As a parent in Hopkins County I could do nothing when my teen started talking about an incident at her Fast Food Restaurant job. Here is the Reader’s Digest Version: She was yelled at and humiliated in front of the entire team and a few customers. My daughter is old enough to face these things on her own. I can not simply call and chew out her manager. I sincerely hope she wouldn’t want me to. My wife and I can only listen and offer a some advice. We let her know we too have faced similar situations in our jobs.
I have never worked in the Fast Food Industry. Based on what my teen has reported about the conditions at various establishments, and the way she has been treated, I consider myself very lucky. See McJob.
These work place nightmares are not limited to Fast Food. Another teen friend of the family, employed at a grocery store, talks about being threatened with physical violence if work is not done correctly and on time. Not the “I was just kidding” kinda threat, a threat that is followed with “…and I’ll do it and no one will believe you because you are just a kid.” kind of threat.
Teens can be hard to motivate, I can attest to this first hand. Before I call these managers ‘Evil Overlords’, perhaps they were treated in a similar manor. It could be all they know. I doubt there is corporate training that provides these motivational techniques. It’s probably part of the ‘Fast Food Management’ culture. It’s a supply and demand situation. Demand for these jobs are high (many teens looking for a job), and businesses can ‘fire and hire’ as needed.
I am desperately hoping that these negative experiences will serve to motivate my daughter. I remind her that college awaits and I hope to provide her with options when it comes to choosing a career. College may not be for everyone, but post high school training should always be on the table. Nothing is worse than working at a job you hate.
