Archived Adequate training for a specific workcenter

[Him]

I would like to get any type of feedback, comments, or response to this in your stores. I feel out of the 15 plus years I've been in retail (not just Target), only truly successful people I've seen placed in a position to actually succeed are given ample time to "truly learn".

 

[Doglover89]

I would like to get any type of feedback, comments, or response to this in your stores. I feel out of the 15 plus years I've been in retail (not just Target), only truly successful people I've seen placed in a position to actually succeed are given ample time to "truly learn".

I'm not sure I agree with this. I personally have learned a lot at every job I've ever had including Spot just by watching my coworkers and and asking questions when I have them. At Spot, I've been thrown into workcenters with maybe an hour's training, and in one case, only 5 or 10 minutes. I think I'm pretty successful lol.

 

[Him]

I'm not sure I agree with this. I personally have learned a lot at every job I've ever had including Spot just by watching my coworkers and and asking questions when I have them. At Spot, I've been thrown into workcenters with maybe an hour's training, and in one case, only 5 or 10 minutes. I think I'm pretty successful lol.

That's awesome. I just have seen some people get "thrown" into areas they are not good at and sometimes want to leave, but can't. Some people catch on better than others I guess

 

[monkeyman90]

exactly. it wasn't fun learning on the fly and many don't catch on quick.

now on the other end of things if i do have to put someone in a situation they don't have training i just take it into context. is it something they'd get with more training/seeing/doing? or is it hopeless.

 

[Doglover89]

That's awesome. I just have seen some people get "thrown" into areas they are not good at and sometimes want to leave, but can't. Some people catch on better than others I guess

Story of my life.

exactly. it wasn't fun learning on the fly and many don't catch on quick.

now on the other end of things if i do have to put someone in a situation they don't have training i just take it into context. is it something they'd get with more training/seeing/doing? or is it hopeless.

Honestly, I think it depends on the person. There's a difference between someone who is slow or not quite doing 100% what you want them to and someone who doesn't care and sits around texting/loafing/etc. their entire shift. I tend to have more patience for the first type of person. However, I think it depends on the specific workcenter. There are some jobs some people have no business doing IMO.

 

[jenna]

I tend to pick up stuff pretty quickly, but I also have a "go getter" attitude.

Plus, how many people (looking at you cashiers) are "truly successful" after they have been trained v. standing around talking to each other. Meh.

 

[HRZone]

Target uses the sink or swim method. It burns people out and it plays a role in the turnover. That said the people who "make it" end up being darn good at their job. Because their training is lacking if not inadequate they figure things out for themselves and quickly learn how to problem solve.

Lets face it, much of corporates training is ridiculous ineffective. Many of us have gone on to be highly successful by figuring things out on our own.

 

[JK0884]

My training in Flow consisted of being shown what pallet each box went on and how to read a pick label, that was all! I'm smart enough that I was able to figure a lot of other stuff I needed to know like how to do auto fills, answering guests niggling questions, and so on. I believe if you're determined to learn and be successful, you will

 

[Tar Ghetto]

I told my ETL that I think Target as a whole is garbage at training. He told me that Target is known for having the best training in retail. What a joke. That was true years ago but that reputation is long gone now. Honestly I've brought multiple people on board from Walmart this year, and they're doing better than a lot of our Target trained team members. One of them told me the only thing he's not used to, is covering multiple departments at once. That's when I realized Walmart is out doing us in staffing and training both!

 

[Pale]

Lol, got the basics of training for hardlines. Didn't even do my fucking computer training, I've picked up everything I know from just watching people or experience. My LOD's and TL's have told me I'm a good employee though, so..

 

[DoWork]

For most people, sure. For others, trial by fire is how they succeed. It's a matter of their mentality.

 

[callmetaylor]

I told my ETL that I think Target as a whole is garbage at training. He told me that Target is known for having the best training in retail. What a joke. That was true years ago but that reputation is long gone now.

hah!

I was hired on as Flow but we were always expected to back-up cashier...I was even scheduled a full cashier shift once. And my cashier training consisted of behind handed a book of fake credit cards and told to scan a few items and fake check myself out. I was never told how to sign people up for redcards, but I was told to always ask.

The panic that shot through me the one time someone said they wanted one was pretty intense. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing! I panicked so much that I went to go find my STL and accidentally ran off with the lady's drivers license in my hand!!

Thankfully I stay in the backroom now. I wasn't trained for BR well at all. I was scheduled for a closing CAF shift and had like 5-10min of "training" w/ a BRTM I'd never met the day before, but I can deal with hard/confusing/terribly-explained tasks in the back so much better than I can deal w/ them when they involve guests, so I'm not complaining...I just think it's hilarious/pathetic!

 

[SitSpotSit]

When a tm is designated as a trainer are they given any support or training? My money is on No, but maybe I'll be surprised??

 

[CrimsonRaven712]

When a tm is designated as a trainer are they given any support or training? My money is on No, but maybe I'll be surprised??

Nope. We are just handed people to train and told to help them out. At my store we aren't even designated as trainers anymore. The only people who get to be officially called trainers are those on the wait list to be moved up to TL positions.

 

[HRZone]

I believe the new term is learning mentor. No raise, no training. My ETL HR came up with some cool ways to recognize them because otherwise its just more work with no benefits.

Our cashier learning mentor got coached for taking more than 15 minutes to train people. Wait what?

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Literally my Signing TM Training, which should probably involve the most training out of any non TL position (in my store and what is expected of me, literally being the Chief SAP orderer for everything besides PMT stuff) involved my ETL taking my Training form, looking at it, throwing it out, and tell me he would make his own for me... In retrospect, the Signing TM before me had to go to a completely other store to train.

A year later I have yet to see it, but I already have a lot of training at Target as I was a PA before.

 

[SitSpotSit]

Nope. We are just handed people to train and told to help them out. At my store we aren't even designated as trainers anymore. The only people who get to be officially called trainers are those on the wait list to be moved up to TL positions.

That's too bad. It took me longer than it probably should have to understand plano. It was a completely new concept to me and I had no frame of reference for the job. The tm who trained me is super good at the job but could have used some help to better her presentation...pun intended. She has all the skills and personality to be great at it, but a some training would make her invaluable to building a better plano team.

I believe the new term is learning mentor. No raise, no training. My ETL HR came up with some cool ways to recognize them because otherwise its just more work with no benefits.

I guess mentor fits better if you aren't going to invest in making tm's actual trainers. Too bad. That type of investment into employees only raises everyone's skills and makes a better environment all around. It wouldn't take much time either. It is sad to hear this is the case. Sorry, I know I'm preaching type the choir here.

 

[RightArm]

That's awesome. I just have seen some people get "thrown" into areas they are not good at and sometimes want to leave, but can't. Some people catch on better than others I guess

I think it's important to find what a person is good at before cutting them loose. We had in a TM in our area that was just terrible with zone. Could not for any reason get her to understand the requirements and honestly I don't believe that it was because she didn't care. So the TL moved her to something else.... OMG, can that TM push out gobacks and in the right place and faster than anyone on the floor. There was a time when we didn't think she would last but now every time we see her on our shift we find ourselves saying "I'm so glad you're here!"

There's always going to be those "clock watchers"... you know, the ones who try to do as little as possible on their shift and watch the clock all the time so they can get paid for doing practically nothing. We all know them... But I believe you can tell when someone is struggling and actually does care. Leadership should move people around when they're not succeeding and give them a chance to find their niche. Just IMHO at any rate.

 

[MrGSTLman]

I look at training like this. What is fully trained in a position? Let's take cashier. You get a little book to look at (actually they don't have the book anymore it's all e-learning and self-paced learning. I still use it because even though there is some out-0f-date info on there it's still a great way to learn how the registers work), and then we place you with a cashier trainer to shadow, and then you'll get placed on a register, possibly on the same shift). You're never going to see every possible thing in the two week training period (heck, I've worked for Spot for 16+ years and there's still things I see that have never come up). To me, as long as you know how to do the basics like ring a guest, take a payment, ask for a RedCard, everything comes with time. I explain this to the new team members and it seems to put them at ease. I also advise them to not be afraid to ask questions. For me, I would rather you ask 1,000 questions and get the process right than not and get it wrong.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I look at training like this. What is fully trained in a position? Let's take cashier. You get a little book to look at (actually they don't have the book anymore it's all e-learning and self-paced learning. I still use it because even though there is some out-0f-date info on there it's still a great way to learn how the registers work), and then we place you with a cashier trainer to shadow, and then you'll get placed on a register, possibly on the same shift). You're never going to see every possible thing in the two week training period (heck, I've worked for Spot for 16+ years and there's still things I see that have never come up). To me, as long as you know how to do the basics like ring a guest, take a payment, ask for a RedCard, everything comes with time. I explain this to the new team members and it seems to put them at ease. I also advise them to not be afraid to ask questions. For me, I would rather you ask 1,000 questions and get the process right than not and get it wrong.

This was the first thing I told people when I trained them in market after, I introduced myself.