my employees get so excited about the Christmas season before it starts and are begging for as many hours as possible. But then, once it gets going, they all have family Christmas events or become ill all at once.
I'm up at 4:30 in the morning because my feet are screaming at me! I had a 14 hour day Thurs., a 13 hour day on Fri., only a 6 hour day on Saturday and a 10 hour day Sunday. It wouldn't be so horrible except I was on my feet the entire time. Ow! Ow, ow, ow!! And, oh yeah, I was only scheduled to work on Friday!
Yesterday, we were so busy - and short staffed. Thankfully, I worked with my two most experienced employees, and as the boss who's supposed to know everything, I could certainly hold up my end of the work load as well.
It was so busy and stressful, however, that by the end of the day, we were all left with pounding headaches and we all, at various times, felt light-headed and dizzy.
Thankfully, yesterday's customers were all pleasant and understood that there would be a wait as opposed to Saturday's customers who were downright nasty to three of my teenage employees. (14, 14 and 15) Not a great way to treat three young girls working (hard) at their first jobs!
There is nothing pleasant about this season for people who work retail! It seems most places are chronically short-staffed at Christmas and customers become uncharacteristically short-tempered. Add in the fact that it's fast-paced and so stressful that it's just plain nuts, and you have a prescription for the biggest 'Bah, humbug!' around!!
Okay, I think I'm done venting now.
Irene
waiting for the Tylenol to kick in....
