What should I do? r.o

[Hawkeye]

OK before I go further I gotta explain this:
Manager: Brent
Department Head, Head Cashier: Candy
Head Cashier: Adam
Head Cashier: Brenda
Cashier: Jessie (a girl)
Cashier: Pattie

OK This is what happened:

I was asked to go down to the main line and watch self checkout and I did and I saw 2 head cashiers (Candy & Adam) and one regular cashier (Pattie) and one manager (Brent) they were all talking about how this other cashier (Jessie) was really rude to the other and started saying bad things about her to another Head Cashier (Brenda)

Basically what happened was Jessie came in wanted to be at returns Adam said sorry but we have you in Garden today, Jessie said she wanted to be at Returns again because Brenda always let her be at returns, and Adam said, well you're out in Garden today because Pattie is at Returns. Well that didn't sit well and then when Brenda came in Jessie comes over and starts talking about Pattie badly where Pattie could hear it.

Pattie has been there for 1 year longer than I have and knows a lot about the store (I've only been there 9 months) and Jessie has only been there 5 months. Jessie and Brenda have gotton to be friends.

Well the Pattie was telling Candy, Adam, and Brent about this and the Adam told the Candy that there is absolutely nothing that has come to benefit the friendship that was formed between Brenda and Jessie.


Well lo and behold the Brent turns to me and asks, " What do you think about all this?" I shrugged pretending not to know anything because I am always down at the other end of the store in lumber and Brent asked me directly if I had noticed anything like preferential treatment etc?

Well the head cashier they were talking about (Brenda) happens to be a good friend of mine. I mean we went through training together and I know she is genuinely a good person. And I dont want her in trouble, but I do know she tries her best but she does have a strong friendship Jessie.

I just told him that the place wasn't as clean as I would have it only because I'm anal about my workspace being clean and then they said OK and Candy pulled me to the side and and was very nice but made it clear she was not happy and neither was Brent about the situation that and I dont know why they wanted me to know about this shit im not involved

Well I almost wonder if I should tell Brenda before she gets in trouble because everytime they said, " Clearly we are not benefiting from the friendship that has formed here." Brenda, Candy, and Adam, but not really close friends (as I have issues with being close friends to co workers) and Im just not sure what to do anymore because they were all wanting me to tell them stuff about Brenda and Jessie (who i might add-does bother me sometimes because if Brenda isn't the head cashier for the night she won't come in, and is always sucking up to the managers but is very nice-but to be fair I don't like Pattie either because Pattie is a know it all nosey little bitch but is more helpful when in a crisis situation at work with long lines)

I understand they are asking me this because I'm rather objective and even if I don't like someone and I see they are doing a good job then thats ok KWIM and they are asking me because I am there and I see what's going on and so forth.

I have to agree with Adam when he said that nothing has be beneficial from a company point of view with this new friendship)

What are your thoughts if I haven't totally confused you? Should I tell Brenda? Or no? I mean Brenda has always been good to me and we've always kind of watched each others back (like once before i got in a lot of trouble she tipped me off and I've done really well and I've once tipped her off before) but this is getting with management now and thats getting kind of creepy.

What do I do???

 

[mspixieears]

Woah, that is mega-complicated...

I'm not necessarily advocating you take my advice, but if I were in your position, I'd most likely request that the person who asked for my 'objective' opinion to not do so, only because I'd want to avoid getting tangled up (sounds like you can't avoid it anymore though).

I'd probably feel very uneasy about it, but I'd definitely tip off my friend, especially if I thought of her as more my friend and my workmate second AND provided she could keep quiet about it.

I'm sort of unclear as to what the management are asking from you though, and it doesn't seem fair for them to put you in that position. Who really cares who is friends with who? It sort of sounds like they are trying a little to turn people against one another???

Or I could've just misread things. I'd just try to remain as out of that crap as possible and be a fly on the wall. Probably not very helpful, but good luck. I don't envy your position at all.

 

[Hawkeye]

Well the reason management is trying to get me involved is because I do work with her and I know her from when we first started out. But I almost wonder if there is something more they are trying to do. Candy wound up talking to Jessie yesterday and off to the side and I accidently walked in on it to get a broom after another cashier broke the light but I acted as if I knew nothing.

But I do have a feeling something may happen because Candy also told me she's going to "shake the schedule up" and I have a gut feeling she's going to seperate the two.

I think what has happened with this friendship is that they have taken it to far past a business level and are not doing the work required.

 

[mspixieears]

Ah, I see.

Still, regardless of you knowing her previous to her working there, it's really unfair of them to try and bring you into it. You'd think that the management would handle this, seeing as it's their JOB.

I'd be pretty cautious, what a poo position to be in. Sorry I'm not really any help

Perhaps it's best they are separated if they aren't getting any work done, after all that is why they call it work.