Some workplaces function as if they’re kindergarten classrooms and as if the employees are children who are incapable of making their own decisions and undeserving of self-determination. It’s insulting, really, when you work in one of these places where constant oversight and continual encroachment into what freedoms remain are a part of everyday policies. Existing completely devoid of agency saps any empowerment employees feel and, over time, will make them less motivated in their jobs. Of course, places that operate in this manner seldom care about this by design, relying on a constant influx of new workers to replace the turnover of those who have burned out, with the most successful employers of this strategy encouraging workers to “buy in” to the company, using thin promises and assurances of growth to get them to work unpaid hours and contribute beyond reasonable levels.
This worker shared a restrictive break policy that was posted in the breakroom of their new workplace. The policy explains the legal requirements for breaks for workers working shifts over certain lengths but veers off into concerning territory when it goes on to explain that workers may not get a chance to take this break due to the possible “level of business” explaining that workers may not be able to take breaks or leave the building during their break if things are too busy.
It starts to become clear when taking in the entire message that while the fact that these breaks are a legal requirement is addressed, the reality is that you’ll regularly be unable to take them in this job, as is unfortunately common in many places within the retail and service industries. Usually, these employers will be hesitant to put any insinuations of this into writing, relying on vague suggestions that a worker should feel an obligation to remain on the floor during peak times—even if “peak times” last for their entire shift.
See the original post, along with the photos that were shared in it below.
