Appraisal
Had my appraisal the other day, to gain a pay rise you need to get thirty one points, I got twenty nine, apparently in one year I have dropped nine points, how I really don’t know, I am an expert in my department my work has not changed, I have done nothing wrong. On the desk in front of my manager was a mystery shop report which I had had earlier in the year, I was spoken to about it and thought the matter was closed, I queried why it was there and had been added to my appraisal, I was told it was evidence, evidence of what, as I have said I have worked for the company for nine years this mystery shop was the first negative thing I have encountered, A man asked for work boots I told him we did not sell work boots, but we did have cat boots which I promptly showed him he said quite sharply that is not what I am looking for, I acknowledged this and stayed in the area incase he needed further assistance, according to my manager I should have tried to sell him a pair of stout shoes, I must admit we really don’t sell stout shoes Britain’s favorite department store sells fashion. So this was held against me, apparently I did not open enough accounts all though I opened more that other people who got over the required number of points.
I have worked mostly on shirts for nine years, sorry I had a break of two years where I worked on shoes, and twelve weeks when I worked as a merchandising supervisor for women’s wear over the Christmas period, oddly enough the manager at that time was the manager I have now, who I caught wrongly accusing a member of my staff and I stuck up for that member of staff, so make what you will of that.
Back to the appraisal, I was told I never went on the till I am always first there should bell ring and even when it doesn’t, I could go on and on, all of it unfair and unjustified against me, at the end of the appraisal I asked how she could justify my loss of nine points she said she was over generous on the last appraisal. I did tell her that if she thought that this was a fair appraisal that she should be thou rally ashamed of herself and the fact that she and the supervisor had come onto my department and worked marking down sale for five hour without once speaking or acknowledging me was the height of bad manners, I usually do all my department markdowns.
The outcome of the appraisal was on Friday two minuets before I finished work for the weekend (they Always tell you bad things before your weekend to spoil the weekend it seems to be a company policy) that I was of shirts and as from Monday I would be just putting out stock, I have made the shirt department a welcoming and efficient place and have customers who come back regularly and ask for me and trust my judgment and honesty with their purchases. I am gutted that they will miss out but then again Britain’s favorite department store has really never been about the customers or staff, they only see pound signs, It’s a pity they were not very good with their pound signs then they would not be about five billion pounds in debt, therefore not have to squeeze out their staff or put up sale stock before it goes into sale, sounds like sour grapes doesn’t it, but just for once I am allowing myself to be not very nice and although its is now in print and I do feel ashamed of the sour grapes, it did make me feel better, but not for very long. They say it is easy to hurt the nice people and believe me I am hurting. But I have a lovely loving family a fantastic husband who is my world we have been married for forty one years, he was made redundant nine months ago which is why I have to put up with all this rubbish, I will count myself lucky to be in a job (Just) and stop moaning and get on with it, stiff British upper lip and all that.
