Updates, bulletins, whatever...

So, "Big Brother" at home office is micromanaging our schedules.  They send them to me, already done (kind of like graph charts), I just have to plug my people into the spots.  Sound pretty simple??  Not so much.

What happens in the salon:  You try to come in to get your hair done.  If we have something/someone available, we let you know, immediately.  If we don't, we also let you know, immediately.  Now, when I was scheduling everyone with no thought to home office's wants & needs, I had the staff on hand to take care of everyone.  Now that I'm following the "optimized" schedule, I have a bare bones staff on hand.  Which means you probably won't get in.  For days on end. 

I will freely admit I was over scheduled in places and didn't pay a whole lot of attention to what was going on.  I tend to be a fairly busy stylist, so I "come up for air" after the fact, a LOT.  However, having home office SLASH the schedule the way they have is counterproductive to the idea of MAKING MONEY FOR THE COMPANY.

This week, alone, we've lost over $1300 in business.  Enough to have everyone on board, every day they can be scheduled, for a full days' work (meaning an 8 hour day apiece).  When I spoke to my boss about it on Thursday, she was SHOCKED at how much money we've turned away.

What have I done to try to counteract this??  Well, I've asked the people I work with if they can come in, as an "on call" stylist if I need them (at the direction of my boss).  And, what a surprise, no one bit at that.  "I've got an appointment at 1:30, 2 hours away from here" was one answer.  The other answer I got was "I'm sorry, but I've got tons of errands to run...but, you can try calling me".  This answer was from the stylist who broke down into tears because her schedule for this week had been SLASHED to ribbons.  When I asked the same stylist, last night, if she could come in early today (not scheduled until 1pm), her reply was "Sorry.  We've got plan in the morning".  SERIOUSLY?!?!  You were whining & crying about the hours, now you don't want any???  WTF!?

So, we have a staff meeting tomorrow after work.  I've got official stuff to go over, then we'll be talking about the schedules.  I'm going to add hours to them without putting it on the schedule.  My boss suggested the on call thing...I personally don't see the difference between having them "on call" and asking them to come in early on days they're scheduled 4 hours.  None of this makes sense.

I'm presuming that home office is attempting to get things under control this year for when the health care bill that was passed a few years ago actually goes into effect next year.  (you know, the one where employers HAVE to provide insurance to their workers??).  I get what they're trying to do.  I just don't like the way they're doing it.  Had they said "Starting in 2013, all salon managers need to be between 36-40 hours a week.  All other associates need to be at 30 hours or less" that would have been easier to swallow.  For me, one would have lost 8 hours, one 5 hours, and one would have had no change to her schedule.  This week, alone, I had 51 hours to split between 3 people.  Guess what that meant??  17 hour, MAXIMUM, between 3 people.  Hence, the tears from one stylist, and another stylist giving her some of their hours to help her out.

I can feel a new grey hair popping through, as we speak....sigh...