Thread: Motivation is a funny thing.

I was just wondering if any one else worked at BLOCKBUSTER and how you feel about your job, whats changed over the last year... heres my account:

From June, 2008, until February, I loved my job. I hate sales, I shouldn't be working there, but I loved the people who worked there, and felt like I might actually be able to help improve some peoples days by allowing the a good experience in my store. I feltas though I had a possibility of being appreciated for my work. A possibility which I never really had, but I felt like I did have.(promised bonuses/raises which didn't happen for any given reason, I'd expect is ti was me that the reason would be poor workmanship or something straight forward at least) However, in February, all our sales were taken away, I felt like a monkey out of crap to throw at my spectators(except I had to be trained to do so in the first place, thanks BB!). This is the point that all the blockbuster employees had their jobs threatened the first time. Since then, we have programs to sell to show how good we are at selling stuff(not how much effort is put into work), but our jobs have continually been put on the line(so they say) as a form of motivation. Throughout march, we were told that if we didn't make sales we would have to be let go, I didn't change anything, I did what I could to make sales where I could while still being a productive employee. In April, we were threatened that if we weren't perfect employees we would be fired, i mean if we faced one bill the wrong way or if our tills were off by the smallest amount or anything they could find. I asked my assistant manager what the hell they were thinking(he's not happy either) and he told me, "Our regional directer reasoned it like this,"If we told our employees they would be paid $1000 to do something but if they didn't do it they'd have to pay us $1000 they would do it."" I quickly replied, "I'd quit." which as I dont get crap for hours anyways I'm not worried about saying. My store manager also told a manager on duty(below assistant), "If you guys don't do good, I lose out on my bonus."

I really feel like this is the absolutely worst way of trying to motivate a work force, I'm quitting for sure because reasoning that unsound is just bad eggs. I really dont feel like part of a team anymore, I just feel like a bunch of my friends and I are no longer appreciated, but instead unwanted, so I'm doing them a favor and leaving... Talking around, so is everyone else except the store manager.


edit - misconceptions

Originally Posted by TehSpaz

Ask your manager if that's really the best way to motivate sales for his personal gain.....
Don't forget, without you workers making the sales, he gets in trouble........maybe go above his head?

I know we've complained to the director (whose above our general manager) when we've had problems....

Our manager doesn't SEEM to be interested in anything but personal gain, hes that guy at work who got hired and never really"got it" but this one never quit like they usually do... Our regional director, and until we go international wont work either... I'm going to confront my store manager directly before quitting... I just don't think I should work for a company that has the potential to come to this point...

Now is olive garden franchised or corporate? Regardless, congrats on your success however, sounds like your part of a team and actually receive some form of recognition for your work.

-sleepy

I worked at Blockbuster Video from december 95 to december 96. Boy are things different now....

Such is the way of jobs like that. Back in my younger days, I worked at one time or another Braum's, Pizza Hut, and Domino's.
Considering that the store management at these places are always people who never understood that these kinds of jobs are jobs and not careers, no story of mismanagement is surprising. In fact, I would say that good management is the exception, not the rule based on my experiences.
Best advice:
Do not be one of those that mistakes a job for a career.

i Feel your pain at my last job we got a new manager in and he was a tool like your describing; apparently he had been a big wig manager at a target before coming to work for us.... he kept asking me to work over time but that it would be off the clock....the first few times i begged of because i had things to do. but finally he asked and i said "sure so your going to pay me in cash then?" he laughed and said no i just need you to work for free off the clock to get these projects done and not increase my payroll. I just laughed and said no he pulled the your not being a team player card i laughed again and said i am only a team member when I'm getting paid. he threatened to fire me so i said I was looking for a job when i found this one and I'll be a lot richer if you do.

he left me alone after that and we actually ended up getting along but i know he had employees working for free who were to scared for what ever their reasons to sand up to him.

like gumby said their is a difference between a job and a career.

Originally Posted by ATEXANnHISGUN

like gumby said their is a difference between a job and a career.

Yea, I'm not worried about losing this one, I just think that regardless of who you are or how much you're paid, your job shouldn't be threatened if you're working as part of a team and getting it done.

I really can't wait to become an instructor teaching people how to fly helicopters. It has been nothing but a positive experience to learn, I really wish to pass that on.