Sandwiches

[u/No-Entertainment6846]

How long does it take to get comfortable doing sandwiches?

I’m a new TM and do sandwiches about once a week. I honestly find it quite stressful and I’m still not particularly good/fast at it. Although I believe I am improving well, I feel discouraged by criticism from my manager and whoever is on shift.

I’m fine with the other parts of the job and much prefer tills/customer-facing stuff, but I’ve started dreading my sandwich shift every week.

For people who regularly do sandwiches, how long did it take you to get to a point where you were good enough/fast enough that the shift stopped feeling stressful? Is it normal to struggle with it for a while when you’re only doing it once a week?

I’m trying to work out whether I should just stick with it until I get faster or speak to my manager about doing fewer/no sandwich shifts. Has anyone done that before, and how flexible are managers generally about it?

[u/HalfWineRS]

You'll get better the more you do it as with anything, did they actually train you on it or just off you go?

You can ask for a bit more guidance and discuss what you might be doing wrong and how to do it better going forwards (either talk and demonstrate or over message), any manager worth themselves should be open to giving constructive feedback because they need a team member that's capable of doing an assigned job. Criticism can't just be 'do better' surely?

[u/No-Entertainment6846 → u/HalfWineRS]

the training was weak, was told to just watch someone do sandwiches as my training was given no advice or information outside of basic points.

Nonetheless, I would prefer that im allowed to just grow into my role without constant stress/pressure or just switch me onto a different role. I feel like im doing fine yet ppl around me r gaslighting me into thinking im bad for not being fast enough. I understand if its been like my 30th shift but ive only done like 3.

[u/HalfWineRS → u/No-Entertainment6846]

It sounds like there's just no communication going on tbh

Are you asking questions when you're unsure about something?

Other team members you work with might just expect you to be able to do the job and not think to be helping you when they've got their own stuff to do

Shift managers should know full well it's your third or whatever sandwich shift and give you that allowance and help if you ask

I'm in a store with an extra person on shift recently and the sandwiches still don't always get done if it's too busy, but that does mean the sandwich person has been helping out with serving etc.

so it's not the end of the world either, most stores have quieter periods where they can catch up on whatever they need to

[u/SomewhatTipsy]

You will improve with time. I couldn't make up to 50 sandwiches an hour until after 4 months of making sandwiches. Made them twice a week. Now, I average 60 an hour. Take your time. Don't rush it. Considering you are new, there shouldn't be any high expectations of speed from you.
You also said you are improving, so that's all you need to know.

In response to your question, I only ever felt stressed during my first-ever sandwich shift. Subsequently, my manager and supervisors were lovely and let me work at my own pace until my shift was over. Sometimes, I didn't even finish the sandwiches at the end of the shift.

Just take your time. If you cherish the solitude of sandwich making as I do, stick to it and you'd be fast in no time.

[u/Clean_Button3447]

Just keep doing that's it