retail

It's Friday morning. "Black Friday" is a display of idiocy that has been created and perpetuated by the media. It got me to thinking about our society. It is truly sad that more and more retailers stayed open on Thanksgiving this year. My own sister was unable to enjoy any kind of time with friends and family, and I know personally several other folks that had to work yesterday. Really? Have we as a people forgotten what is really important in life? My fear is, yes.

I can't remember the days of the blue laws. I can only rely on the information shared with me from older generations. No stores open on Sundays or holidays, unless you were a corner store or a mom and pop. I don't know your thoughts, but I believe that break in the week is a wonderful concept. A day to slow down, unwind, reflect and recharge. The 24/7 multitude we have become is, well, unbecoming. No stores needed to be open on Thanksgiving. Was it convenient? I guess it depends who you ask. For the moron that didn't properly plan(me), it was great. For the poor people working ALL DAY LONG, it was ridiculous. I felt genuinely bad that these workers, who aren't paid a great deal, had to forego what is truly important so I could buy a can of black olives. If I didn't have the option of going there, it wouldn't have been the end of the world.

Our corporate culture needs to re-evaluate what's what. While the bottom line is important, it shouldn't come at the expense of morale and tradition.

I am gaining a great deal of respect for those who own and run their own business.  I've learned quite a bit since taking over The Snack Shop at the Towers.  One, in particular, is the issue of staffing. 

Scheduling my volunteers for The Snack Shop is giving me lessons in human nature that I never expected.

I did anticipate that there might be more hours not staffed due to doctors' appointments, illness and even hospital stays.  After all, the average age of my volunteers is in the 70s.  Recently, I've had volunteers requesting time off to tend to grandchildren now out of school, and some who are taking summer trips. 

The least expected was the request, from one of my seniors,  to be removed one day a week from the schedule effective immediately, "to spend time with my girlfriend".  "It is her only day off", he explained.   It appears that his girlfriend is quite a bit younger than he and she recently took a "good paying job" working midnight to 8am. 

Ah, the pitfalls of a May/December romance.  So while I am accomodating his need to snuggle up to his ladyfriend, I am scrambling to rewrite the schedule.

I wonder how many other retailers consider the love lives of their staff when doing their schedules?  This is different, I guess, since they are volunteers.  Besides, at that age, how can one deny a once a week fling?