I worked on staff in a technical position for 6 years at IHOP. I came fresh out of high school, eager to learn about my craft, and to grow in relationship as a Christian. I was a student for 1 year, but was quickly finding myself working over 24+ hours, essentially as a staff member. I was working on nights, but being required to do prayer room time from 6am-12pm every week day. I quickly started to develop insomnia issues, as I coped with sleeping for 3 hours per day. A year in, I got on staff. I found myself quickly working 60+ hours per week, no prayer room time required, and making only $500/month. I left for a few months to start online college, and returned to rejoin staff. I quickly was given a leadership position in my department, and put back on nights. I found myself for 2 1/2 years working 80+ hours per week, all while doing full time online college, and to top it off, was asked to switch to do days schedule on the weekends. I essentially would have to stay up 36 hours straight once a week. Due to school, I was finding myself sleeping 2-5 hours every day, still only making $500/month. I was isolated from other departments, even when it was crucial to my job, and was told to only allow the higher ups to talk to them. Essentially, I was locked in a back room to work, where I personally feel know one, even most in my department, knew the hours I worked. I brought up my hours several times to those over me. I was young and naive, but I was told by one of my bosses "Some people weren't made to be happy, they were made to be machines, and that's what you are. That's a high calling." All in all, I worked over 12,600 hours for IHOPKC. I endured some pretty bad conditions while working there as well. I remember one day, coming off 2 hours of sleep, I was asked to do a position that involved non stop talking for 4 hours straight. I had a sore throat, and was told to deal with it because they didn't have anyone else available. I remember 2 hours in, I started to throw up blood and lose my voice. I told my boss for that service that I needed to go outside and throw up, all while having blood dripping out of my mouth. I was told very disrespectfully that "I don't get to take a break and I'm not complaining about it." I ran outside, threw up blood all over the pavement, and ran back in to continue working. By the end, I lost my voice completely, and still had to work for another 8 hours straight afterwards. I didn't have my voice back for 2 days more. Few other issues. I also had an issue where I broke my tailbone, and was asked to work a very strenuous position right afterwards. I had to work every Christmas, and due to bad road conditions and at the time not being given a hotel room, I was forced to sleep on the cement floor Christmas Day in Bartel Hall, prepping for Onething (happened several years). So where am I now? I work professionally in a similar industry, not associated with a church anymore, but am still suffering from it. I still suffer from insomnia, I get panic attacks, and migraines (all which I never got before my time there). My view of people unfortunately is still to view everyone as wanting to manipulate and take advantage of me. I finally have made an effort to date, but I have a hard time not thinking people are using or manipulating me. I have fallen into depression pretty hard several times since leaving. Leaving IHOPKC, and the church in general, has still been one of the best decisions I personally have made, and unfortunately, I still deal with stuff endured there.
- Full Time Staff2010-2015