Working dumb hours

I work in health and wellness for the largest retailer in the world. I love my job, but there are so many things I don’t understand.

Management is always on us about making money (which I understand), but no matter what we do, it is never enough. We reside in a depressed area and really do quite well for where we live.

With all the pressure management puts on us about sales and eliminating waste, our district manager demands that we work such wasteful hours. We are at the office until 8 in the evening even though no one comes in that late. I keep looking for something to do. We work from 12 to 5 on Sundays, and usually there are no customers — just people walking by asking, “Why are you working on a Sunday?” On Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and other holidays, we work from 9 to 6. It is not unusual to have customers who are on vacation and want trial contact lenses because theirs are ripped or lost. When we can’t give them what they want (we need a doctor’s permission to give out contacts), they become irate. Sometimes it gets intense. This is pretty much how the day goes — dealing with irate customers and getting no sales.

What can we do to let members of management know there are better ways to treat their employees and still save money? They simply will not listen. It’s typical top-down management. Things are good for those who are on top but frustrating for those who aren’t so far up the ladder. — Love My Job but Just

Don’t Understand

Many companies today have wised up to the value of employee feedback and started conducting periodic reviews. If your employer does, take the opportunity to share your insights. Focus on what the company stands to gain by cutting back during low-traffic hours. Your case will be more convincing if you can offer some concrete examples — so the next time you’re working one of these shifts, take notes on sales, staffing, etc. Because it’s such a huge retailer with stores nationwide, there may be blanket policies that your managers have to follow even if they don’t make much sense at your location. But it’s worth at least proffering your two cents.

If management brushes you off and things continue not to change, it might be time to channel your frustration into filling out some job applications — preferably with smaller companies, where you might be able to play a bigger role.

While shopping at our local grocery, I overheard an elderly woman complaining that the new digital coupons limit her from getting the reduced price. She does not have a smartphone with which to pull up the coupons, nor does she know how to use a computer. She expressed that this is unfair to older people (many of whom really need the reduced prices) who would like to be able to participate in this program. I wonder whether any of the companies that have gone digital have considered this problem.

— Digital Age Discrimination

A smartphone isn’t always necessary, as many companies allow customers to download and print coupons from their websites — but that still presents a frustrating obstacle for seniors who aren’t familiar with using a computer or don’t have access to one. Rather than give up, I would encourage anyone in this boat to call the Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116) to find a class for people new to technology.

“Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie” is out now! Annie Lane’s debut book — featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www. creatorspublishing.com for more information.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis 3 Actress Poehler 30 Ron Darling or 45 “Dagnabbit!” and singer Tom Seaver 48 Absence Grant 34 To be, to Livy 49 Splashy style 4 Birds with 36 De __: actual 50 Axis dictator who eyelike spots 37 Campfire remnant ordered the Pearl on their tails 38 Represented Harbor attack 5 Youngest-ever 40 Some “Iliad” 51 Little rascals Best Supporting warriors 52 “Julie & Julia” Actor Oscar 41 Utterly absurd director Ephron winner Hutton 43 Left open, as a 53 Grain tower 6 Lube shop door 56 Flight board

container 44 Indian political abbr. 7 D-Day beach family 57 “Just like I said!” 8 Hebrides isle 9 NASA’s __

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type 26 V-shaped cut 27 Football’s “Iron

Mike” 28 Place for a

waxing 29 Prefix with frost

ACROSS 1 Learn to fit in 6 “Sí,” on the Seine 9 Nasser of Egypt 14 Oscar winner

Marisa 15 “What was __

expect?” 16 Martini garnish 17 “The Sixth Sense” writer/director M. Night __ 19 “Mack the Knife”

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with Dewar’s 22 Spanish “other” 23 Acorn producer 24 Live frugally 31 What truants

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problems 62 Stockholm airline 63 Wear away

DOWN 1 @ signs 2 “I am so stupid!”