siren has a hold on me
hello, 370 SSV here! i recently became a SSV a couple months ago and safe to say, i really regret the decision. this job is running me to my brim, and my doctor and therapist say i need to either stand up for myself, or find a new job. my manager takes advantage of another SSV and i because, though it is kinda our fault; we have the inability to say "no".
my manager has taken three vacations this summer and has been off the floor every time she works. she complains when she is on the floor, or if we are really busy and need support, she will just sit there and watch and tell you "you can come grab me, but i really don't want to be on the floor".
my first week as an SSV i had to both find coverage for and handle a barista that quit because my manager was on vacation. i've had to skip lunches because we are understaffed, and our DM wants to cut labor by 11 hours. i get told tasks are done, and when i look, i always pick up the slack. my manager leaves early, and puts all of her tasks on me to do. i had to run a two person peak. the list goes on and on. when i have an issue, my manager tells me to handle it myself, for instance i was struggling with another SSV telling me rotations were done and then i'd look, and they wouldn't be. my manager told me i need to coach him instead of her since she'll be on vacation.
all of our baristas are burnt out and call out almost every day. i had to call out yesterday because i went to the dr and my BP was so high from stress. i feel like the backbone of our store and i'm doing things that my manager should do and am working 2-3 hours over the time i'm scheduled. i leave notes all the time about bad closes because something always happens (our rtde case broke on me mid lunch, so i had to throw everything out and not take my lunch and it is still broken). i'm just really tired, as are all of the other baristas. i've urged my manager to have a store meeting with everyone, but it falls on deaf ears. she never says anything about the constant notes i leave. i'm really done at this point.
Posted Jul 18, 2026, 11:43 AM UTC