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My bosses just got an object lesson in what happens if you insist your people do things without thinking of the consequences. The store was very busy last night. I came in and the girl working service desk was upset because she'd been swamped, there had been no one available to send out to get carts, and it was about to rain (and it was predicted that the rain was going to last the rest of the night). Being the nice person I am, I volunteered. By the time I was able to get free from a register and go, most of the carts were outside, and it was raining steadily. I donned a plastic rain poncho and took off. After getting about 80% of them in, I was soaked through to the knees, and very hot. I came in, got back on a register without getting a drink or anything, because we were swamped again. About half an hour later, they sent me on break. I took two sips of diet Dr Pepper, ate a few chips, and visited the facilities. About the time I got back up front, I started feeling really, really bad. Dizzy, clammy, lightheaded. Told the Service Desk girl I needed to sit down, and the next thing I know, I'm on the floor and they've called an ambulance. Diagnosis? Dehydration and heat exhaustion from getting carts with a plastic poncho on that kept my body from doing what it is designed to do, ie: sweat evaporating to cool you off. Also not being allowed to have water or anything to drink available up front.
After an (expensive) ride the ER, where they tried (and failed, twice) to start an IV to get some liquid in me, the ER nurses agreed with my diagnosis and sent me home with orders to drink water and sports drinks until I felt like I was going to float away.
Today I had to go in to fill out an "accident" report, and go have a drug test. I talked to the assistant manager and pointed out that it might be a good idea to allow us to have drinks (with lids!) at our registers. She agreed, but told me she has to go through about six levels of higher management to get that to happen. Argh.
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