The Spoiled Corporate Life

The timing on this blog is not ideal. I really should have started during my actual corporate to retail transition. As we stand now, I am 4.5 months in. Hindsight is certainly my friend at this point. There are things I realize I took for granted. Being the employee of a Fortune 500 business from the time you are are 18, you just get used to an employer and workplace providing certain things.

I am not necessarily talking about Health Care and Retirement. Those things I knew were going to go away, and I made plans beforehand accordingly. I am talking about the intangibles...

Having a desk! I used to relish that personal space. At several points it was an extension of my home office. Gone are the days of Domokun figurines and Frida Kahlo postcards adorning my little nook. Now I am lucky if I can get enough time and space in the back for my moleskin notebook. Spreading out my work, in my own designated area, with my iPod and cell phone charger handy? Ahhhhh Luxury!

Going home early! Well, really just schedule flexibility in general. This could easily encompass 'Coming in Late!' or 'Taking a Long Lunch!'. All of which are by and large things of the past. I have set schedule now and a store and staff that relies on me to be there. If I finish my tasks (which never happens, there is always more to do), I still need to make sure xyz employee gets their break, or be the person on the floor just in case it gets busy.

Work/Home Life Balance! Ok, so this is always a problem for me. Its just has a different twist. Now, when I am at work, I am at work. There are no phone calls to make appointments, chat with the Husband for a sec to plan dinner, check my personal email, etc. Oh no! The line is much more solid than it was before. I can adapt to this, but its been a rude awakening. Must remember to utilize 30 lunch break as much as possible.

Working with Professionals! It is my job to love and manage the employees. To get them to work to their fullest potential. I am probably struggling with this aspect of my role the most. With that said, I truly miss the days when I was among the ranks of professional, career minded individuals. People who are self motivated, and take pride in their jobs. I don't want to speak poorly of my staff, because I truly do think that they are the cream of the crop for this industry. Lets just say, I am no longer among peers and I am painfully aware of it.

Socializing at work! Goes hand in hand with above. Also has much to do with the fact that, I am just busier now. Believe it or not, I have more work to do now than I ever did before. I simply do not have time for 30 minutes of chit-chat with my work buddies. Plus, I am now 'The Boss' of sorts. To do that would set a bad example, and I can't have a free flowing dialogue with my employees. There has to be some separation there. Again, I find the struggle with the employee portion of my job. During my last career, I made what will probably be life long friends. We still make an effort to keep in touch. Here, if I walked away tomorrow, I know I would not see them again. That leaves me with a weird disconnected feeling, which I am still trying to reconcile.

All of the above should not indicate that I do not like my current gig or that I regret my choice for this big change. I promise to follow this up with a 'Things I love about working Retail'. There has definitely been some culture shock though. In big ways that I really didn't anticipate.