I’ve shopped at Fry’s for years. They have good prices, pretty fresh fruit, and the store is clean. But for the last several months, I’ve been noticing the cashiers are really stressed. There seems to be some timing system which is micromanaging the checkout line wait times, and imposing consequences on workers who are seconds behind expectation. The other day a label was stuck over the bar code on some tortillas, and the guy behind the counter was just sweating trying to get it to scan. Who needs that kind of stress?

Apparently this is some sort of pilot project to reduce wait times. Now I don’t care for waiting in line, but I don’t think the cashiers were slacking off before. This seems to me an example of central management run amuck – the people on the floor have no control over their own environment, but are being managed by numbers. Let the stores be judged on a store level and let the local management decide how and whether to use the timers. Give people tools, don’t put them on leashes.

Here’s an open letter to Fry’s/Kroger management, feel free to add your comments.