Tia's Essay #1 - Things You Never Knew About Costco

                                   

                                          Things You Never Knew About Costco

                                            

    I work in a popular national retailer called Costco Wholesale. It’s a great place to buy in bulk or just eat those free samples. I've been working there for a little over a year and a half. I started as a front end worker while finishing up my senior year of high school, eventually I got moved up to work in the Deli. As a Deli worker I no longer have to box groceries or push carts, my responsibilities are to do production, cook chickens and to clean the deli appropriately.  I've wanted to move to the food court for a while now, I feel like I have done my fair share and gained enough trust to move departments .Becoming a food court worker would allow me to enjoy my work environment and not be so stressed out. If I don’t get moved up to being a food court worker I feel like I should leave Costco and go someplace that will give me a better opportunity.

  I believe I should be moved up to work in the food court because I am a hard worker who is dependable, flexible, and has the ability to work under stress. I am friendly person who always has a smile on her face and is willing to go the extra mile. I strive to do my very best in my work environment, no matter what the obstacle may be. As a deli worker, I work by myself each day and even though I still have set requirements I have to do each day; I still manage to get done on time. On days that I have time to kill I will go help out other departments if help is applicable. I have been told my people that I am a hard worker, and that they can always tell when I have cleaned.

     Part of my deli job is to lift boxes that weigh over fifty-pounds , this is a main issues I am struggling with. Six months ago I was rear-ended and am currently still going to physical therapy . Having to lift not only hinders my process of healing but also causes me to have flare ups from the exposure to lifting heavy things in my back and neck. The majority of my job involves using many hazardous or mild chemicals that can be potentially hazardous if not handled properly. I was also told to use a certain chemical multiple times while cleaning, but one day the chemical produced high fumes that caused me to lose my voice for a short amount of time. After that incident, I was much scared of my exposure to the chemicals and decided to not use it.. Finally, I struggle with what I perceive to be poor management. I never get the acknowledgement I need for doing my job; instead, I am constantly getting put down and treated like my work is never good enough. For instance, I may run out of chickens at the end of the night, and the manager would get very upset that I ran out of chickens even though it’s not my fault. Being in this kind of work environment is very stressful and causes me to feel like my work ethic is reduced. Some might think I’m complaining, but I’m not the only one who struggles. When I worked in the front end I never struggled, I actually really enjoyed it .The department I’m in now faces high turnover rates for real reasons. And actually at this point I fear I might be stuck there because I’m the only one who will put up with the conditions.

  If I don’t get moved to a new department soon, I feel like I should search for a new position somewhere else that would allow me to enjoy my work environment and not be too stressed out . I believe no one should be so stressed out over their job that they constantly feel like they should quit their job. Being in an environment that causes you to face such things as chemicals, and  heavy lifting is nothing someone wants to become in contact with  .Although everyone may rave about how great a company Costco is to work for, it all comes down to the management of a department. There may be spectacular management in the store as a whole, but in the deli that may not always be the case. If I happen to move to the food court I would be thrilled and I would be very fortunate to be in the department. Whether or not I get moved up I will have to lose a battle or win a fight depending on the outcome on my work place.