So I have a grocery manager who is always watching me. There are 5 guys on my night crew (I am a night stocker)... but this guy just insists on watching ME all the time. I do literally everything by the book. I have had no complaints from any manager figures, night leads, etc., since forever. In other words, I give NO ONE an excuse to need to "keep an eye on me" or whatever. And if I am doing something sinister, then THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS FOR!
But THIS guy... every morning he is there for the 2 hours that I see him, he is just constantly watching me, trailing me, will literally start on whatever dump bin or end cap that is at the end of my aisle FIRST before doing anything else. And as he's working on this thing, I constantly see his eyes peeking into the aisle. I freakin just ignore it and keep working. I am literally more annoyed at this than anything. What the f-ck do I do! I feel as if he's trying to "catch me in the act" of doing something. More and more I feel like I wanna encounter him as he's in the act of doing this. But I feel as though I will come off as a jerk. Have any of you workers here dealt with this crap before? What do?
I am not sure how to say this. Are you attractive? That may be what is going on.
Maybe he needs someone for the day crew and he is thinking about stealing you off nights?
Our day manager comes in in the am early sometimes and watches the night crew people work. He's not impressed with most of them.
If you are doing what you are supposed to, then ignore it.
Ehh... I look decent for a 31 year old. Nothing like a sex god though. I think I will follow your advice and just ignore him. It is a hell of a pet peeve.
Not to toot my own flute, but I think I am the best overnight at my store compared to the other 3 or 4 guys that I work with. My aisles are always faced, conditioned, and look very pristine. The other guys are literally sloppy and unorganized... and these are your so-called "journeymen/more experience than thou" types. I'm only 3 years in and am showing up these fools.
I would confront him and ask him if he has a problem with the way you work.
He tries to confront me about little stupid things already. He never says anything about my work performance, but rather nitpicking little things like not leaving a single case of something next to a rounder or display that came from my aisle, but to stock it onto the display so that "he won't have to waste his time doing it", blah blah blah. And to scan holes on the shelf to see if we have it in the back. And to remove any "Close Out" tags from a shelf if the product is all sold out, and to spread out any item next to it to cover that hole.
Literally wanting me to do his grocery manager duties. But as far as my work performance as a night stocker? No complaints.
Well, when I read your first post, I thought he was probably gay or bisexual and had a crush on you (assuming you are a guy). Then, after I read your second post, I decided he may be one of those people who subconsciously take a dislike to someone who is an excellent, conscientious worker, and start nitpicking about stuff. (I have met such people and I'm sure many of you have to, if you've had public jobs for a long time).
Then again, that may NOT cancel out "possibility Number one". He may be a latent or closeted gay, and picks on you because of unspoken anger against himself for being attracted to you.
On the other hand, he may just be lazy, and hoping you will do extra stuff so he has less to do.
Or, he might find you, for whatever reason, less 'intimidating' than the other workers, and a good target for someone to bug about little things.
My questions would be: Does he do the same to any of the other workers who are night stocking? Have you asked any of them if they have noticed him watching them an unusual number of times?
What kind of attitude in general, does he have to the other employees? Has he been with Kroger for a long time? Is he young, middle-aged, or old? Is he married?
Is he liked by most other employees? Does he get along well with all the other grocery/stocking night crew, and the other Kroger employees in general?
In short, there are so many possibilities.......many very subtle reasons why this could be going on.
Then, after I read your second post, I decided he may be one of those people who subconsciously take a dislike to someone who is an excellent, conscientious worker, and start nitpicking about stuff. (I have met such people and I'm sure many of you have to, if you've had public jobs for a long time).
On the other hand, he may just be lazy, and hoping you will do extra stuff so he has less to do.
Or, he might find you, for whatever reason, less 'intimidating' than the other workers, and a good target for someone to bug about little things.
These sound about right. I think the 3rd one especially. I am a pretty quiet guy who just does his work and never bullsh-ts around, so I guess I do not come off as intimidating. I never see or hear this guy going into any of the other guy's aisles to bring up issues to them regarding their work or tell them to "do this" or "make sure you do that". EVER. I do hear him go into the night lead's aisle to chit chat about non-work related stuff... but that's it. Never any ordering around or stalking them or anything.
He is new to our store since a month ago. And he seems about the same age as me. He has been with the company for about 15 years but is new to grocery management. I guess all I can do is just be patient and ignore it. I mean what am I supposed to do? Run to a store manager and be all like "waaah...waaaahhh... my grocery manager keeps stalking me"? I'll be seen as a snitch AND a crybaby.
I would confront him and ask him if he has a problem with the way you work.
He tries to confront me about little stupid things already. He never says anything about my work performance, but rather nitpicking little things like not leaving a single case of something next to a rounder or display that came from my aisle, but to stock it onto the display so that "he won't have to waste his time doing it", blah blah blah. And to scan holes on the shelf to see if we have it in the back. And to remove any "Close Out" tags from a shelf if the product is all sold out, and to spread out any item next to it to cover that hole.
Literally wanting me to do his grocery manager duties. But as far as my work performance as a night stocker? No complaints.
lol. I am a night Grocery manager. Part of ordering and the tasks you mentioned are what I am supposed to coach my crew to do. Fill holes from backstock, flip discontinued tags, etc. When I was a regular clerk, the day manager used to coach me on the same tasks you mentioned. We get along very well. Better than some day and night managers at other stores. They are constantly blaming each other when things go wrong.
Some night crews do all the work, stock, condition, fill ends and change ends. Other stores take care of the ends on days. Just depends on the Day manager. My day manager gets to hear all the complaints from the store managers, district managers, do conference calls and deal with vendors. If your day manager has a crew of idiots like mine does, then he probably sees that you are capable of assisting him. That is why he approaches you and coaches you. You have the most potential to be taught. Some people are not coachable.
If you have time and it doesn't take much effort, then I would stock the case to the endcap. Dig something out of backstock. If not, then his day kids can deal with it.
I would confront him and ask him if he has a problem with the way you work.
He tries to confront me about little stupid things already. He never says anything about my work performance, but rather nitpicking little things like not leaving a single case of something next to a rounder or display that came from my aisle, but to stock it onto the display so that "he won't have to waste his time doing it", blah blah blah. And to scan holes on the shelf to see if we have it in the back. And to remove any "Close Out" tags from a shelf if the product is all sold out, and to spread out any item next to it to cover that hole.
Literally wanting me to do his grocery manager duties. But as far as my work performance as a night stocker? No complaints.
lol. I am a night Grocery manager. Part of ordering and the tasks you mentioned are what I am supposed to coach my crew to do. Fill holes from backstock, flip discontinued tags, etc. When I was a regular clerk, the day manager used to coach me on the same tasks you mentioned. We get along very well. Better than some day and night managers at other stores. They are constantly blaming each other when things go wrong.
Some night crews do all the work, stock, condition, fill ends and change ends. Other stores take care of the ends on days. Just depends on the Day manager. My day manager gets to hear all the complaints from the store managers, district managers, do conference calls and deal with vendors. If your day manager has a crew of idiots like mine does, then he probably sees that you are capable of assisting him. That is why he approaches you and coaches you. You have the most potential to be taught. Some people are not coachable.
If you have time and it doesn't take much effort, then I would stock the case to the endcap. Dig something out of backstock. If not, then his day kids can deal with it.
PS. I wish I had time to do managerial duties during my shift. Instead, I am running stock because my whiney baby crew complain about too much work. I bring pallets to floor, order half the store, make schedule, run 2 backstock carts, receive whoever delivers and run/condition the canned veggie, fruit, beans and tomatoes, fill out baton, walk thru store every 30 minutes to make sure my crew are not goofing off.
It would be nice to be a manager and not have to run stock. But, the people I am given to work with aren't capable of doing more than they do.
