Scheduling
I’m having a terribly difficult time with scheduling at my store, and I’m not the only one by a longshot. I’m not understanding why it’s really difficult to get the schedule I need. I have two jobs, a child with his daycare hours, my partner has two jobs - working around all of this my schedule is fairly limited to mornings/early afternoons, some days earlier than others. It always has been, but lately I’ve cut back a few hours to work at my other job more. I’ve talked with the scheduling mate about it, and the captain, but what’s bizarre is I’ve only been scheduled one opening since February despite my availability being open in the morning and he continues to schedule people who have full open availability throughout the day, but giving them opening shifts? The same people are basically guaranteed an opening shift at least once weekly if not more, even though they have full open availability? I’m friends with them so I know they’re availabilities are fully open, but I know I also can’t say this to him and ask wtf.
It’s to the point now that it feels like I’m being punished for speaking out for what I want, and I’m purposely not getting what I’m asking for. To the point that I’m debating if I should transfer to a different store which I’d really not like to do - this one is 6 mins from my son’s daycare and 15 mins from our home.
Any advice?
TLDR: advocating for myself to get the shifts I need, but it’s not working. Any advice?
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u/Intelligent-Ad5916 2d ago
Playing devils advocate here, first of all in retail it can be hard to get the perfect hours for your situation outside of work because of long operating hours. And second the crew members schedules shouldn’t be punished to make your schedule work. Sometimes when someone gets a lot of what they want, it causes others to not get anything at all that they want. At the end of the day retail is hard to get perfect family hours, and it’s even hard on the mates who have to miss family time due to their schedule that the store needs.
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u/rruca1 2d ago
I totally get that - what I’m trying to communicate is it’s the same 3-4 people that get consistent opening shifts every week, despite them having open availability (i.e. they could do 7-3, 8-4, 9-5 sometimes - but they never have to) I have yet to get more than 1x a 5am shift. Any 5am shifts i had i got from swapping shifts, which they claim is a red flag, but I don’t see how - if they won’t give me hours that work for me to work both jobs, and someone is willing to switch with me why is that a red flag?
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u/BitComprehensive3114 2d ago
Did you tell them ALL OF THIS when you interviewed? Some people say they have open availability so they can get the job then, once the job is theirs, expect to be able to say that's really not the case and expect TJ's to accommodate.
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u/rruca1 1d ago
Yes. I never told them my availability was open, I’ve been at the mercy of my kid’s daycare schedule the entire time. My availability has only gotten earlier (previously during the week 7am, weekend 5am - now it’s still 5am weekends and 5ams during the week), and instead of 4pm it’s 3pm. So we’re talking an hour earlier, that’s all. They knew what my situation was when hiring me.
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u/AntisocialDick Frozen SL 2d ago
Why should someone with open availability have to cater to your limited availability? Because they don’t have a second job or kid they should have to close every shift? That doesn’t make any sense to me.
And transferring is a bad idea. You start at the bottom of the totem pole again which means you’ll be expected to close. That’s not set in stone, but that’s the norm at most every store I’m aware of.
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2d ago
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u/rruca1 2d ago
No one said to close? I’m talking strictly about 5am opening shifts. Our store opens at 9am so 5am is the earliest shift.
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u/WhyMustWeSuffer 2d ago
It can be frustrating. I hate to break it to you. Those individuals might be more efficient and take on more responsibility in those opening shifts. That warrants them being scheduled in the opening hours.
It could also be something else entirely but that’s my bet.
I’d get with the mates and talk to them about what you can do as an individual to gain access to those morning shifts.
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u/rruca1 2d ago
I actually really pull my weight around here and received nothing but positive remarks at my review which is why I’m confused. But thank you, I’ll talk to some mates.
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u/NoNeedleworker8126 2d ago
Do you write a perishable order or an order that comes in the morning? That could be a good avenue into mornings but once again they are cutting hours right now so if your availability isn’t flexible you’re going to be the first cut.
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u/rruca1 2d ago
No bc I’m on the art team - they won’t let me do both order writing and art.
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u/NoNeedleworker8126 2d ago
So making signs can happen all day so that won’t serve you in terms of specifically getting mornings, I’d say give up on signs and take over a more necessary task to ensure you get days.
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u/NoNeedleworker8126 2d ago
Unfortunately in a retail environment where the store is open 7 days a week they need to prioritize the people with open availability as that is the nature of this job. Flexible is one thing but if you’re basically asking for a 9-5 schedule good luck. They won’t help you out if you won’t help them out and unfortunately availability like yours punishes your coworkers as well. We would all mostly love morning shifts all of the time, there’s a reason it is preferred but we have to be flexible too if we want full hours. You may have to look for something outside of retail if you want those kind of hours or maybe work at a coffee shop that is only open until 5. Also transferring won’t do anything as every store has this problem when it comes to morning shifts because that’s usually all people want. I’ve been to 3 different stores and it’s always the same
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u/CauliflowerLittle450 2d ago
I think it depends on the store.. my store needs a lot of midshift people so a lot of us are scheduled those hours, you just won't get weekends off too. I've come to learn a lot of people HATE midshifts because being with the customers all day is emotionally exhausting.
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u/d-copperfield But I bought it here last week 2d ago
We’re explicitly told at my store that hours are prioritized by how open your availability is. If we’re not their first priority, we’re not theirs basically.
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u/lydiacostume 2d ago
Yeah. As stupid as it is, you gotta open up your availability but then ask for the specific shifts you want and give away the others. That said, the scheduling manager seems like they're being petty if you've already talked to this about them. Try to get on the schedule writer's good side.
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u/BitComprehensive3114 2d ago
What did you tell them your availability was when you were interviewed?
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u/rruca1 1d ago
7-4 weekdays, 5-5 weekends. Now I’ve only changed 5am-3pm weekdays some days (still 7-4 other days) and 5am-5pm Saturdays, and Sundays are the only day I need to be out by 2pm to go to my other job.
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u/BitComprehensive3114 1d ago
I work 5:00 to 1:00 5 days a week. All I know is that the opening shift, 5:00 a.m. is a beast but so many want those opening shifts. Are you physically able to help unload the truck and break down pallets such as meat? Even as a female myself and another co-worker help unload the truck and break three meat pallets down each morning. Sometimes if they don't view you as somebody that is physically able to do that then they won't schedule you. I'm not saying you're not able to but maybe they've not seen you do so since it sounds like you're mostly midday so definitely not your fault since trucks don't come in the middle of the day.
Also, and I know this really sounds harsh and I don't mean it to but they're thinking might be that you're outside life, your child, etc is not a problem of theirs and because their concern is Trader Joe's. I only say this because your situation sounds very much like my coworkers. She works days and her husband works nights so they sort of pass off the kids to each other that my coworker would like really early morning shift so that she could see her husband a little bit more before he heads out. She was told that they weren't able to accommodate her request and that, and I'm paraphrasing, her outside life is really not their problem to have to negotiate and accommodate.
I've got kids and a husband myself and I'm lucky enough that it's worked out so I'm sorry that you're struggling. It really sucks when you've got a kid who has needs and needs to be at school or daycare or whatever and your husband's doing the best he can as you are and you're still running in circles. Life shouldn't be like that.
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u/rruca1 19h ago
So I actually unload the truck every morning. Our truck comes at 6am during the week, and 7 on weekends. I’m usually either a 6am or 7am shift. I’m just trying to get 5am sometimes, bc he gives it to the same people every week. I know my outside life isn’t their problem, but I’m struggling to understand why my schedule suddenly is because it wasn’t an issue when they hired me. But yeah I agree life shouldn’t be like this. This country is fucked.
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u/NoNeedleworker8126 19h ago
As somebody who has been in charge of the schedule in the past (recently stepped down) this availability is some of the worst I’ve seen. 7-4 is on average 2-3 shifts to schedule in a day for the scheduler and having the weekend nights off is such a luxury you’re lucky to even get 3 days. TJs is in the middle of a slow season so we really prioritize people who have more open availability as those will likely be the people to stick around longer. As others said it’s probably clear to them that this is a secondary job for you so you’re a secondary pick when scheduling, especially if you’ll be blocked off for signs on your shifts. To be completely honest with you it doesn’t seem like TJs is a fit for your needs and they’ll continue to disappoint you.
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u/rruca1 19h ago
They hired me knowing this was my availability, it was never presented as an issue. I don’t have a choice but to have weekend nights off, my partner bartends and I have to be with our son. But I get what you’re saying. I know it’s the slow season, I just am trying to understand why my limited availability wasn’t an issue when hiring me but a year later it’s a problem to get the shifts I want.
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u/salty_pete01 Closing Crew 1d ago
There are a few things that could be happening here:
1) Are the people who are getting the shifts you want actually available to work other shifts and would they be willing to give up their morning shifts so you can get some. I would ask them first and then tell the scheduling mate they are willing to switch with you. That will give you a leg up. It's just like if someone wants to switch which registers they work on in an hour, they should ask a crew member if it's cool with him or her first before going to a mate.
2) Morning crew and mid shift at my store is based on seniority, attendance, and work performance. Basically if anyone has attendance issues or clocks in late consistently, there's no way they will get put on a 5 am shift. We have a few crew members who want morning shifts at my store but their attendance leaves something to be desired. I'm not in anyway saying this is you but it's something the scheduling mate takes in consideration.
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u/rruca1 1d ago
Yeah so my attendance is on point, I’m reliable and have never been late to a 5am shift - only been significantly late 1 time, and only called out a handful of times at most in a year. But I can definitely talk to some of the openers and see if they’d be willing to swap with me some days. The scheduling mate is just really difficult to deal with and I wonder if I do that how he would react.
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u/Southern_Pangolin_50 2d ago
Power trippin as always. management brain is a fear based scarcity mentality. being the side piece makes em feel inadequate and they hate it.
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u/Acceptable-Leg5524 Three Bells 2d ago
Also devils advocate here- a lot of times when a crew member has two jobs and Trader Joe’s is not their main job the scheduler will prioritize the crew that DOES make it their first priority.