When moves to any location for more than a short time, it is of great benefit to learn who the locals are.
The locals can take many forms: The neighbors across the street. The people that become regular as we shop at the same locations over an over. The person walking their dog or running we see every morning and develop a nodding acquaintance with. The service provider that becomes a regular.
On Produce (A)Isle, there are three kinds of locals.
The first are the Permanents. These are small group - four at least, including my manager - that are full time employees on the (A)Isle. They are guaranteed full time work (minimum of 34 hours a week) and generally open or work mid-day with perhaps a single closing shift ever week.
The second are the Part-Timers. I fall into this category and currently may be the only one, employees who work part-time but are 100% dedicated to produce. Mostly we (I) fill evening and weekend shifts. I have never met anyone in my status, but know that others are coming.
The third are the Floaters. These are employees that are not specifically dedicated to single department but move from area to area: checking, pharmacy, shopping, even produce. There is a handful of these that work overlapping my hours, and over time a few of them have become effectively semi-permanent fixtures.
Produce (A)Isle is not merely named that because it consists of aisles. In a very real way we are isolated from the rest of the store, even though there are no physical barriers. Employees may come through do perform the in-store shopping function or (even less often) for their own shopping, but there is never really any relationship building. If they cannot find something they ask, but scarcely will anyone strike up a conversation. Even for those adjoining areas - Bakery, Deli, Floral - there are passing acquaintances at best. And managers float in from time - always pleasant, always ready with a handshake, always ready for a brief conversation -but they, too, have tasks they need to be about.
I have no idea why this is.
Even within ourselves, we are largely isolated. With two employees we split the work and touch bases on progress, but scarcely work near each other. Anything beyond a very general "Hi, How is it going?" relationship seems to make things awkward. The Permanents are a little more conversational about such things but even then I often see them at the end of their shift: they are ready to go home, not spend even more time in conversation at the end of their work day filling some kind of perceived need that I have.
Overall it is not a hindrance: after all, I am being paid to do a job. But sometimes it can get a little lonely at 2100 in the evening, especially if I am closing on my own and have really had no interaction with anyone .
It does not bear all the hallmarks of Robinson Crusoe's island, but sometimes feels just as lonely.
Interesting observation TB, alone among others. I'll look a bit differently at the folks in the produce area at my local grocer.
ReplyDeleteNylon12, I check grocery stores everywhere I go now, looking not only at placement and technique, but at the workers themselves. At least so far, I have yet to see any more people working produce (one or two), the same as us.
DeleteAt least in my preferred store, the produce stockers always seem so busy compared to the other areas and rarely say anything to me. The fellow that stocks the baking and seasonal aisles that I frequent always starts up a conversation but never stops working. So I will answer his questions for a short minute and then make an excuse because it feels so awkward standing there talking to someone on their hands and knees arranging things on a shelf at a furious pace.
ReplyDeleteEd, time of visit may have something to do with it as well. I think the bulk of our restocking takes place at night.
DeleteOne thing that our store encourages is to greet customers. That said, some folks are just more outgoing than others. I will smile if I make contact or maybe say "Hi", but will defer an actual conversation unless the customer initiates - they do not need to feel uncomfortable because of me.
Almost my entire working life was solo. I'd interact with customers and contacts, but that wasn't an every day thing. Most days, it was just me and the vehicle. "My rifle, my pony and me..."
ReplyDeleteSTxAR, most of my working life has been with people, although the last three years were a notable exception. This seems to be neither: I am working around people but in a bubble of isolation, thus neither fully engaged with others nor fully alone.
DeleteWhenever I frequent a grocery section, usually if there is more than one person, they are usually not talking to each other.
ReplyDeleteUnless it is wallyworld. Then sometimes they are talking about work; but often something else.
I will say that more consistently over the last few years, I will often tell a worker or stocker "Thank you for being here today. I appreciate it."
A smile or small conversation after is nice.
Only one time have I more or less been ignored.
Good post and comments as always, TB.
You all be safe and God bless.
Linda, to be fair my observations are largely one sided as I am only in one department. The few times I am out and about, most other people are busy as well. Too much standing around is likely to indicate you are not busy enough, which either means one needs more work or one is unnecessary.
DeleteThank you for thinking of saying thank you. I certainly appreciate the people that thank me.
You (sort of) make me want to engage the workers in the produce section more often. I say sort of because in my heart of hearts I am an introvert. In the produce section especially, it seems they workers are so busy restocking, and I usually only interact (beyond a smile) to ask where something might be. Other sections, like the deli, the bakery, the special cheese section, the meat department all have built-in reasons for interacting with customers. I don't think it ever occurred to me that stocking and restocking might lonely jobs. No promises to interact more, but I will certainly appreciate the employees in the produce section more now. :) I'll try to make eye contact, and see where that leads. Little steps...
ReplyDeleteBecki - Thank you. To be fair, I suspect the range of interaction will run the gauntlet from people willing to engage as opposed to people that really just want to do their jobs, but none the less it will likely be appreciated.
DeleteOne good point you make: not only are specialty departments equipped with reasons to interact with employees, they also have almost a built in cadre of workers (there are always at least two or more in that department). Produce workers do not get to congregate so.