Hate Job

I think when you dread going into work it's time to think about a new one. You have so much experience I'm sure it will be easy to find new work. In some companies the staff are always happy so it may be worth applying to them.

What do your colleagues think? You're loyal and hard working, you deserve to be happy in work

I sympathise Lucy your post is so similar to a message from my daughter about her job as a community mental health nurse. Seems job satisfaction and good managerial skills are a thing of the past.
I hope things improve for you.

I think it would be a good idea to start looking around and applying for a post that appeals. I assume you wish to remain in retail?
In the meantime, is there someone in a more senior role you could approach to voice your concerns, particularly with regard to the cigarette kiosk and lotto? How do your colleagues feel - could you perhaps voice these concerns as a group rather than on your own?

Def time to leave and find something else.I work in the care sector and they are always on the look out for older women to do part time work, often things like coming in to help with teas or lunches.

It’s miserable dreading going into work. Cutting to three days a week is a good idea but would also have a word with a manager if you can. They won’t want to lose you presumably given your long service and experience.
Otherwise maybe you can look for something else or perhaps if you can manage financially you might think about leaving,

It is soul destroying going into work when you hate your job. I was in your position and in the end I just left. I knew in my heart of hearts that nothing would change. I had worked there for over 20 years, but that meant nothing, I was just a line on the balance sheet.

The day I left, I handed in my pass and just walked away, I didn't look back and I've never been back. I am so much happier now..

Difficult though RainbowsandUnicorns when there are bills and a mortgage to be paid.

Oreo

Def time to leave and find something else.I work in the care sector and they are always on the look out for older women to do part time work, often things like coming in to help with teas or lunches.

So do I I work 18 hours a week in a high dementia care home the money is rubbish, but the job satisfaction is amazing..

Shinamae

Oreo

Def time to leave and find something else.I work in the care sector and they are always on the look out for older women to do part time work, often things like coming in to help with teas or lunches.

So do I I work 18 hours a week in a high dementia care home the money is rubbish, but the job satisfaction is amazing..

And I’m 70..

Look around for another job and then when you’ve been hired hand your notice in. You’ve been in your current job for such a long time, things are bound to have changed and perhaps you’ve now got a reputation for being a little bit too flexible and uncomplaining. Time to go, but not until you’ve secured another job. Who knows, your manager may be so shocked that they make you an offer you can’t refuse. People often get another job offer to improve their current situation.

Good for you Shinamae 👍🏻 job satisfaction is important, feeling that you’re making a difference even in a small way.

That’s very true Germanshepardsmum

Life is too short to waste it on a job you hate.
There are loads of vacancies these days (possibly for a reason) but it is a buyers market.
Look after number 1. and work out what salary you need- then go for it!

Absolutely agree with RosiesMaw. Go with your gut feeling/instincts, although obviously you need to take your financial needs into consideration too. It’s all about balance - basic financial needs, job satisfaction and fitting in with commitments with children/grandchildren/parents. It isn’t easy.

No staff member deserves to be treated like this and particularly one of your long service. Good Heavens! From what I see and hear around there should be jobs aplenty for your type of loyalty and steadfastness. Go for it girl and the sooner the better. Good luck.

You absolutely need to be happy doing your job. Move on now. Find something, anything and go. Life is too short you really must be happy at least in a new job you will be learning to start with which will keep you more satisfied.

Life is too short to be miserable at work. I am nearly 60 and since turning 50 I have never worked so hard in my life. Employers will happily work you to the bone and think no more of you for it. I am just trying to hang on in there for another 15 months when I will be able to afford to leave. You need to find somewhere else to work: things are not going to change. Good luck!

Time to move on.

Before I retired I wanted to leave my job as the workload was increasing and managers seemed to always be looking to pick you up for the slightest error. I drew a countdown chart to when I was to retire and coloured it every day. Then Covid came and we were sent home. There was very little we could do in the first lockdown as the school weren't geared up for online teaching so the kids were just set work to do. As an LSA I just had to keep in touch with my student buddies and their parents by email. I was also supposed to do online training courses - mostly stuff I'd been doing for years and pointless for someone about to retire. In the end we were due back for 3 inset days before my retirement date. I realised I missed my colleagues and wanted a proper send off so I stayed on for another half term before I retired. I still work for the school at exam times as I do invigilation and that is much less stressful most of the time and only casual. It keeps me in touch with the colleagues I miss and I don't have to deal with the ones I don't miss! I was surprised that I missed people.

Try to work out any positives in the job and focus on them until you find something better. Work out if you could afford to leave. I couldn't and I nearly left with a view to doing supply work just to get out. If I had I would have had no work at all during lockdown so would have been in a pretty dire situation. The countdown chart kept me sane for a few months!

Good luck Lucy in finding a better/more suitable job Asap! No-one should do a job they hate, it’ll make you unwell ultimately.

I don’t know which one you work for but I was very happy at ALDI who are always happy to give folk a work trial and then, if you are reliable, they take you on. Also The Range has very good broad minded Managers. I can recommend trying an ‘en spec’ paper CV to them and Lidl - has always worked for me

To be truthful, the days of companies rewarding and respecting their work force have gone. Before I retired (20 years ago), I have always loved the jobs I have had and the companies treated me with respect. When I now go into a supermarket there are tills closed, people queing down the aisles and not one member of staff on the floor. The other week I went in for a quick shop and saw one assistant stacking a shelf, I asked her if there was anymore stock of a certain item and she just said, I have not got a clue and I haven't time to find out.

I honestly felt sorry for her because I remember when things were different and staff actually tried to help you.

It is no wonder that more and more people, myself included, do online shopping. I am finding it with other types of stores as well and that is why the high streets are closing stores because when you go into a store and ask an assistant, you have managed to find, if they have a different size, they always tell you to go online.

One of these days there won't be a store you can actually shop in as everything will be online because people are sick and fed up of spending their hard earned money in stores where there are no staff around to help them. Do not talk to me about self check outs, as far as I am concerned, the store should be paying us as we do their work for them, pushing a trolley, putting food in it, taking it out and putting it through the self service checkour and packing it up again.

I honestly feel sorry for the staff and if they all walked out in protest the managers would have a flaming meltdown and then perhaps do something about it. I have, in the past, taken to filling my trolley and because of long queues, just left it in the middle of the aisle and walked out.

Sadly, it is a sign of the times and more and more people will do online shopping and then all the stores will close forever and more people will be on the dole.

I hope you can manage to find a better job.,

I don't live in the UK and therefore don't know how easy or hard it is to get a new job when one is over 60. Here most bosses are very reluctant to employ a person who is older than they are themselves.

If you are a member of a union, consult them about these problems - the kiosk sounds like a safety risk, so you might find them helpful.

If you are not a member of a union, join the appropriate one now, and make sure they pay unemployment benefit and how long you need to be a member before they will do so, if you should be fired.

I doubt you can retire in any European country at 63, so you have probably another four to six years of work ahead of you, and you don't want to spend them doing a job you have come to hate.

So good luck finding something better.