Please no harassing posts responses.....I am seeking some answers. Do you have any "special needs" people who work in your store? Are they an assent or a hinderance? What are the pros and cons of working with these people? Many thanks.
Well, I am "special needs" and only those members of management n coworkers I trust know of my conditions, if and when I can trust them with sensitive info like that. The only reason for this is because I look "normal." So by looking at me, you won't see or know anything until I tell you.
As far as I am concerned, I bust butt just as hard as anyone there and am also one of the first people management will call in if need be if someone no call no shows or we just need some extra help. I do whatever is asked of me and I enjoy making a customer smile. Putting customers first and making customers smile is something I had earned a customer comment for within three weeks of being there when hired. It is still part of my "core customer service" values in that as long as I make a customer happy n feel welcome in my store while being ready to assist if needed in any way, that I have done my job the right way as I was trained.
I had also trained two of our new(er) UCs (who have sadly got overwhelmed with the job n quit), and also silently persuaded management to upgrade our safety vests after the crap ones we have did not offer protection, and I was the only one who used my own purchased one on shift (has pockets for my cart straps and is a 5 point break Class 2, which is a good thing if a vehicle gets too close and snags the vest, it will tear off and I don't go for the ride with it vs the orange flimsy ones.) Before Krog, we barely used em, until we were asked to start wearing them a few months later, and it became policy. With Krog, it stays the same. Vest, hat, water bottle, n cart straps: basic equipment to do lot on sunny n hot days.
I also use the guidelines of "if you don't know, you don't go", "leave yourself an out", and "make sure they see you." Those guidelines help me do my job when bringing in trains mainly but can apply when doing cart stacks myself.
There is a whole spectrum to this.
We employ several.
Some are fine workers, some are not.
The bagging staff is heavily on the "not" end, creating some noticeable work backups when certain key people are not present to cover.
A lot of their issue comes down to a combination of physical speed issues, as well as inability to consistently perform basic core tasks (Beer on top of bread issues), as well as some difficulty where personal decision making would be required..
Ironically, not unlike a number of "able bodied" new hires anyway. The main differences is the persistence of the issue that defies corrective instruction.
There are associated tax credits for hiring this type of employee, so remember that their labor is about 6k or more cheaper for the company than an "able" clerk, thus the business incentive to hire and retain even workers who cannot adequately meet their job demands.
To UC, glad you guys are allowed the water bottle.
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The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of The Kroger Co. family of stores.
We had this one special needs guy that was a hard worker and didn't mind doing what was asked. The only downside, he HATED being pulled off his job task by another employee. We was VERY task oriented. Unless it was a customer asking for help he wanted to be left alone to do his work. We had to keep telling checkers if his status because they were ready to fly off the handle. And as for:
Lot Duty? LOVED IT.
Go backs: Liked it ok
Bagging: tolorated it
Sweeps: HATED it.
He actually asked other cc's to do their cart hour.
Management loved him!
Another girl who was special needs had to have a coach with her at all times to keep her focused. In her mind, Trish Stratus (female wrestler) was responsible for everything that went wrong in the store. It got to the point she almost tossed an empty waste basket in the back room because a checker said something to her about Trish Stratus.
One time she was eating a snack on break and someone called her to bag. She went up front said "I'm eating." And went back much to checker's astonishment and chagrin. We had to explain before he stormed off to management that she was special needs and was having a melt down. I guess she worked ok... As long as she had her coach with her. We had to have the coach put her in another store ( "fire" her) because she wasn't working out. She was a sweet girl but we couldn't keep and eye on her constantly when her coach was not there.
In the 11 years I was with Kroger we had 3 and they didn't work out at all. I understand that they might not be as able to do certain things as others but you should at least expect a certain amount of production out of them. One guy was mad all the time and telling everyone he was going to quit. Another called all the guys Garth Brooks and said he was going fishing all while improperly bagging everything, and the third I don't recall much because they wasn't there too long, they got a better job wiping tables at Taco Bell.
Anyway I don't blame the 2 "special needs" employees as much as I blame the so called job coaches that came with them. It was 2 women and 1 man who would occasionally coach the people. The 2 women would practically do the job for them and the man would only step in when needed. He let them do as much as possible on their own and when the 2 women came in they just screwed any and all progress they made into the ground.
My home store has 3 or 4 special needs CCs, some are better than others. One guy is really nice (some people complain that he's a little too talkative though... some of the complainers are really rude about these things) but does his job well. One girl is terrible, doesn't even look at the customers and has to be told what to do constantly by the FES, i'm not sure how they manage with her tbh.
So far i've only met one bagger who i think is special needs at my new store, but he's an older guy and he's really nice, he says hi to me by name every time i see him now even though i've only been there a couple weeks.
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RE: A sensitive subject-do you have "special needs" people who work in your store?
We have a few special needs people in our store. They're just like anyone else on the team, they do their job well and they're great coworkers.
Makes no difference to me whether they're special needs or not, as long as they're friendly and try their best at their job they're part of our little family in the front end.
Although, after my bagger bounced to another order my customer at the time leaned in and quietly asked me, "is he special needs?" I was steaming, I wanted to tell her off and yell at her. I responded with, "I don't know I never asked, it's not really my business." But seriously, my bagger he's a great guy. Friendly, a bit talkative which can be nice when things are pretty slow, he does his job well and knows what to do, asks questions, he's all that you could ask for in a bagger. So when this customer, someone who doesn't know him or how much of a hard worker he is asked me that, yeah, I was furious. That's the only situation I've seen that might be considered a "hindrance," but I wouldn't consider it that. Just a rude customer being a rude customer. :/
I am all for helping out with Special Needs, but being a union job, we all get paid the same. Why should I bust my ass and get paid the same as someone who is basically a greeter and cant be physically productive and cant be depended on to help out mentally by planning etc.
We have a new special needs hire who is a great guy and can be opinionated. A customer asked him if he was mentally slow and asked why he looked "off." He responded with, before anyone could stop him,
"I can't help the way I was born. What's YOUR excuse?" I couldn't help it. I laughed my ass off.
Customer had a HUGE fit and demanded to speak to management. The customer kept ranting "retardards shouldn't be allowed in here." Our special needs guy added "then you should leave." I nearly fell over laughing. As the customer left, management broke up laughing as well. Best comeback ever.
"I can't help the way I was born. What's YOUR excuse?" I couldn't help it. I laughed my ass off.
Customer had a HUGE fit and demanded to speak to management. The customer kept ranting "retardards shouldn't be allowed in here." Our special needs guy added "then you should leave." I nearly fell over laughing. As the customer left, management broke up laughing as well. Best comeback ever.
LMFAO XD This. This right here. I'm right there with you Kitteh, as I once said something back at a disruptive custy after she n her 4 adult children laughed at me once and said "haha look at the bagger. He's stupid." Uh dipf***s, if you think you can say that to me without even knowing who I am and you can't visibly see my issues. Turned to the mother with eyes looking like I was angry, but really I was laughing on the inside, and said "would you like your milk in a bag today ma'am, perhaps an attitude adjustment to go with it?" She and the kids stopped laughing after I stared them down and they all got super quiet after that and the cashier is just standing there trying not to chuckle as our FES's just "ignore" what happened by assisting Self checkout / other lanes, but after the store was quiet they all were laughing.
She even told me she thought I was being mean to her cause their black. Uh no dumb a, it's because you all were pricks. (never said that to her or management wouldn't of let it slide.) Go ahead and use you EBT, next time be respectful instead of a dick.
-- Edited by UC151 on Wednesday 26th of October 2016 12:46:56 PM
-- Edited by UC151 on Wednesday 26th of October 2016 12:49:42 PM
-- Edited by UC151 on Wednesday 26th of October 2016 12:50:34 PM
We have a new special needs hire who is a great guy and can be opinionated. A customer asked him if he was mentally slow and asked why he looked "off." He responded with, before anyone could stop him,
"I can't help the way I was born. What's YOUR excuse?" I couldn't help it. I laughed my ass off. Customer had a HUGE fit and demanded to speak to management. The customer kept ranting "retardards shouldn't be allowed in here." Our special needs guy added "then you should leave." I nearly fell over laughing. As the customer left, management broke up laughing as well. Best comeback ever.
That was awesome. Good for him for standing up for himself. And good on management for not firing him on the spot.
Right? Our old manager, who got fired thankfully, would have apologized profusely to the customer, given them a FREE EXPENSIVE cake, or if they didn't want cake a $100.00 gift card to the store of their choice, if we didn't have the card of heir choice then $100.00 cash. Plus indefinitely suspend sAid employee, to screw up any chance of unemployment
Had something similar tonight during a small order except the custy was older guy an asked the younger 18 yo cashier who I'm friends with "are his eyes always like that" thinking I didn't hear him.
Cue cashier looking at him and saying "im sorry sir, but we (pointing to me n her) both wear glasses. Maybe you should get a pair for yourself."
Guy: "well uh, I'm not exactly sure I need them."
Finishing his order. "Alright sir, thanks for your patience. Just remember for next time, I may be odd, but I can hear better than most people can, so please think next time before you speak ill of me. Have a great night."
Custy didn't say a word n just walked out. Me n cashier just randomly high-fived each other after that.
In the event the customer does as mega-kitteh says and invents something to get you in trouble, just remember the phrase "the customer is mistaken." Don't eat a suspension by saying you don't remember, leaving the customer's story as the only one. As long as you don't admit to anything you didn't do (or did) yourself, its one of the easier things to get thrown out.
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The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of The Kroger Co. family of stores.
In the event the customer does as mega-kitteh says and invents something to get you in trouble, just remember the phrase "the customer is mistaken." Don't eat a suspension by saying you don't remember, leaving the customer's story as the only one. As long as you don't admit to anything you didn't do (or did) yourself, its one of the easier things to get thrown out.
Oh I can tell you for sure I'd never tell a manager "I don't remember" as that would just get me in deeper water as me n the cashier would be pulled in to have a chat with management. So I'd simply tell the truth, but I'd simply say what my actions were, not incriminate myself. But I would advise them of what transpired, in order to corroborate the cashier's story and get a less mean punishment if something came of it. My management team always stresses "as long as you work with us, we'll work with you." So ty are also saying trust is a two-way street and that as long as our end is maintained an we help them, they will maintain theirs and help with our end
I've worked with many amazing special needs employees. Some of them love doing a particular thing up front like lot or cleaning. The key is to figure out what they like to do and keep them focused. Some of them just work hard and become very good cashiers or uscan attendants. However there are some who don't really work much.
Honestly I'd rather have "special needs" than a crew full of lazy high school students who think the world owes them a living or the job they've accepted and get paid to do is beneath them. I've seen girls refuse to clean restrooms or do lot and their female supervisors tell them not an option and took them with them to show them there's no "man's work" or "woman's work" at Kroger and we have no time for slackers. I've done that with the boys. I've never asked members of my team to do something I won't do or haven't done myself.
One bagger has an autism diagnosis. He spends more time wandering the store or playing in the dairy cooler than his actual job. Especially when it's busy. I guess we can't write him up, though.
Another one is mixed. He does pretty great when he's inside the store. However, he has realized that if he gets to do carryout for a customer, he can just play outside for the next 20 minutes. So if he spots an elderly customer checking out, he will sprint across the front end, unload their cart, and make sure they get carryout. Management loves him, and elderly customers love him, but the other employees hate him. He has also been discovered on his phone in the freezer more than a few times.
Another one just loads bags slowly and forgets to bounce. She gets in a fender bender at least once a month.
Another one just absolutely struggles. She puts an item in a bag, and then thinks about it or zones out for a few seconds. Then she places the bag in the cart. Then she positions the bag in the cart. Then she ties it once or twice, regardless of how many times she's been told not to. And then she repositions it. She bags about 4-5 times slower than I do, and I'm just a cashier. Even the customers get annoyed. And then everything is misbagged. Bleach, meat, bread, all in one bag. Several times an hour, she'll leave an item in a bag in the bag rack, zone out, and then have to try to chase down the customer as they leave. It's frustrating. She spends a lot of time hiding behind register 1 pretending to tie her shoes or organize bags. The other courtesy clerks hate her since she only pushes one cart at at time. I like to give her cold gobacks so she gets lost wandering the store until management calls her back. She doesn't bounce, so that's the only way to move her around.
Another courtesy clerk did his job well. He got promoted to night crew and is doing great, as I hear.
Another one was one of the best courtesy clerks we've ever had. Enthusiastic, a great attitude, and a hard worker. An assistant store manager picked a fight with him about bringing his bicycle inside. Chained up outside, that bike was immediately stolen and that courtesy clerk had to get a job closer to his home.
Honestly, as a whole, they aren't really any better or worse than the high school kids we have. The difference is that they usually stick around for years.
