Having to wait for everyone's lifts after work

I think sometimes its the wait for cashing up. Remember working at a diner style restaurant that would take hrs to cash up. By the time it was your turn, last bus had often gone

I worked on a bar years ago. Sometimes I'd have a wait for my partner to pick me up. But often he was there waiting for me when I finished. I mainly worked with men at the time. Not one of those men I worked with ever let me stand outside by myself. Even if I said I was fine. They always waited until they knew I was safe before they would leave me. Yes these young women need to organise their lifts better. But I can not imagine leaving a young woman to wait late at night.

I agree with all the posts to go when you need to. The two girls can wait together and whichever parent shows up can wait with the other. The girls are adults, earning money and living at home. If they can’t wait for their parents they need to splash out for a cab.

I would also let your owner/manager know the update.

Hope it works out. Good luck!

I don't think the OP should open up any discussion with the parents. The wait staff are adults and it's for them to speak to their parents.

I’d consider waiting outside and telling their parents I wasn’t going to do this anymore, that I gave their children notice enough to get their lift on time and I’d be going home in the future.

I’m the parent in this scenario. My DD is an apprentice hairdresser and works till 9pm one night a week. She has the same issues with this time being fluid. I arrive on time (unless she gets a chance to shoot me a quick text saying a revised finish time) and I wait. The longest I have waited has been 50 minutes. Yeah it’s not the greatest but I take a book and do life admin on my phone while I wait. She always tries to let me know what time she thinks she will be done

The salon she is working at is a great place for her, they treat her well and give extra training. I also know it’s not her fault if she can’t get out on time.

However her dad is not so understanding and will get really cross if he is left waiting. Maybe your staff have this scenario. Even if they do, it’s still something that they need to resolve.

You can be sympathetic and acknowledge that it’s not easy but that doesn’t mean you have to wait with them.

I'd give them a warning a day or two in advance that you'll no longer be able to wait with them. They can tell their parents to get there by X time (even if that means the parents have to wait in the car a few minutes), arrange some other solution, or just wait on their own. It's not your responsibility, and this is not a good job for them if they don't feel safe waiting outside for their lifts.

That just isn’t how pubs work.

When I worked in pubs in my 20’s, if you were working the evening shift, then the cleaning and closedown has to be done before you can go home. Some days that can take a bit longer depending on how busy the pub has been.

Bar staff would sign in and out and get paid for the hours worked. Management however were usually salaried and therefore couldn’t ‘charge’ for extra hours worked - that was just part of the job.

They're adult women, not girls.

I think you need to look at it the other way. If their parents pick them up and know they finish at about 11pm, why do you care enough to be there and they don't? I'm not judging the parents, hut they are over 18, old enough to work and judge when to ring for a lift.

Wait with them next time and speak to the parents collecting them! Ask them to come earlier as you’re no longer willing to wait but do t think 2 girls should be left waiting alone. They’re the parents responsibility… but I wouldn’t leave them either

The fairest thing I can think to do, for them AND for you, is to tell them at the beginning of the next work week, "I can only continue to stay with you until the end of the week. Next week, I'll be locking up and leaving, so be sure to sort out your rides home by then." Surely, if they are old enough to work in a pub, they are old enough to do that!

Tell them at that start of their shift that you have somewhere to be by x time from now on and cannot wait. If they don't comply, apologise and leave them outside. They are taking the piss.

Most licensed premises only have a couple of keyholders, you can't just let anyone have a key.

Not really seeing why there's a problem with times? Their shifts surely finish at a set time? Why do they have to call parents to let them know what time to collect them?

I think, if not in place, you need to agree a set finish and depart time, with parents waiting outside.

If the pub is not tidy and prepared for the next day, at that time, you either all go home, or you alone finish tidying and charge for your time.

But you need to throw this one back at your manager to sort it out. I'm assuming you work for a chain, which also has an HR department?

19 year old girls after hours could be vulnerable. I wouldn’t like to think of one of them being on their own when the other one gets picked up.

I would ask them to ask their parents to be there by a certain time though.

I worked in pubs for years in my 20’s, so I understand that you finish once all the cleaning/closedown has been done and not at a set time.

The solution is that you tell them they MUST ring their lifts when you give them the 30 minutes left heads up.
And if they don’t ring their lifts you will NOT be waiting inside with them. You’ll be locking up and they’ll have to wait outside. End of story.

And if the pushy girl, who like’s to emotionally blackmail you into waiting inside with her, kicks up her usual fuss because she hasn’t called her parents for her lift like you reminded her to. Then you inform her that if she had called her parents when you reminded her to, then she wouldn’t be waiting outside. So lesson learnt for her future shifts.

Call parents for a lift when given the 30 mins heads up to finishing to ensure no waiting outside, OR wait outside on your own. Those are the only options.

And then make sure you follow through with it.

Actions have consequences. Don’t call your lift when told to = waiting outside on your own.

i would leave when you’re ready. They will soon get themselves sorted

Just re-read you get a taxi. So even better, the taxi is picking your daughter/husband/partner up on the way home, and you can't be late.

I am sure these same 19 year olds will be out clubbing and going home at all times of the night without you having to be there to babysit them. Tell them to wait together as you are going.

One in particular has been very vocal about not feeling safe waiting outside, the last time I really pushed and said I need to lock and go she looked really worried and started talking about different scenarios and safety issues etc.

Then she needs to find a new job. You're not a babysitter and they aren't babies. Stop it right now.

They know you get a taxi home so why they hell can’t they? Please don’t cross your fingers and wait for it to resolve itself, they’ll work out a solution the first time you leave right after your shift without waiting.

Stop babying women old enough to have left school and had children unless you are their actual parent.

If their own parent can't be arsed to turn up when they finish, that is between their parent and the adult woman in question.

It's not your problem.

They knew where they were trying to get a job when they applied and it's down to them to organise getting there and back.

Do you have any children, and could make the excuse that you are picking them up, or even invent someone that you have to pick up?

And likewise, they can't be left standing outside alone, so you have to leave sharpish!

Ah, just seen it's all sorted out. Send the rotas to @MorningSunshineSparkles, she will come and wait with them every night. After all, nobody would suggest someone spend their precious time if they weren't willing to do it themselves.