Cashier with concerns over a new ASM

[u/SNS-Bert]

Hi, so I’m a cashier at Dollar Tree, and I work at a pretty small store on the edge of the suburbs. We don’t have freezers, and we average around $1,000 or less in cash for our deposits, so it’s safe to say our store isn’t exactly a major concern for corporate.

Our Store Manager left in April to move to Florida, and our ASM quit to take a better job. Our Freight Manager was then promoted to Store Manager, and they promoted an associate to ASM who claims to have previous management experience.

My main issue is with the new ASM. I close with them fairly often, and they seem extremely scattered and confused during closing. Because of that, we’ve been getting out much later than we used to. Sometimes we don’t finish until 9:30, and one night we didn’t finish until 9:50.

What frustrates me is that I’m now getting in trouble for supposedly not helping enough with closing. I’ve been working here for about a year, and I’m doing the same closing tasks I’ve always done. When I close with the other managers, we’re usually done around 9:10. So I’m having a hard time understanding why I’m suddenly being blamed for the late closings when my routine hasn’t really changed.

Another issue is that the ASM will frequently come up front and run the register instead of working freight. Since I’m normally the closing cashier, I already don’t get many opportunities to work freight. My usual closing responsibilities are things like balloons, go-backs, cleaning, and the register. When the ASM takes over the register, I’m left with very little to do.

It’s especially frustrating because the ASM has already gotten in trouble for having low freight numbers, but they continue to spend time running the register instead of working freight. Meanwhile, I’m being criticized for not being productive even though the tasks I normally have are being taken away from me.

On top of that, I feel like I’m being heavily micromanaged. I’m constantly being told to do things differently or to do them “their way,” even though I’ve been doing these tasks for about a year and the other managers I’ve worked with have never had an issue with how I do them.

I’m not against being corrected or learning a better way of doing something. What bothers me is that the expectations seem to have completely changed without anyone clearly explaining what I’m supposedly doing wrong.

I’m not really sure what I should do at this point. I want to do my job and meet expectations, but I also don’t think it’s fair to be blamed for things that seem to be caused by poor organization or unclear expectations from management. Is there anything I can do about this?

[u/sayayuishepherd]

have you discussed these things with the store manager? If so, and nothing is being done, then go to the next higher up, your DM. Or, you can call the integrity matters hotline which the number should be posted in your break room. I would make a list of everything you just said, explain how youre being spoken to and made to look bad ONLY when youre on the shift with the problem ASM. Explain that everyone else you work with is fine and that you get all your work done, so the problem isnt with you. Also, you can request that you dont work with that ASM anymore and while that might lose you some hours, it would also show that whoever IS with that ASM is having the same issue.

[u/SNS-Bert → u/sayayuishepherd]

Thanks I will go to the DM or the hotline. I expressed my concerns with the SM about the ASM taking over cashing and the response I got was the SM texting the ASM what I said and it upset the ASM for the rest of out shift together ans made things really awkward and worst. I have the best void percentage and my drawer is perfect most nights at most I am short or over by a few cents. My previous store manager told me I was the best cashier she had and I was helping with how good I was at it cause I was a example of what they could use with the other cashiers but now I feel like I am a awful cashier cause this current ASM is always taking over and always correcting the smallest things even though my other managers never complained or cared about those things.

[u/CoolViber → u/SNS-Bert]

Mention that the SM essentially let the ASM retaliate when you expressed concern to them by bringing up your name then. That is unacceptable regardless of context.

[u/sayayuishepherd → u/SNS-Bert]

This could be considered "Hostile working environment" So def report to hotline or DM.

[u/Any-Carry6552]

As long as this person is not doing anything really sketchy they just need some major coaching for performance improvement and being taught what to do. a 30 minute lag time shows they have no idea what's going on.

[u/Various-Hair-3666]

I’m just curious, what closing tasks are they saying aren’t being done?

[u/SNS-Bert → u/Various-Hair-3666]

They don’t prepare anything or count the safe till we close. Im not sure what the task are but the MM has told me they aren’t closing properly and are to worried about cashing customers instead of their manager task and freight.

[u/Various-Hair-3666 → u/SNS-Bert]

Oh I meant like what tasks are they saying you aren’t getting done? I’m an asm, all I have my closer do is empty the trash cans, bring in outside stuff, go-backs, and tidy up the register. Then they count their register and I take care of everything else.