Do I need to lump it? Or is my job taking the piss?

[JokersToTheLeftOfMeClownsToTheRight]

Just feeling really down about work - and wanted to get some advice!
After a degree and good-ish career, I didn't work for a long time while I had kids. As a way of getting back into work, I have recently taken on a job as the Manager of our village community shop. I was told it would be 8-2pm, 3 days a week (I also work somewhere else the other 2 days and have three kids, and my husband works away from home during the week - so I am busy!).
I am being paid minimum wage - and yet I am doing everything. All accounts, ordering, managing around 30 volunteers, managing two paid staff. I get called all the time on my days off to sort out problems (including during the lunch break of my other job) . And there is no one else in charge - so I feel the weight of the responsibility of making sure everything runs ok.
I was happy to take a minimum wage job (even though money is tight) - because I thought it would fit around my kids. BUT it is the opposite. I am working way over my hours. This week I had to leave my kid home alone while off school sick (not anything bad!) because I had too much to do at work. And I am leaving my kids to go in once a week in the evening from 7-9pm to cash up. And often in again at 6am before the kids are up. As there is just too much work to do! Plus I never finish until 3 / 4pm.
I am waking in the night, and early mornings - feeling stressed out. All the volunteers are lovely, and very supportive. But one of the other assistant manager (old man, been there for years, doesn't like change) is being really difficult - and making things unpleasant.
So my dilemma... Do I put up with this, because it will look good on my CV? I do need the money! Am I being too sensitive? Are all jobs hard work - and I just need to get on with it? Or is this a crazy amount of stress for a minimum wage job?
They do pay me for the extra hours I do - but that doesn't really compensate for the (unexpected) time I am loosing with my family while at work.
Sorry for such a long, boring post. But I am feeling very emotional, and in need of impartial advice. So please be kind!!

Why aren’t you simply working your hours and leaving whatever isn’t done?

They’re taking the piss. I would be looking for a new job.

As manager your duties sound normal. What's not normal is the expectation that you're constantly expected to work over and above your contracted hours. The being on call is a piss take. Can your 2 day a week job up your hours?

You get paid for your extra hours so they are not taking the piss.
if your not happy, tell your employer you are only willing to work your std contracted hours.
i could understand your frustration if they were not paying you for these extra hours but they are?

You deserve better than this. Find something else. I wouldn’t want your life though! 3 kids, husband working away, money tight. Perhaps you could reconsider your life choices ( obvs you can send the kids back!) to create a nicer life for you.

Just stop doing it all

if you left they’d have to cope

I ask myself the same question!! But if I left on time - none of the suppliers would be paid. None of the orders would be done - so we would have no stock. And the volunteer rotas wouldn't be done etc etc. All essential things. And there is no one else to do it. It is a village community shop - where most people aren't paid at all, so I suppose I feel guilty if it doesn't run properly!

I think a meeting with all the staff is needed.
That's unsustainable.

I think the key here is the 'manager' aspect. You are not just a till worker like the others, you are meant to manage. That should not be a min wage job IMO but ...

So the only way all that fits into 8 - 2 3x week is if you are putting people on the rota to work the till during those hours whilst you do the managing tasks. Can you rota the volunteers to cover those hours?

Can you fit all the stock ordering and book keeping into those hours? Can you appoint someone as assistant manager to cope with the staffing issues and to do the cash-out?

I had a long meeting yesterday. Unfortunately one of the assistant manager sis very difficult. Very passive aggressive. Says he wants to help, and then questions everything I do. It is majorly adding to the stress!

Volunteers can be an absolute nightmare
given the setup tbh I would expect some of what you’ve said
you sound as though it’s early days and you need to get done system and process in place to get it running smoothly
with 30 volunteers I would expect to be hands off and all your hours should planning and managing

If you can afford to, I’d jack it in and let them drown.

Good luck with that if they are volunteers. They won’t do anything extra - I know a charity shop manager who had s similar problem

Look for a new job. You've tried to make changes and it hasn't worked. You need more volunteers so the time you have is used for management duties.

I agree with this - you shouldn't be spending any time on the shop floor by the sounds of it.

I’m not sure to whom you report ie who hired you and pays your salary and approves the overtime. Forgive my ignorance, I’ve never heard of a “community shop” before.

Could you contact that person about the difficult assistant manager? It might be time for him to be let go in a respectful way.

I think that if he can’t be removed from the equation, you’ll probably need to find another p/t role. He will be a constant stumbling block to improvements that could make your role easier.

Do up a diary report of the hours you’ve done, set up a meeting with whoever approved the overtime, and say this is a full time role requiring x hours. If they’ve a budget for the overtime pay, surely the job needs have scope to be reexamined to expand out the hours.

It’s also very unacceptable to working min wage. I’ve worked many roles in retail charity or not that’s not ok

If you are getting paid minimum wage as a manager. How much is the assistant getting paid?

That’s not how managing a shop works.

Then they need to pay the manager more than NMW

Who is your employer? Is it a larger charity? Is it a business?

You really just need to only work your contracted hours. Tell your employer that they need to allow you an extra person to help with the tasks that are taking you over your hours.

I'd also question what the assistant manager and other lower staff are paid if manager is on min wage?

But it can be. Its managing a shop on minimum wage! She isnt doing emergency heart surgery. They are taking the absolute piss and the only reason they do it is because people accept it as normal, its not! If they want management/salary behaviour they need to pay for it.
'Boss, I have noticed im regularly working well above my hours to get everything done, and i wanted to talk to you about it as i have commitments outside of work which means i cant do this. I have had a look at how long it takes to do everything, and thats XX hours and I only work X. Can we talk about what I need to prioritise and who can start doing the cashing up once a week as thats also outside my hours'

You need to set yourself some boundaries.

I've experienced this. It's a horrible no win situation. Just about everyone else involved will be volunteers "giving up their precious time for the good of the community". The OP and the other 2 paid staff will be viewed as benefitting financially and therefore should be grateful for the pittance they receive.

Some of the volunteers will be fantastic. Do a great job, turn up when they say they will, step in when there's a crisis. Most won't take it seriously, make a half hearted contribution, and cry off at the drop of a hat. Leaving the paid staff to step in.

It will likely be run by a committee. No real boss to complain or appeal to. Expectations will be high that OP will dedicate all her time and efforts to making this worthy enterprise a success. Unlikely there will be any real recognition.

Run, OP! (I'm aware I may sound bitter! Been there, done that, wore the teeshirt. Relocated to escape!)

Just stop. Work your hours. If suppliers don't get paid, they don't get paid. No one is indispensable. Really.