Final Thoughts On The Cup

As I sit here after my final shift at The Cup, I feel the need to pass on some wisdom to any employees who will come after me. Take my advice with a grain of salt though, since all this knowledge didn't make my time there any better. I still had a crappy summer, and feel it is the coffee shop student job equivalent of hell. But here are some things I have learned about working there, and dealing with The Owner:
**Do not get taken advantage of. Learn your rights and use the Labour laws to your advantage. This includes: shift length, breaks, time between shifts, sexual harassment, wrongful dismissal, vacation pay, etc. This is a good site "www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/index.html"
**If you are scheduled for a shift that is against your given availability, do not work it. Also, don't feel responsible to find your own replacement, explain the error, and that The Owner should correct it.
**Book off time, on the calendar, well in advance
**Be nice to customers at all cost. Don't take them too seriously.
**Do not wander around town constantly in your uniform, no matter how tempting simplifing your wardrob down to one black shirt and sweat pants may seem.
**Get to know your co-workers. Have fun with them on your shifts. Look out for each other, and work as a team. Play games. Learn what they like and don't like to do so you can work together.
**In terms of food and drink, when in doubt, pay. If you are paying, print out a receipt, put it in the cash, and sign it. The Owner sometimes likes to get accusatory.
**Come to work early. Be at the line, in uniform, at least 10mins before your shift. This helps with communication at shift change.
**If something goes wrong and it in anyway can be blamed on The Owner, do so. He barely takes responsibility for the business or his errors.
**Keep the smokers on the patio in their proper section.
**Change the grinds garbage often.
**Wear comfortable shoes.
**Do not take anymore responsibility, holding a key, opening and closing are enough. Any mention of management, leadership, scheduling, training, or ordering decline immediately, it is not worth the time and hassle.
**Above all, enjoy yourself and don't take make the job personal!