Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

I am a co-operative Worker at Unicorn Grocery, an independent wholefoods grocery in Manchester. Perhaps the most unique aspect of my work is how varied it can be; there is no ‘typical day’. Like all my co-workers, my job includes:

• director responsibilities (personnel & financial matters, business strategy, etc.)
• a number of specialist teams (in my case, Secretariat, IT, and Site Renovations), and
• core tasks (till work, packing dried goods, cleaning).
  
  Some days, I ‘floorwalk’ (oversee the shopfloor and respond to questions and issues) nearly all day, on other days, I may work in the office. Most days, however, are a mixture of many different tasks, for example: I might open the post and tidy the offices for half an hour, floor-walk on the shop floor for 2 hours, type and distribute minutes from the most recent ‘forum’ meeting for 2 hours, train a co-worker on our IT/database systems for an hour, work on the till for 2 hours, follow through with any site/renovation issues (quotes, booking contractors, typing minutes, amending drawings) for an hour, and finally mop the shop floor as part of the ‘end of day’ cleaning rota… It may sound hectic, but multitasking is a fundamental aspect to how we operate. It certainly doesn’t get boring!
  
  What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?
  
  With such a multifaceted job, my varied job history prepared me as well as anything. As a waitress and veterinary technician, I learned to multitask, work fast & accurately and serve the public. With regard to my Secretariat and IT responsibilities, my experiences at university (writing papers, charts & graphs) and as a photographic assistant (specialised computer & technical skills) serve me well. As a company director, my anthropology degree taught me to self-manage, read & participate in discussions and work as part of a team.
  
  What are the best and worst bits of your job?
  
  As an individual, Unicorn constantly offers me the opportunity to take on new challenges and learn about different aspects of running a business. In addition, it’s thrilling to help facilitate good decisions and implement the actions of an engaged membership. It’s no small feat when 50 people with different motivations, backgrounds and ideas make decisions by consensus! Overall, I’m proud of running a sound shop with such a fantastic offer.
  
  Of course the good points have another side. Workloads ebb and flow, and it’s difficult to enjoy too many challenges at once. Meetings are not always ‘thrilling’, and at their worst can be tortuously slow, unengaging and unproductive. A downside for me is my responsibility in personnel matters – I would much rather leave these to someone else.
  
  What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?
  
  Overall job satisfaction – both in what I gain & what I give – far outweighs any disadvantages. Few people are lucky enough to feel a clean conscience about their line of work. The first step for the founders of Unicorn was to write our ‘Principles of Purpose’. These are: Equal opportunities, secure employment, solidarity in co-operation, wholesome & healthy consumption, fair & sustainable trade.
  
  You cannot find tastier fruit and veg, or more wholesome and satisfying food staples at such a low price. By offering so many nutritious, organic and fair-trade goods to such a large market, we improve the health of our customers and our community, whilst increasing quality of life & pay for our suppliers and minimising negative environmental impacts.
  
  We donate 5% of our wage costs each year to projects in support of our principles, e.g. an organic seed co-op in Brazil, a farming initiative in Malawi, recycled tool production in Ireland and organic farms in the UK. We also donate a percentage of annual sales to a tree-planting scheme in Scotland to offset carbon emissions associated with deliveries and utilities required for running the shop.
  
  In our day-to-day operation, we recycle, reuse and compost as much as possible. We have solar panels to heat our water, and burn waste wooden crates to heat our store. We do not offer new carrier bags at the checkout, but rather reused bags donated by customers.
  
  Finally, we offer an alternative model for business, and try to advise and educate others to pursue similar ventures to ours. As a flat-pay co-op making decision by consensus, we avoid the false hierarchies & disengagement of so many businesses. We are committed to training and developing staff where possible rather than hiring outside expertise, and we offer a progressive childcare & benefits package.
  
  Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area?
  
  Know your strengths & weaknesses and find your niche based on your abilities. There is a steep learning curve; be prepared to learn from your mistakes, ask for help and use your initiative. Flexibility and adaptability are key, you’ll need to be able to deal with a fair degree of chaos and change. Finally, you’ll need to follow & lead at different times, give & receive constructive feedback, and collaborate with co-workers – a co-op doesn’t mean no boss, it means everyone is!
  
  More about Unicorn Grocery