Archived Target mentioned in NYT "Part-Time Schedules, Full-Time Headaches"

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What a surprise that Target was mentioned in this article! /sarcasm

I'm glad I had my other job before I started with Spot. My availability has actually increased since I got hired because I was also in school back then.
 
Oh no! Unpredictable schedules and hours? Well...if you're a business owner and the business is opened from 7am to 9pm...isn't there some "implied" hours as to when people should be scheduled??

Yes, there are busier times in the day or week or even the year....but there should be a way to figure things out.

Wouldn't you think that the VIPs in business might figure it out that an employee who has the same schedule every week might be a lot more reliable than someone with a changing schedule every week?

I mean, 20 hours a week is a reasonable part-time amount of hours....but have some consistency with those 20 hours! The day-to-day schedule doesn't have to be the SAME shift every day.....just the same schedule EVERY week!!!

OK....rant over....for now!!
 
A downfall of a set schedule is that the same people would always work weekends. Who would want that? No body, so that is why Target likes to hire open availability. So you need to institute some sort of rotation so the same people aren't always working Friday-Sunday. To do this you need enough people for 2 rotations and to cover vacations. More people equals less hours per TM. Ideally every other week could be the same, unfortunately TMs are unpredictable about attendance so it's easier to just auto generate a list and say here you go. Scheduling isn't as easy as it should be. If TMs didn't call out often, like most professionals, the process could be easier. Add in availability and difficulty increases exponentially.
 
A downfall of a set schedule is that the same people would always work weekends. Who would want that? No body, so that is why Target likes to hire open availability. So you need to institute some sort of rotation so the same people aren't always working Friday-Sunday. To do this you need enough people for 2 rotations and to cover vacations. More people equals less hours per TM. Ideally every other week could be the same, unfortunately TMs are unpredictable about attendance so it's easier to just auto generate a list and say here you go. Scheduling isn't as easy as it should be. If TMs didn't call out often, like most professionals, the process could be easier. Add in availability and difficulty increases exponentially.


This. And there are weeks, like leading up to back to school, that we are busier, so we need to have people to work. So either Target has to schedule the same amount of help they would schedule for a December or middle August shift as they would for the middle of February (leaving us wildy over or under staffed much of the time) or schedules need to be adjusted. Also, with the constant influx of TMs coming and going, the set schedule would have to be changed every week to accommodate people quitting, coming back from/going on loa or being hired on.
 
The compaint I think is more about working night shifts then some day shifts then some night shifts. At the very least Target should be able to say hey you will be working days/nights. Switching people back and forth from one to other can not be good for productivity. And I will also note when team members were full time and working semi regular (for retail) shifts they called out much less often. Now who really cares if you miss a 3 hour shift and lose your low paying 12 hour a week job. I think team members are well aware Target has no loyalty to them and they return that lack of loyalty.
 
It's totally possible to run a store like Target and give your employees fairly consistent schedules. Target is not forced to schedule the way they do. They choose to require open availability and they choose to have a computer generate a schedule with no thought to the person working it. They choose to do these things because it is cheaper and easier for them, and the economy is in such poor shape that their horrible scheduling won't cause them to lose any significant amount of talent. And what they do lose in quality they can just make up in quantity. Welcome to capitalism.
 
@Jill of All Trades
I get as angry with capitalism as anybody hence my nick, but you know what there are business models that don't require the kind of degradation of the workers that Spot has initiated.
They can insist that it's the only way to make a profit but that's because they aren't willing to try anything else.
They are working the Walmart model and they refuse to step back and see if there is any other way of doing things.
Maybe investigate Costco and other companies who treat their workers well than come up with a business model that works for everyone,.

The only thing is that there might not be as much money for the stock holders or executives and they wouldn't have that.
 
@Jill of All Trades
I get as angry with capitalism as anybody hence my nick, but you know what there are business models that don't require the kind of degradation of the workers that Spot has initiated.
They can insist that it's the only way to make a profit but that's because they aren't willing to try anything else.
They are working the Walmart model and they refuse to step back and see if there is any other way of doing things.
Maybe investigate Costco and other companies who treat their workers well than come up with a business model that works for everyone,.

The only thing is that there might not be as much money for the stock holders or executives and they wouldn't have that.

I totally agree.
 
A downfall of a set schedule is that the same people would always work weekends. Who would want that? No body, so that is why Target likes to hire open availability. So you need to institute some sort of rotation so the same people aren't always working Friday-Sunday. To do this you need enough people for 2 rotations and to cover vacations. More people equals less hours per TM. Ideally every other week could be the same, unfortunately TMs are unpredictable about attendance so it's easier to just auto generate a list and say here you go. Scheduling isn't as easy as it should be. If TMs didn't call out often, like most professionals, the process could be easier. Add in availability and difficulty increases exponentially.

I've worked IS every weekend (Sat/Sun) for the past year and a half. I did it to pay my dues, thinking that when the next rookie TM came in they would get the weekend and I'd get a more favorable schedule. I actually get more done on the weekend so I don't mind it. Of course MyTime blew that all to hell and I'm getting <15 hours now so I have not benefited at all from working all those weekends. Point is there are fixed schedules-some teams work only mornings, some teams only work M-F. Fixed doesn't mean rigid. The real reason they don't have fixed schedules is because that would allow people to have 2 jobs.
 
My TLs have a set schedule and they work every other weekend. Their weeks with a weekend have the same schedule each time they come around. Then their week without have the same schedule.

I feel like I mention it a lot, but when I was at macys, I was an on call associate, but there were various options. I chose the option that meant I was guaranteed shifts Friday-Sunday and then I could pick up others or be called in in the event of a call out (as long as they were within my availability). If there were some sort of weekend problem, something similar could supplement the problem in this hypothetical situation.

I'd be okay with them simply making all my shifts mids or all mornings or all nights. Not necessarily the same days every week, but I can't have a sleep schedule because target is playing games with the schedule. I don't get enough sleep if I close then open the next day. At one point, I had all 1 or 1:30 start times so I had a schedule going... Then they scheduled me for an 8am. I'm not a morning person anymore, but if all my shifts were in the morning, I'd become one. Weekends don't bother me, but I would give up all the things to have my days off in a row every week. Even if they move around, just out them together
 
My TLs have a set schedule and they work every other weekend. Their weeks with a weekend have the same schedule each time they come around. Then their week without have the same schedule.

I feel like I mention it a lot, but when I was at macys, I was an on call associate, but there were various options. I chose the option that meant I was guaranteed shifts Friday-Sunday and then I could pick up others or be called in in the event of a call out (as long as they were within my availability). If there were some sort of weekend problem, something similar could supplement the problem in this hypothetical situation.

I'd be okay with them simply making all my shifts mids or all mornings or all nights. Not necessarily the same days every week, but I can't have a sleep schedule because target is playing games with the schedule. I don't get enough sleep if I close then open the next day. At one point, I had all 1 or 1:30 start times so I had a schedule going... Then they scheduled me for an 8am. I'm not a morning person anymore, but if all my shifts were in the morning, I'd become one. Weekends don't bother me, but I would give up all the things to have my days off in a row every week. Even if they move around, just out them together

YES!!!!!
 
I told my ETL-GE that "I am not my best self when I have less than 10 hours between shifts."

He about died laughing. Yes, I was being humorous, but I wasn't f'in kidding!
 
When my sister was in college, she worked for Lord and Taylor (when it was owned by May Department Stores.) She was part time nights and weekends. She had a 3 week rotation. She worked 2 weekends (2 Saturdays, 1 sunday for sure) and had a weekend off every 3 weeks. Then she had consistent night shifts during the week. I think her minimum schedule was like 15 hours, meaning she'd never go below 15. But she knew at Christmas she would have to work more.
For example she knew she always worked Tuesday nights, every 3rd Wednesday. etc.
When sales were busier she'd have shifts added or tweaked. By tweaked if the store closed later, she'd have a longer shift. Instead of her start shift starting at 9:45 (on a 10am open) she might have to start at 8:45 for a 9am open. Or close later.
The schedule was always done 3 weeks out.
Then they'd have on call and scheduled floaters to fill in gaps. It meant consistency for her and extra hours for those who wanted them.
Then after graduation she went on a full time schedule for 6 months. Same thing. She always had a weekend off, knew she was off Tuesdays, etc.
So yes, it can be done. It should be done. Something should be done.
 
The compaint I think is more about working night shifts then some day shifts then some night shifts. At the very least Target should be able to say hey you will be working days/nights. Switching people back and forth from one to other can not be good for productivity. And I will also note when team members were full time and working semi regular (for retail) shifts they called out much less often. Now who really cares if you miss a 3 hour shift and lose your low paying 12 hour a week job. I think team members are well aware Target has no loyalty to them and they return that lack of loyalty.
I do agree that steady scheduling does promote loyalty. I scheduled a few TMs with a fairly consistent schedule ( 38 hrs a week) and I could always count on them to show up. Also they were mature and needed the work. But my battle was always with HR to be fair and consistent. Well in my mind I was fair and consistent. Hard workers got more hours and a consistent schedule. Slackers got less hours and the left overs. I think that's fair. Needlesstosay HR hated me.
 
A downfall of a set schedule is that the same people would always work weekends. Who would want that? No body, so that is why Target likes to hire open availability. So you need to institute some sort of rotation so the same people aren't always working Friday-Sunday. To do this you need enough people for 2 rotations and to cover vacations. More people equals less hours per TM. Ideally every other week could be the same, unfortunately TMs are unpredictable about attendance so it's easier to just auto generate a list and say here you go. Scheduling isn't as easy as it should be. If TMs didn't call out often, like most professionals, the process could be easier. Add in availability and difficulty increases exponentially.

I've worked IS every weekend (Sat/Sun) for the past year and a half. I did it to pay my dues, thinking that when the next rookie TM came in they would get the weekend and I'd get a more favorable schedule. I actually get more done on the weekend so I don't mind it. Of course MyTime blew that all to hell and I'm getting <15 hours now so I have not benefited at all from working all those weekends. Point is there are fixed schedules-some teams work only mornings, some teams only work M-F. Fixed doesn't mean rigid. The real reason they don't have fixed schedules is because that would allow people to have 2 jobs.
And Target as a whole should be flexible with TMs who have multiple jobs because people can't live on <20 hrs at minimum wage. Many of my TMs, overnight flow, worked 2 or more jobs. I did my best to accommodate everyone and spent a good time creating the schedule each week. Obviously scheduling was taken from me.
 
I told my ETL-GE that "I am not my best self when I have less than 10 hours between shifts."

He about died laughing. Yes, I was being humorous, but I wasn't f'in kidding!
ETLs are not immune to the crappy scheduling. I was overnight so it was the same but I've seen ETLs work until 1 am then have to be back at 7am...f that noise. Target can claim all they want that they are a great employer but there are plenty of better retail stores out there.
 
The compaint I think is more about working night shifts then some day shifts then some night shifts. At the very least Target should be able to say hey you will be working days/nights. Switching people back and forth from one to other can not be good for productivity. And I will also note when team members were full time and working semi regular (for retail) shifts they called out much less often. Now who really cares if you miss a 3 hour shift and lose your low paying 12 hour a week job. I think team members are well aware Target has no loyalty to them and they return that lack of loyalty.
This! I'm getting a fairly consistent rotating schedule right now as a GSA.. but when I was on the floor I would switch from working all openings one week to all closings the next week, to 2 close-open setups the week after that. That is the kind of inconsistency I hate. A consistent # of hours is good because you need a consistent income, and a consistent style of weekly shifts so that way you CAN enjoy yourself outside if work.
Like employees should have the ability to confidently tell somebody "well I usually work afternoons" or "I typically do 3 opening shifts and 1 closing" or "I work about 30 hours a week"
 
@Jill of All Trades
I get as angry with capitalism as anybody hence my nick, but you know what there are business models that don't require the kind of degradation of the workers that Spot has initiated.
They can insist that it's the only way to make a profit but that's because they aren't willing to try anything else.
They are working the Walmart model and they refuse to step back and see if there is any other way of doing things.
Maybe investigate Costco and other companies who treat their workers well than come up with a business model that works for everyone,.

The only thing is that there might not be as much money for the stock holders or executives and they wouldn't have that.

Target has become lazy to use the much hated Walmart as their gauge as to business practices. One day you wake up & find out the public feels the same way about your business practices as they do Walmart.

You'd think Target would want to aim as high as possible to keep up their still positive reputation but I think greed has infected this corporation to dangerous proportions.
 
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