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What happens at a job when you don’t feel well has a major impact on your life and job satisfaction. I’m going to give you a tale of two large corporate grocers.
In the one corner is CentralMarket, owned by dominate Texas grocer HEB. The problem with CM is they manage their people like children. There is infighting among the managers. And most of the middle managers, attending to the customer service group in CentralMarket are small-minded and afraid individuals. Ten years after my stint there, a few are still in that thankless role. In my experience, there was very little flexibility. You could clock in NO MORE THAN 5 minutes early. 10 minutes late and you were penalized. Everything was managed on a point system. 5 points and you would be given a talking to. 7 points and you were fired. No questions asked or answered. No excuses.
In the current corner is Whole Foods Market, now owned by Amazon. In this world, the HUMAN is more important than the schedule or the points. Today, when I wasn’t feeling well, my manager said, “I got you.” And I went home. Yes, I’ll take the penalty, but it’s not a point sytem. AND I earn back my UTO (unpaid time off) with every week I work. So, I was able to take this break today, without any consequence to my job, or my long-term satisfaction. My manager is the head of the entire customer service group, and he was happy to give me the assurance that I would be fine. No points. Sure, I have to make up the time, or get a doctors note. At CentralMarket the manager response was “Sorry, I’m going to have to give you a point.”
Treat your employees like you care about them. Give you HUMAN managers some leeway in rewarding or repremanding their team. But, don’t make childish rules to regulate the poor performer. Assume high performers need some flexibility. You want to keep your high performers.
I know I cannot change the past. I know I cannot predict the future. So, my lifepath is remaining in the present moment with myself first, then with others, and finally with god. – the happy cashier, july 2025
Namasté.
[Listen to the Deep Dive explore the concepts of The Happy Cashier.]
The hope I see in others
becomes the hope I have for myself,
my life, and my own journey.
– The Happy Cashier
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