MEGATHREAD 2018-2019 Store Modernization Megathread

[secretBanshee]

TL's are not the enemy. They've become the plantation overseers.

Still, it's tough to feel sorry for the folks who maintain 40 hours when the rest of us will never get more than 25 hours a week. While I sympathize with the awkward position you've been put in, at least you can keep your insurance and your life pretty much intact. Not so for the rest of us.

 

[SFSunicorn]

It matters because have you only done SFS? Or are you cross trained in all processes in the store? I'm asking because ASANTS! I realize you stated that 80% of your leads are not performing. You also stated that they take up their full shift to get an endcap set. Well we can say the same thing with Team Members in general that can't get their tasks done in a 4 hour shift. I realize this is your opinion but did you even stop to think that setting a sales planner in say Pharmacy is very different from setting a sales planner in bedding. I would like to be able to go backup cashier cause you know there's no one else at the moment but sometimes you need to pick and choose your battles. Are you going to be able to explain to your lead that your endcap is empty because you were in backup for an hour and now it's time for you to go home? So therefore it'll sit empty till the next time you work. I don't think that will bode well with your lead.
It's same thing with SFS. I'm pretty sure you have timelines as well so don't be so quick to judge that TL's are complacent.

Apparently you aren't fully crosstrained either or you would know the strict timelines SFS has to meet, all with little to no INFs and helping guests. IMHO it's a whole new level of stress. I've done pricing, pushing, and all backroom duties - all of which I consider to be a nice break from SFS.

 

[Go2TL]

I’m cross trained in every department minus Consumables and Guest Service, so next! Being predominantly SFS you get to interact with every department in the store, and you come to learn how stuff is done, set, and who to go to when you need help because they know their stuff and are eager to help! And yes, ASANTS! Maybe YOU aren’t complacent, maybe you are ( and that’s why you’re getting pretty defensive, oo? ). I don’t know you; you don’t know me. What IM saying is that if Target wants to keep succeeding, they should pay attention to who they’re losing: harding working team members who are eager to work and service guests! Why are they losing them? Because they keep stringing these people along with the bench crap, telling them that if they just wait, they’ll get promoted! And these people -rightly- get sick of it. Sick of the lies and fake promises, of seeing current TLs and SrTL continue on despite being unable to deliver results. And let me anticipate your question: how do you, a lowly team member, know about MY results? Well, because TLs and the like talk! We know what goes down in your guys’ super secret meetings. But I suppose the jig is up now, right?

Well the jig is up because that's exactly what Target is doing by not paying attention to losing hardworking people. This is Targets version of "The Purge."
I'm not being defensive just stating reality. THIS IS OUR REALITY right now and those who can succeed then great and those who don't, good luck on their next adventure. This is retail!

 

[redcardroy]

People don't get termed for no reason. Sometimes, it's for reasons outside the control of the employee or leadership at the store.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

People don't get termed for no reason. Sometimes, it's for reasons outside the control of the employee or leadership at the store.

Spot will find a way to term folks.

 

[Little Mac]

Well the jig is up because that's exactly what Target is doing by not paying attention to losing hardworking people. This is Targets version of "The Purge."
I'm not being defensive just stating reality. THIS IS OUR REALITY right now and those who can succeed then great and those who don't, good luck on their next adventure. This is retail!

Its what is commonly refereed to as a Brain Drain on a gov/country scale, the best and brightest are going to start jumping ship because they realize this path ends nowhere good for them. I used to and still will to some extent defend the concept behind end to end, but their execution of it is the problem. Instead of using it to make the company more productive per payroll hour they are using it to cut corners on payroll to the point of destabilizing everything.

In simple terms, if you don't give incentive to work hard, and do not reward hard work. People will leave for a place where they will.

 

[MiracleWorker]

The pricing team is gone, the POG team is gone, backroom team gone, VM's gone. It all lands on the sales floor team members. Hours cut from 37 to between 25 to 30. Our STL told us no current team members are allowed to be promoted, they will only hire outside people now. The TL and ETL people are people managers now, but they dont know anything about Target to actually help TM. Since the experiment, they are adding even more ETL's but not TM. we have lost soo many good people to other companies, who are willing to match pay to keep good people.

What are your sources? How are VMs gone when merchandising is one of the top three focuses for the company?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Spot is watching everyone..

 

[fun at target]

Spot by far as the least job security
You can be the best tm on the team and if leadership decides that they dont like then oh well your going to be on the next chopping block

 

[Planosss]

Just got wind of a new "modernization" item. Not sure if it's just at our store or not. Have been told on April 1, 2019 all employees will be put back on a first 90 days. Was told it was a way the Executive team can get rid of anyone they want to. Not sure how they could legally do this? The 90 day agreement needs to be presented and signed before employment. Anyone have any insight or heard about this. We were told it is company wide.

Thanks.

 

[No I in Team]

A lot here do not understand the "at will" provisions.

Yes, you can fire anyone for any reason. BUT, you have to fire everyone for the same reasons.

You have to document things very carefully as there is no state regulations as how to qualify an employee for termination. It's way too easy to get caught up In litigation without documenting all write ups and terminations that do not meet a clearly defined process.

As for everyone going on 90 days, yes they could do it based on it being company wide. There are not any laws that I could think of that would or could prevent them from "restarting their entire workforce".

The fallout from Team Members just walking out and public opinion would be devastating. Remember how bad the bathroom policy went over? This would be a "Titanic" move compared to that one.

I suspect there may be some truth to the ninety days as it will force everyone to open up their availability and other things. Not to mention it would allow Spot to bring in new team members who have a "certain look" that matches their guest profile.

 

[No I in Team]

As I read through all of the new post, I'm still wondering where all of this new found net income came from to offset all of the additional payroll that's been created. We've been reducing the number of team members on the operations side for years due to the "lack of payroll".

By the way has anyone received another shipment of Uboats?

 

[INFThatShiz]

As I read through all of the new post, I'm still wondering where all of this new found net income came from to offset all of the additional payroll that's been created. We've been reducing the number of team members on the operations side for years due to the "lack of payroll".

By the way has anyone received another shipment of Uboats?

We got a shipment of baby U-Boats a few weeks back. Literally no one knows what they’re for so they’re just sitting in Receiving unbuilt.

 

[No I in Team]

We got a shipment of baby U-Boats a few weeks back. Literally no one knows what they’re for so they’re just sitting in Receiving unbuilt.

Those Uboats are most likely from Uline. I would be willing to bet they were ordered from someone at the store level. Look for the packing slip and you should see who shipped them. I can't really get into how I know that.

The main Uboat shipments we all received were shipped directly from the manufacturer like National Cart. Target MRO Purchasing would by large quantities directly from the manufacturer.

 

[thebroche]

We got a shipment of baby U-Boats a few weeks back. Literally no one knows what they’re for so they’re just sitting in Receiving unbuilt.

All of our baby uboats have been labeled for backroom pulls only. Haven't seen them really used yet though because I only close.

 

[qmosqueen]

Baby uboats are called Dinghy.

din·ghy
noun
plural noun: dinghies

1. a small boat for recreation or racing, especially an open boat with a mast and sails.
   • a small inflatable rubber boat.

 

[ntauctions]

Baby uboats are calling Dingies. “Ding - ies “.

Seriously?

 

[qmosqueen]

Seriously?

din·ghy
noun
plural noun: dinghies

1. a small boat for recreation or racing, especially an open boat with a mast and sails.
   • a small inflatable rubber boat.

 

[INFThatShiz]

Baby uboats are calling Dinghy.

din·ghy
noun
plural noun: dinghies

1. a small boat for recreation or racing, especially an open boat with a mast and sails.
   • a small inflatable rubber boat.

Baby U-Boat>>>>>everything else. So we can yell over walkie how we left the baby by the freezers/trash compactors/baler/etc.

 

[graffiti]

Baby U-Boat>>>>>everything else. So we can yell over walkie how we left the baby by the freezers/trash compactors/baler/etc.

Indeed, but "Hey Bob, where'd you stick your dinghy?" would be pretty satisfying as well.

 

[Boxer96]

A lot here do not understand the "at will" provisions.

Yes, you can fire anyone for any reason. BUT, you have to fire everyone for the same reasons.

You have to document things very carefully as there is no state regulations as how to qualify an employee for termination. It's way too easy to get caught up In litigation without documenting all write ups and terminations that do not meet a clearly defined process.

As for everyone going on 90 days, yes they could do it based on it being company wide. There are not any laws that I could think of that would or could prevent them from "restarting their entire workforce".

The fallout from Team Members just walking out and public opinion would be devastating. Remember how bad the bathroom policy went over? This would be a "Titanic" move compared to that one.

I suspect there may be some truth to the ninety days as it will force everyone to open up their availability and other things. Not to mention it would allow Spot to bring in new team members who have a "certain look" that matches their guest profile.

Our STL had a meeting with ETLs and that's how it came down. Other things will come down then also, but no details. I guess we will see. I would like confirmation though, our STL has been known to say it's a company thing, when in reality it's not.

 

[Boxer96]

Exactly this. If this is true company wide, it would pretty much break any desire I had left to tough out modernization.

I started in flow and even though it wasn't a financial promotion, moving to the POG team and then on to Signing felt like moving in the right direction. With more responsibility, working closer with TLs, ETLs and the STL I felt like I was both learning a lot more about the store and showing exactly what I was capable of.

So I was trying to be optimistic about likely being moved back to a single area, thinking that I worked my way "up" once, and have already shown leadership that I was capable of extra responsibilities, able to learn quickly, etc. I was holding out hope that I could do the same thing again and maybe end up in a leadership position once the modernization dust settled if I stuck with it and stayed positive.

But if I find out that isn't an option, I don't see the point. That would be the 3rd strike. I could handle a reduction in hours if it was 4a-8a like it used to be. Or maybe even 6-10. But if I land in one of the areas where they have people doing 9-1, 11-3, etc, that would make finding a second job pretty difficult. Especially since I know they're going to want me to stay "late" when Q4 rolls back around so I'd probably need at least a couple hour buffer between usual schedule for both jobs.

This is why I was putting this out there. I was hired and promised opportunity within the company. I was told Target only promotes from within. When our modernization stated, the first thing they did was ask our STL to leave or get fired. He left. Now we have a only hire from other companies policy. I love the people I work with, but do I start looking for something else? As I have no future with Target.

 

[Boxer96]

What are your sources? How are VMs gone when merchandising is one of the top three focuses for the company?

I'm in the store. We were a test store. It all falls on the team members. They want everything done and guest service, it results in a choice of guests or pushing product doing pulls, backstocking, etc. We are pushed to the limit everyday now and threatened with write ups.

 

[Aredhel]

The difference between a chick pea and a garbanzo bean is the same as the difference between End to End and Store Modernization. And they both do the same thing in boiling water.

 

[BoxCutter]

IF there is any truth to this, and if it is for every store, then it would come from (and/or be approved by) THE highest level of the company. What good would every TM calling the Hotline do? You would just be reporting the crime back to the crooked cops who came up with the scheme.