# Coworker told me that everyone thinks I'm too shy/quiet



## AndreaXo (Mar 22, 2014)

Well, last night I was texting a coworker of mines and during our conversation, I brought up how my manager got upset at me for not upselling certain products enough ( I work in fast food ). He started telling me that I need to be louder because everyone there thinks I'm too shy and quiet. He also told me that I need to greet the customers ( I do ) and ask how they are ( I'm always doing that as well ) and that my coworkers said that they don't like how I just stand around. I don't understand though. If I'm not taking orders at the drive thru, I'm taking orders from customers that come inside the lobby. If I'm not doing that, I'm restocking everything (cups, sauce, untensils, etc. ) and making my workplace clean & presentable. If i'm not doing that, I'm in the lobby of the restaurant wiping off the tables, sweeping the floor, taking out all of the garbage if they get full and making sure everything is well stocked there. If I'm not doing that, I'm in the back dishwashing and cleaning all of the trays the customers use. If I'm not doing that, I'm in the kitchen sweeping the floor because that always gets dirty as the line cooks are always spilling food on the ground. The only time I'm actually standing around is if i am at the drive thru waiting for the cooks to prepare the food so that I can hand it to the customer as well as make sure everything is there (as the cooks sometimes hand me the wrong order or forget to prepare one of the items). 
This makes me upset because I feel that I am being proactive at work. I rarely have time to converse with a coworker briefly as there is always something there that needs to be done. Apparently though, my coworkers have time to stand around and gossip about me. One of my coworkers had even told me the other day that all of the guys there are always talking about me. 
What?
The only time I'm not doing anything is during my 10 minute break. It just makes me so mad that they say I'm not doing anything when in fact I am doing everything required for my position there. I don't know why I am treated this way. I'm thinking it's because of my shy/quiet demeanor but idk...
How do I deal with this? I felt so bad last night after he told me this.


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## hazelblue (Jun 6, 2012)

I have the same experience of fast food and two faced co-workers whose criticism makes no sense. My only advice is to move from that business (to better things).


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## dgodfrey (Oct 11, 2013)

It's always terrible to have to go through that. So many of us with SA have to experience social alienation by our peers just because we're quiet and isolating.

It's not enough that you did all the work but your bully of a boss has to talk to you as if he knows that you haven't been doing your work when he obviously doesn't given your testimony here. Trust me, he gets better after this. You must have to keep mucking through.


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## itsjustin (Oct 21, 2011)

They're probably saying that to make it look like they're the ones with their hands full; deserving of all respect and credit.

It's always the ones who do nothing that accuse others of doing that exact thing.


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## Nothing123 (Oct 3, 2014)

LOL. Sorry, im laughing AT you. I'm just like wow, cos thats exactly whats happens to me too! Like i could've wrote this thread myself :/

Yeah i get that **** even now working in retail but i also dealt with it in hospitality too. It's like... strange. Cos i NEVER stood around and did nothing. 

But i used to see everyone else had time to chat, but as soon as i open my mouth (somehow i dnt know, and this applies to now as well as in the past) i get told to be quiet???? lol so. I just stopped talking so i could stay out of trouble.. sigh. 

Cant win, bro.

Sorry to hear that ur going thru same struggles.


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## Nothing123 (Oct 3, 2014)

Ps i love ur avatar dp haha ^^ fat unicorn on his back. hahaha >.< did he eat too much cake?


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## yellowpages (May 16, 2012)

God, your coworkers sound so annoying. I used to work at McDonald's part time on the weekends, and I despised it. Unlike you, however, I often did do a lot of "standing around". Not because I was lazy, of course, but because there was often very little to do, especially on Sundays. No one ever gave me any hassle for this, though.

If people are talking trash about you behind your back, you speak up about it. Don't let people walk over you.


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## slowlyimproving (Jan 2, 2014)

AndreaXo said:


> Well, last night I was texting a coworker of mines and during our conversation, I brought up how my manager got upset at me for not upselling certain products enough ( I work in fast food ). He started telling me that I need to be louder because everyone there thinks I'm too shy and quiet. He also told me that I need to greet the customers ( I do ) and ask how they are ( I'm always doing that as well ) and that my coworkers said that they don't like how I just stand around. I don't understand though. If I'm not taking orders at the drive thru, I'm taking orders from customers that come inside the lobby. If I'm not doing that, I'm restocking everything (cups, sauce, untensils, etc. ) and making my workplace clean & presentable. If i'm not doing that, I'm in the lobby of the restaurant wiping off the tables, sweeping the floor, taking out all of the garbage if they get full and making sure everything is well stocked there. If I'm not doing that, I'm in the back dishwashing and cleaning all of the trays the customers use. If I'm not doing that, I'm in the kitchen sweeping the floor because that always gets dirty as the line cooks are always spilling food on the ground. The only time I'm actually standing around is if i am at the drive thru waiting for the cooks to prepare the food so that I can hand it to the customer as well as make sure everything is there (as the cooks sometimes hand me the wrong order or forget to prepare one of the items).
> This makes me upset because I feel that I am being proactive at work. I rarely have time to converse with a coworker briefly as there is always something there that needs to be done. Apparently though, my coworkers have time to stand around and gossip about me. One of my coworkers had even told me the other day that all of the guys there are always talking about me.
> What?
> The only time I'm not doing anything is during my 10 minute break. It just makes me so mad that they say I'm not doing anything when in fact I am doing everything required for my position there. I don't know why I am treated this way. I'm thinking it's because of my shy/quiet demeanor but idk...
> How do I deal with this? I felt so bad last night after he told me this.


You sound like a great worker!! I've worked jobs like this before, you have to deal with so many insecure idiots. Often times these type will just make stuff up. Just continue doing your job. Don't take it personal, they'll never change nor can you really ever make them happy.


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## ScorchedEarth (Jul 12, 2014)

Sounds like they think what they do because you don't go out of your way to whine and brag about the work you do. Screw'em, you sound like a diligent worker and shouldn't change anything just to get approval.


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

itsjustin said:


> They're probably saying that to make it look like they're the ones with their hands full; deserving of all respect and credit.
> 
> It's always the ones who do nothing that accuse others of doing that exact thing.


Yes, this is true.

OP, I think you need to point out all the good things you are doing next time they start accusing you.


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## Swagonite (Jun 24, 2014)

they probably are just jealous that you are working so hard and they are trying to get under your skin so just kill them with kindness because for an Alpha like yourself there is no point in wasting your time with meager beta peasants and go in do your job then leave. Make dat donald trump money!


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## pork (Sep 4, 2011)

You have to understand that fast food brings in the worst employees; they're either college students or older adults that have made such poor decisions in their lives that they have to work for minimum wage. 

Just ignore your coworkers because chances are, they live ****ty lives and have all sorts of problems which is why they take out it out on you.


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## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

In places where extroverted communication is prized, people will grossly underestimate how productive you are if you're quiet. Don't be afraid to defend yourself and to give others examples of how productive you are (just don't put down others in the process, i.e. by pointing out colleagues who stand around chatting. It will just make life harder for you). If you're willing to defend yourself and you do it the right way people might respect you a bit more and back off.


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## GroupTherapy (Feb 24, 2014)

I can relate. I/we just want to do our job and not be judged. But even when we do that, people still seem to find a way to ridicule us. Work can be so cliquey its disgusting.


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## ctbooty (Feb 1, 2015)

people have told me my whole life that i'm too quite and shy. I hate it. I've found that so many people think that you can just get over it. It's not that easy for people like us. So many people think I'm being rude or a ***** but that's not my intention at all. We can't help what we are. There needs to be more awareness


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## andy0128 (Dec 19, 2003)

Just say it's part of your nature, but at the same time you bring a lot to the company in doing the things you describe above.


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## buutenks (Mar 15, 2012)

Ive never worked in fast foods,god forbid i ever do cos id prefer to kill myself or starve to death.But first thing u need to do when u get a new job is chat with the coworkers,talk a little ask how they are how stuff goes etc.Do that first few days and u r gold.No one will say u are quite etc and people will like u.After the initial phase of chatting u can just stop talking and do your job,since they will think u r concentrated on your work.So first thing u go to work go chat a little.


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