Archived NEW FLOW TM NEWBIE, need advice!

[Penrose]

I was recently hired in the beginning of this month. I work 4 to 8 am in softline. I always come on time, and with positive attitude. I work hard, and as a team, we seem to always complete our tasks on time. In some days, we get to help other departments.

 

[Hitsugi]

I go through some of the same things. I work in Softlines and am expected to get things done fast. Which means that sometimes I'll miss some areas because I am more focused on getting the task done at hand. It doesn't mean I am not cleaning. Rather that I sometimes miss certain details. Like one or two misplaced articles of clothing. If I'm on a 4 hour shift. Then I want to get as much as I can done... The problem is some people are big micromanagers. Like big time. I have one TL who will examine my area thoroughly and have a fit if one thing is out of place. I make mistakes, I don't do it for fun. I'm not trying to slack off or anything of that nature. I can do thorough, and I can do fast. But I can't do both at the same time. Especially if you gave me a 4 hour shift. I need time to be flexible. On 8 hour shifts. I can certainly get areas done more thoroughly. But if you specifically ask me to get all of my areas done in a 4 hour period... then you better expect some hiccups from me.

What I'd do is talk to another manager a more reasonable TL about your troubles. Some people are going to be incredibly anal about your work. Don't let it get to you. Express some concerns and let them know you are doing your best. If you want a more hands on approach... then ask the TM to walk through the area and let you know what they want specifically done. That way there is no misunderstanding. Don't ask them to stick around per se, but get them to express what they expect. Some people are just terrible at expressing what it is exactly they want.

 

[yddd]

If you are aware of your mistakes and you correct them, who cares. As long as your TL or ETL isnt saying anything about your performance then ignore em

 

[Hitsugi]

"I can do thorough, and I can do fast. But I can't do both at the same time"

Well said. Especially not when someone's new and without access to scanning equipment.

Thank you for that response, Hitsugi. I agree with everything you said. You expressed my concerns and frustrations better. Softline is hard work, there is no second that I slacked . The moment I clocked in, I am constantly on the move. After we are done with the sorting and lifting the boxes, there is only less than an hour to push the cartloads of items.

Most of my frustration comes from the fact that I seem to have been given the worst, most disorganized areas. Also, the TMs are quick at pointing at me for these mistakes. Somehow, everyone seems to have an amnesia about the state that these areas were in before it was assigned to me. These areas were getting worst by the day. It's like, I am the only one touching these areas. Makes me wonder, if there is really no one assigned to zone these areas. It scared me that I'll be the only one held accountable for it.

Thing is, if you know you are doing your job well and other TLs notice it, then it'll be okay. I got it pretty rough my first couple of weeks, until I got the hang of things. I'm in the hardest areas of the store too. Girls, Infants, Gondolas and Shoes are usually my regular schedule. It sucks. But if I can get at least the place tidy then I know I'm doing something right. On 8 hour shifts, I spend 2 hours on each area just to ensure I have everything done. Like I said, talk to a TL and explain your input on the situation. Most are pretty sympathetic I find. (Though I know of a couple who are pains in the butt. But hey at least everyone dislikes them.)

 

[Produce Queen]

i'm new to flow tm aswell and I work groceries, hba, chemicals, toys, and back to school (currently).
By the end of my training schedule how should I talk to my TL about my performance?

Simply ask for feedback.

 

[Patty]

Hey youre foxy!!!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Thanks @RetailWorld!
On the pick label, there can be a few "indicators" that dictate what to do with the product. On the label, it will be near the "Ad 08/21" in the example. If there is a "P", it means it needs to be pushed out. If there is an "S", it means stage. "B" means it's backstock...and part of the backrooms metrics is making sure that all product that has a "B" indicator gets backstocked. Otherwise your team is being inefficient and taking stuff out to the floor when they don't have to. If your store is a "Push All" store, this is how you tell the difference between what you need to take to the floor and what stays in the back without scanning everything on the line.

With the change to myPerformance though, it could be that this isn't a key metric anymore. I haven't dived into the backroom metrics with myPerformance.

Typically your NOP product will have some kind of info on the pick label that will give you a bit of insight on what's going on with it. If it's on AD, it could be there will be staged off area on the floor...or it could be that the planogram isn't in the system yet, so there will be a T indicator(Transition) with the date letting you know when it will be set. But if it's NOP or D-Code at this point, been in your store for awhile, and it looks like there will be no space or planogram for it in the foreseeable future...mySupport it, and request a CLR markdown on it.

 

[Targe]

Flow is definitely a learning process. It takes time to learn the basics, but you'll make mistakes. Every member on this forum did. Keep working to improve and don't stress too hard over other TMs scolding you, just take it as a learning experience. I'm working with 20 year vets that I have to help sometimes, no one is absolutely perfect at their job, no matter what they tell you or what they come off as.

" Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger "

 

[PullMonkey]

Definitely take time to learn your store. Take a lap once a week. Glance through aisles and end caps. Get a feel for how things are organized.

 

[PullMonkey]

You may not agree with the decision, but doing something you know an ETL doesn't like really isn't gonna make you any friends.

EDIT: Hell, I'd get kinda irritated if you ran back after every cart. We have backstock locations on the floor for a reason. It's more efficient to load all the backstock onto a vehicle near you and get it to the backroom when you're cleaning up.

 

[Penrose]

I was being mindful of my actions today. I manage to significantly reduce my footsteps. Although, if I have a cart full of backstocks, it's probably not a good idea to leave it in the aisle unattended because someone might start pushing the items in the cart, thinking it's an unfinished work.

A lot of my earlier concerns disappeared today. The areas I thought I would be responsible for, turns out, to be not the case. A team organized it, and change things around.

My perceptions about people, and how they felt or think about me, may not be as serious as I thought it was. People can change their minds, and every day is a new opportunity to build rapport, and to be a better TM.

 

[Isitonlyme]

No matter what you accomplished somebody helped you
I have a really good trainer and all my new tms I let them know I have one rule every one works and if I'm working harder than you I don't need you on my team

 

[Isitonlyme]

As I tell my boss I'm not one for perception's, if there's an issue tell me I'll fix a way to fix it if you perceive something normally you got it wrong and you'll spend more time fixing something that doesn't exist,

 

[Penrose]

Thank you, is it only me, loved your posts! Being direct and clear is essential, I agree.