The Woolworths Thread (42 Viewers)

[townie]

apparantly my replacement has been chosen, 2IC (who has filled in as CSM on a long term basis when CSM was sick) from a nearby bigger store with petrol attatched. It's a man! I'm so thrilled in a way, i think it balances out things nicely to have a male CSM. He's young too, apparantly, our SSO has worked with him before and says he's nice, so thats good.

 

[babikakez]

apparantly my replacement has been chosen, 2IC (who has filled in as CSM on a long term basis when CSM was sick) from a nearby bigger store with petrol attatched. It's a man! I'm so thrilled in a way, i think it balances out things nicely to have a male CSM. He's young too, apparantly, our SSO has worked with him before and says he's nice, so thats good.

Thats awesome! But now its so real that you're leaving

It really occurred to me on Wednesday how sexist front end can be. Seeing as our extended trading may very well become permanent (I won't admit this to anyone but I'm actually pretty happy with it), our CSM as decided to train quite a few operators as supervisors. However, I can see that she's thinking long term, and she's picked two 15 year olds. They'll be good back ups with a bit of training, but I can't keep thinking of another guy who does mostly front end and also perishables/grocery/wherever else needs somebody, who actually DOES want to be a supervisor, and I would feel comfortable training now. He mentioned this to me the other day, and all I could offer was the comment that checkouts is a sexist department in some respects, seeing as in three and a half years I've seen two male supervisors come through, one of whom was CSM. Its not like I'm the only one who sees his potential, but yeah, my opinion counts for nothing.

Everyone who I suggested straight up was rejected with some pathetic excuse Like, "Oh, we can't really take him out of bakery", "Oh, then we'd have to train another smokeshop operator", "Oh, he's in perishables now". So lets have really shy 15 year olds instead??? Is there even a point in looking long term with 15 year old casuals?

 

[townie]

Thats awesome! But now its so real that you're leaving

It really occurred to me on Wednesday how sexist front end can be. Seeing as our extended trading may very well become permanent (I won't admit this to anyone but I'm actually pretty happy with it), our CSM as decided to train quite a few operators as supervisors. However, I can see that she's thinking long term, and she's picked two 15 year olds. They'll be good back ups with a bit of training, but I can't keep thinking of another guy who does mostly front end and also perishables/grocery/wherever else needs somebody, who actually DOES want to be a supervisor, and I would feel comfortable training now. He mentioned this to me the other day, and all I could offer was the comment that checkouts is a sexist department in some respects, seeing as in three and a half years I've seen two male supervisors come through, one of whom was CSM. Its not like I'm the only one who sees his potential, but yeah, my opinion counts for nothing.

Everyone who I suggested straight up was rejected with some pathetic excuse Like, "Oh, we can't really take him out of bakery", "Oh, then we'd have to train another smokeshop operator", "Oh, he's in perishables now". So lets have really shy 15 year olds instead??? Is there even a point in looking long term with 15 year old casuals?

I think certain traits usually assosciated with femininity make for better checkout/admin roles. When we did our phoenix meeting for our area, that was 16 stores (SSM, Office Cashier and Systems Operator from each store), take away the SSS at the time, and the area manager. I was one of only two men there, and both of us are gay. The only male CSM's i've met have been gay, the only male SSO in our area is gay, i dont know ANY male Systems people, and either gay men or women as SSM's, i'm the first male office cashier in our store, EVER, and i'm gay. And, i'll take a bet that a large part of the male, checkout/office posters in this thread are gay too.

Obviously, thats not true of everybody, everystore etc. but i think it does make it harder for Straight Male's to make it in those roles because all that stuff makes it harder to make a comparison, or to stand out.

 

[jennyfromdabloc]

I think certain traits usually assosciated with femininity make for better checkout/admin roles. When we did our phoenix meeting for our area, that was 16 stores (SSM, Office Cashier and Systems Operator from each store), take away the SSS at the time, and the area manager. I was one of only two men there, and both of us are gay. The only male CSM's i've met have been gay, the only male SSO in our area is gay, i dont know ANY male Systems people, and either gay men or women as SSM's, i'm the first male office cashier in our store, EVER, and i'm gay. And, i'll take a bet that a large part of the male, checkout/office posters in this thread are gay too.

Obviously, thats not true of everybody, everystore etc. but i think it does make it harder for Straight Male's to make it in those roles because all that stuff makes it harder to make a comparison, or to stand out.

Not disagreeing, but what are the traits associated with being a cashier that are feminine?

 

[jgibson0011]

I was one of only two men there, and both of us are gay. The only male CSM's i've met have been gay, the only male SSO in our area is gay, i dont know ANY male Systems people, and either gay men or women as SSM's, i'm the first male office cashier in our store, EVER, and i'm gay. And, i'll take a bet that a large part of the male, checkout/office posters in this thread are gay too.

Obviously, thats not true of everybody, everystore etc. but i think it does make it harder for Straight Male's to make it in those roles because all that stuff makes it harder to make a comparison, or to stand out.

My CSMs 2ic is gay...so is the guy that hired me from HR. I am as well.
I think its possibly an attribute that makes us suited to work in retail. But straight guys do just as well, there's just fewer of them.

Equality in the workplace FTW!

 

[jgibson0011]

Our registers have been really slow since the new year, some even crashing.

I'm working 1300-2200 today and 0700-1200 tomorrow...Eeek!

 

[Harry778]

Work just rang me and apparently they need me to swap s/vision weekends. So I have next weekend off too =D

Don't know why they're doing that for? But two weekends off in a row!! yayyyy.

 

[Harry778]

Our registers have been really slow since the new year, some even crashing.

I'm working 1300-2200 today and 0700-1200 tomorrow...Eeek!

NO 10 HOUR GAP BETWEEN SHIFTS!! lol..isnt people planner supposed to prevent this from happening?

 

[yoddle]

I think certain traits usually assosciated with femininity make for better checkout/admin roles. When we did our phoenix meeting for our area, that was 16 stores (SSM, Office Cashier and Systems Operator from each store), take away the SSS at the time, and the area manager. I was one of only two men there, and both of us are gay. The only male CSM's i've met have been gay, the only male SSO in our area is gay, i dont know ANY male Systems people, and either gay men or women as SSM's, i'm the first male office cashier in our store, EVER, and i'm gay. And, i'll take a bet that a large part of the male, checkout/office posters in this thread are gay too.

Obviously, thats not true of everybody, everystore etc. but i think it does make it harder for Straight Male's to make it in those roles because all that stuff makes it harder to make a comparison, or to stand out.

HA! Regional New years party any one?

I know very few gay Woolworthians, only one of them is a supervisor, the other ones perishables or something? But yes traditionally feminine qualities are advantageous for all customer service roles, thats why hospitality is riddled with homosexuals. GGRRR i was the subject of outright gay-hating from strangers at Falls, never really happens to me, i was so angry/disappointed.

I used an SCO for the first time on the 29th!! I think it was the first TAS store with them. They were fun as. I was also a bit drunk, which accentuated the experience.

 

[lordtopcat]

From what I know we have no gay employees at my store.

It's pretty funny actually, there are about 83 staff at our store and of that only 7 are guys. (SM, me, 1 super, 3 grocery, 1 baker). Our Grocery and Perishables managers are both female, and as I said only 3 of around 25 grocery staff are guys.

 

[babikakez]

I think certain traits usually assosciated with femininity make for better checkout/admin roles. When we did our phoenix meeting for our area, that was 16 stores (SSM, Office Cashier and Systems Operator from each store), take away the SSS at the time, and the area manager. I was one of only two men there, and both of us are gay. The only male CSM's i've met have been gay, the only male SSO in our area is gay, i dont know ANY male Systems people, and either gay men or women as SSM's, i'm the first male office cashier in our store, EVER, and i'm gay. And, i'll take a bet that a large part of the male, checkout/office posters in this thread are gay too.

Obviously, thats not true of everybody, everystore etc. but i think it does make it harder for Straight Male's to make it in those roles because all that stuff makes it harder to make a comparison, or to stand out.

Come to think of it, both those male supervisors that I've mentioned are also gay. One of my SSM's (my store unofficially has two now until March) is a very straight male who loves himself way too much, but thats more to do with climbing the ladder I guess. I just don't think its right, and in this instance the guy in question would do a brilliant job, he has natural leadership skills and is calm, but still reliable and responsive.

I mean, I don't know if there was something more to the decision than just wanting female supervisors. His sister is top dog of all casual/ppt supervisors, so I'd dare say her opinion counted A LOT. But bigger picture, I don't get it.

 

[bdude]

I know very few gay Woolworthians, only one of them is a supervisor, the other ones perishables or something? But yes traditionally feminine qualities are advantageous for all customer service roles, thats why hospitality is riddled with homosexuals. GGRRR i was the subject of outright gay-hating from strangers at Falls, never really happens to me, i was so angry/disappointed.

That sucks. I really think that Tassie has way more dickheads and douchebags than any other state.

Regarding gay employees, I don' think we have any (there's one guy I think might be). Most of the male employees in our store are in Grocery. I think Deli is another female-dominated department, we only have one guy in there. We have two male supervisors (one used to be 2IC at another Coles) and they do a great job.

I think males are just as suited as being supervisors as women are but I think that overall female operators are better, we had a couple of guy operators that were hopeless and left but the four ones that are left (including myself) are just as good

 

[yoddle]

Oh my god the whole time i thought you were a girl.

 

[iMatthew]

Thats awesome! But now its so real that you're leaving

It really occurred to me on Wednesday how sexist front end can be. Seeing as our extended trading may very well become permanent (I won't admit this to anyone but I'm actually pretty happy with it), our CSM as decided to train quite a few operators as supervisors. However, I can see that she's thinking long term, and she's picked two 15 year olds. They'll be good back ups with a bit of training, but I can't keep thinking of another guy who does mostly front end and also perishables/grocery/wherever else needs somebody, who actually DOES want to be a supervisor, and I would feel comfortable training now. He mentioned this to me the other day, and all I could offer was the comment that checkouts is a sexist department in some respects, seeing as in three and a half years I've seen two male supervisors come through, one of whom was CSM. Its not like I'm the only one who sees his potential, but yeah, my opinion counts for nothing.

Everyone who I suggested straight up was rejected with some pathetic excuse Like, "Oh, we can't really take him out of bakery", "Oh, then we'd have to train another smokeshop operator", "Oh, he's in perishables now". So lets have really shy 15 year olds instead??? Is there even a point in looking long term with 15 year old casuals?

Hmm what's with your store and 15 year old supervisors, babikakez? haha.
Not to be big headed, but if any 15 year old at my store even got 'THOUGHT-OF' for supervision, i'd come close to leaving. I'm the only one who has absolutely any clue of what i'm doing (and my managers know this - csm/2ic/etc) - not to mention the only kid who puts in any effort at all.

We have male DM's, but I'd be the ONLY svr if I was made one at the moment, we have 0 currently. A guy who was fired a month or two ago was a back-up, but that's about it.

 

[Harry778]

Oh my god the whole time i thought you were a girl.

lol me too. There ya go!

I'm a boy supervisorr =D

 

[iMatthew]

lol me too. There ya go!

I'm a boy supervisorr =D

Harry, if I ever go up to Sydney, you are the FIRST Woolworths I visit (A)

 

[Harry778]

haha how come? Its a nice store. Was shit before the refurb..but that was like a year ago =D And I make it better, just by being there lol jokes..its fairly massive too.

 

[iMatthew]

And I make it better, just by being there

- You seem awesome at that, plus I'd like to see a male supervisor around some day, and going to Sydney may be the only fricken way, muhahaha.

 

[babikakez]

Hmm what's with your store and 15 year old supervisors, babikakez? haha.
Not to be big headed, but if any 15 year old at my store even got 'THOUGHT-OF' for supervision, i'd come close to leaving. I'm the only one who has absolutely any clue of what i'm doing (and my managers know this - csm/2ic/etc) - not to mention the only kid who puts in any effort at all.

We have male DM's, but I'd be the ONLY svr if I was made one at the moment, we have 0 currently. A guy who was fired a month or two ago was a back-up, but that's about it.

Haha, the original 15 year old that we had is actually the best supervisor I have ever worked with (including all previous CSM's). I'm so glad I've learnt off of her, even if she is a year younger than me (she's now 17).

The issue with my store is that last year we hired REALLY young, as in 13-14 year olds. So the kids that have proved themselves to be most trustworthy are now 15ish. Don't get me wrong, they're going to be good in the future, just not yet. The guy I was referring to before is 16, but I think he would cope with a bit of training.

The non full-time supervisors in my store are 19, 18, 18, 17, 17, 17, 15, 15. (Though the last four wouldn't be left in charge just yet). We're a really young store overall though. I actually had my SM comment the other day that my express lanes were looking "quite young" in comparison to mains, I think we were 18, 15, 15, 14, 14 and 17, while my mains were older ppt/ft staff. I never planned it that way though...

 

[bdude]

Oh my god the whole time i thought you were a girl.

lol me too. There ya go!

I'm a boy supervisorr =D

Again, sexist attitudes towards the service department

Actually, speaking of the majority of women on checkouts the other day there was this grandma and who I presumed to be her grand-daughter and she wasn't looking at me and said to her daughter "Don't worry, just give your chocolate to the nice lady and she'll scan it and give it back" and then looked up and went all red and embarrassed lol