We can’t say no to extra passes – work

The problem often is that management has numbers from the top to call. It must be saved or only a certain amount of staff, regardless of whether it means that the head is missing. In the event of illness, the person is not always replaced. This means that you often fall behind in your daily work, which leads to stress.

-I have colleagues who feel very tired after work. They no longer have any energy for their free time, says Sophia Enlund, a security representative at Stora Coop Falkenberg.

Handel’s annual survey of safety representatives shows that more than a third, 36 percent, of stores and 15 percent of warehouses have persistent staffing shortages.

Higher workload

In workplaces without enough core staff, it is common for employees to have a higher workload, not have time to take breaks, work more overtime, and be called in on days off.

There is also less time to recover during the work day and employees receive less support from colleagues and managers.

This is how the store’s security representative responds: “It’s getting all the criticism. It has to be clocked in all the time, while the workload increases and the store consistently makes a profit. Departments rarely or never feel prepared and satisfied with their work. There are many moments when “It has to be overcome to achieve this.”

Vulnerable when someone gets sick

The vulnerabilities are greater in stores that are already understaffed if someone gets sick or has to wait. This is how another security guard at a department store responds.

“We are a small group of employees, so if one person gets sick, it becomes stressful, and if two people get sick, it becomes chaos. Everyone has to do extra shifts at the cash register, so the daily work with merchandise is delayed. This causes us to constantly fall behind in performing normal tasks.” Unfortunately, it leads to psychological stress and bad mood.

Staffing planning provides better scheduling

According to safety representatives, the solution to the problems is to use staffing planning included in collective agreements for store, warehouse and e-commerce employees.

Once a year, the employer must review employment in consultation with employees. The work environment and employees’ wishes must be taken into account.

But it doesn’t always work. Emily Lilja is a safety officer at Ica Kvantum Mirum in Norrköping.

– Staffing planning doesn’t work at all at my workplace now. It is noted that it affects the psychological work environment. It’s stressful and there are people who get called in on days off. They often feel forced to accept the required permits because they need the hours and money to make a living.

In many workplaces where planning is successful, it has resulted in improved core staffing, increased permanent hiring, and increased contract hours.

It can also provide more long-term planning, making life’s puzzle easier.

60 hours of vacancy in the schedule

Sophia Enlund, at Stora Coop Falkenberg, wishes employers would be more knowledgeable about recruitment planning.

– The club once revised a schedule where there were about 60 hours of vacancies in one month. With several consecutive days and long shifts to cover operations.

– They wanted to go ahead with such a schedule and at the same time said that there was no possibility of lifting the contracts. We were unable to agree to this timeline. Well-executed staffing planning resulted in many of my colleagues receiving additional contract hours.