Dept Store Working Hours With No Break

cassie55

wontfallforit wrote: »

Welcome to retail

You really will get used to standing on your feet for this period of time. I'd estimate that near enough everyone in the UK has endured the delights of a part-time shop job in their teens/early 20s. It's a rite of passage. It's bloody hard work, and tiring too, but it's just one of those things.

You should be allowed to go to the loo, and grab a drink or two, during your shift - provided you let your manager know where you're wondering off to, and provided you don't take the biscuit. You should never be denied a genuine need to use the toilet, or access to water.

Retail work is almost universally rubbish. Use this time productively - try to build as much experience as you can, and you'll be able to progress one day.

Seriously, though, 6 hours on your feet is not that much, and is typical to many jobs, not just retail. As I said, you'll get used to it.

I find this very patronisng. You know nothing about the OP.

I have a temp xmas job shelf stacking (well food replenishing actually ) at M&S - would you tell me to "try to build as much experience as you can, and you'll be able to progress one day"?

I am Relationship Manager/Account Manager with 25 years experience in a very niche and techincal industry. I lost my job this year as my industry has suffered during the current economic climate. I am finding the retail work very hard - I find standing up for 4/5 hours with no breaks and no easy access to to water extremely difficult.

But never mind, I might progress one day :mad:

adg1

Surely where you work is not so draconian that it won't allow a toilet break in the full 4/5 hours? I find that incredibly hard to believe.

Whilst I agree with other posters that a flexible employer leads to a happy worker and increased productivity, it also leads to people taking the michael for the same hourly wages.

OP - you have a job which a lot of people don't. My day is set rigidly because, based on historical evidence, it makes us the most successful we can be. I can, though, have a wee when I want to.

ckerrd

cassie55 wrote: »

I find this very patronisng. You know nothing about the OP.

I have a temp xmas job shelf stacking (well food replenishing actually ) at M&S - would you tell me to "try to build as much experience as you can, and you'll be able to progress one day"?

I am Relationship Manager/Account Manager with 25 years experience in a very niche and techincal industry. I lost my job this year as my industry has suffered during the current economic climate. I am finding the retail work very hard - I find standing up for 4/5 hours with no breaks and no easy access to to water extremely difficult.

But never mind, I might progress one day :mad:

So you are developing new skills, meeting different people and having to interact in a way that you perhaps did not before. This may indeed help you progress.

wontfallforit

cassie55 wrote: »

I find this very patronisng. You know nothing about the OP.

I have a temp xmas job shelf stacking (well food replenishing actually ) at M&S - would you tell me to "try to build as much experience as you can, and you'll be able to progress one day"?

I am Relationship Manager/Account Manager with 25 years experience in a very niche and techincal industry. I lost my job this year as my industry has suffered during the current economic climate. I am finding the retail work very hard - I find standing up for 4/5 hours with no breaks and no easy access to to water extremely difficult.

But never mind, I might progress one day :mad:

Well, apologies if my post sounded patronising, I certainly didn't mean it in that way...

However, I'm struggling to see what's so offensive about assuring someone that they may progress one day. Isn't that the point of retail work? Few people do it for the fun of it, it's usually a stopgap, to make much-needed ends meet. Without meaning to sound rude, when the economy picks up, do you still intend to stack shelves? Or would you rather put your retail experience behind you, and use it to demonstrate that you got your head down when the going got tough?

Perhaps you found me patronising because maybe you assumed I haven't "been there"? Ohhh, I have, for many years, and I hated every minute of it. All experience is good experience, though, whether you have 25 years in a profession, or it's your first job.

I've done the crap shifts, I've stood on my feet for 9 hours a day (with minimum mandatory breaks, obv.), 6 days a week, and have dealt with some of the most awful, obnoxious customers you'd ever care to meet - including the occasional violent/threatening delightful character.

The point of the OP's post, though, was that they felt they didn't have fair access to breaks. The 70-odd replies have mostly led to the conclusion that his/her working hours are legal. Is it right? Hell no, it's hard work. But he/she doesn't have any particular right to a break, hence the overwhelming number of replies stating so.