To be really worried about the upcoming summer period?

[FedupofbeingtoldIcantusemyname]

I work in a catering business which is fairly consistant year round but since we live in a touristy area gets significantly busier during the school holidays, particularly the summer months.

I was chatting with the manager about hiring more staff as I suspect we will struggle without. She was hinting that they might not hire any extra staff and just give current staff more hours but I am really worried that the workload will just be too much without the extra staff. I know that 2 other members of staff are planning to either reduce their hours or leave because they are finding it too much, meaning that there will be even more work for me to do.

Aibu to be worried? It has been suggested that I just leave and get another job but I'm very reluctant to do that as this job is very well suited to me in terms of hours - I'm a full time student so it is very hard to find work that fits around my studies that doesn't involve working every evening or weekend. Should I just stick it out and deal with it?

Don't leave, but don't flog yourself half to death either.

I've worked in catering, so I get it, but honestly and truly there is no point getting stressed and trying to rush. Work at your normal pace - customers who are waiting too long will either complain or vote with their feet.

If they complain you need to calmly point out to your manager that you are doing two/three peoples jobs and if they vote with their feet you won't need to!

You have done your best and tried to advise your manager - not your problem they haven't listened. You can only do what you can do, and probably not for a huge amount of money. Good luck, you have my full sympathy.

You can have a team meeting I suppose; suggest having a few zero hours staff for the summer, or whatever suits. But ultimately just do what you can do, don't break your neck, just work hard then when your manager starts stressing and shouting, you can hold your head up high.

Thanks cat

It is very hard work, minimum wage and you are absolutely right in that I'm doing 2/3 people's jobs simultaneously. The comments we have had have been overwhelmingly positive but it only takes one or two people to be slightly negative and the managers start getting upset. I think in their minds if the food is taking too long the problem is I'm/we're not working hard/fast enough rather than we are understaffed. I understand it is their business and they are very passionate about it, and they don't have unlimited money to pay staff but it slightly irked me when the implication seemed to be that they would rather the current staff worked twice as hard rather than pay extra staff to ease the load.

Unfortunately that's pretty much par for the course in catering, especially small independents.