Did an long awful shift by myself on Saturday with staff crying, food being sent back constantly, huge messes on most tables etc… and she asked me at the end of it if I could work today for 6 hours by myself, I said I’m at my dads so I can’t (it was a lie lol)
Now I’ve got a simple short shift tomorrow which is 12:00-15:00. Been my shortest shift since I started and I’m happy with it, now she’s messaged me asking to work until 21:00 because I assume I’ll be by myself AGAIN
So… how do I decline it? I really don’t want to work the long shift
31 comments
Can’t, sorry, plans.
Say you have commitments, but there’s no need to be specific (or rude) – say family are visiting, that’s pretty common this time of year.
“Sorry, I’m not available”?
Like others have said, be blunt. “Sorry I already have plans” is enough. As a manager it’s her job to sort it. That’s what she’s paid for. Sucks for her but you cannot always rely on the same staff covering all the time which it sounds like you do on a regular.
“I’ve already made arrangements based on my shift being from 12-15:00. I need to be (somewhere) at 15:30, I’ve arranged to meet people. I cannot rearrange them at such short notice.”
Sorry. I can’t.
No
Learn that you don’t need to explain yourself and No becomes a very powerful word
You politely decline.
You’ve booked cinema tickets to see Avatar. If she asks how it was say it looked amazing but the story was average. Completely believable.
“I would, but I don’t want to”…
Just say no. It’s that simple.
Ask for double-time. We need to bring back double-time.
“No thanks, I’m busy.”
No is a complete sentence.
As many others have said, it really is as simple as saying “no, sorry I’m busy/I can’t” without elaborating. That time is your time, not your managers.
One of the greatest things I have learned in life is the power of No.
Just one word.
No explanation.
Just. No.
You’d be amazed how easily it just rolls out once you’ve said it a few times.
I had the misfortune of working in a place like this for a short time, I very quickly perfected the response ‘Can’t, kids have got football’ you’ve got to say it with confidence, it’s takes a bit of practice, especially as my kids couldn’t even walk at the time but there’s no comeback to it
“ohhh fucking hell no!”
I honestly don’t understand how people who have to ask questions like this manage to function on a daily basis
Sorry, I cant. I’ll be leaving when my agree shift ends.
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You dont owe anyone an explanation.
Resign
I’d say like “No thanks, I appreciate the thought though” as if they were offering you a favour, because that’s how they try to pitch it usually.
If they change tactic and say it’s to help them, go back to the normal “Aww, so sorry, I can’t”.
Simply say “no thank you.”
If she asks why, tell her because you don’t feel comfortable working alone, especially not for that long.
She doesn’t sound like the best manager, I have managed before and if the staff member didn’t want to cover a shift, then that was that. I’d have to find another solution.
She can’t keep relying on you to cover her poor planning. You aren’t paid to correct her mistakes.
“Sounds like your problem.”
Seriously.
I worked on hospitality for 20 years, and managers who can’t put together a rota properly just need telling to get fucked every time they pull this shit.
If you can’t manage something as simple as putting together a rota properly, you shouldn’t be a manager.
“No” is a full sentence.
It really is as simple as saying ‘no’. Please, everyone remember: your place of work do not own you. You have the absolute right to say no to anything you don’t want to do.
If you say no and it results in some sort of revenge behaviour (which I assume is your worry?), time to find another job. I say no all the time, and still get treated fairly. If you’re a decent worker and your employer isn’t a scumbag, saying no should be fine.
Also I see your replies to others and will echo: it’s NONE of her business why you can’t work – any time outside agreed scheduled shifts is YOUR time and has nothing to do with your employer.
Minimum wage job you could get anywhere by any chance?
Just say no. Nuts to “oh I’m busy” nonsense. Future you will thank you for growing a strong response to this stuff.
What’s the worst to happen? You go work somewhere else for minimum wage?
As others have said, “I can’t tomorrow, I’m busy”. Don’t apologise or say sorry, don’t lie or embellish. You need to nip it in the bud or it will be constant.
If you’re on a casual contract and it’s not pre agreed on a weekly rota, you don’t really need a reason, and you can tell any lie you want. I remember being asked to work more hours at a supermarket over xmas, I just said “no” and that was it. The manager said “boo-hoo” in a mocking tone, I don’t know why exactly. I did have plans but I just didn’t feel the need to share them.
Just bear in mind that the cost of this will be decreased trust and they’ll look to get people who are more reliable and give them more hours and stuff. It sounds like that might not be a big problem for you though.
The best option might be to say something closer to the truth. You could say you don’t want to sign up for a long shift without the required support, because you feel like you can’t do your job to a satisfactory standard and if it keeps happening it will make you want to leave (because you take pride in your performance and shit). I don’t know how your boss will react to this, but if I were in their shoes (I pretty much have been) and a young employee approached it in an honest and mature manner I would have mad respect for that.
just say no