Archived Battling cliques

[DoWork]

We have a growing clique in our store. It ranges from TM, cashier, TL, SrTL, and one ETL.

Situation: semi-attractive female hired in February. Late often, leaves early, never carries a walkie, always on the phone, etc. In June, she's bafflingly promoted to TL in a department she has never worked in.

She is a major part of the clique. She's the only higher up female of the group. She's angled for two GSA promotions and the others backed her recommendations. Of course, those two are part of the clique.

Normally, I would file this under IFGAF, but two good TM's were looked over on the TL promotion and several cashiers for the GSA position. I hate to see someone try and not even interview when a pretty girl can bat her eyes and step over them.

How would leadership handle disbanding this, or would they even attempt to? Several(3 now, 2
More at the end of the month) TMs have bailed and went elsewhere. Meanwhile, cashiers are burned at the stake and some food team members are getting extremely frustrated. These GSA's are utterly useless. The new TL has fucked her department over beyond immediate repair, but nothing has changed.

I mean, it's certainly obvious what's going on. I notice it and I'm only there 50-60 hours a month, so why does it continue?

(Sorry for the long, unorganized mess of a post. Hard to make a well thought out one on a phone.)

 

[NPC]

I dunno, what do you want, a solution?

If she has one person that's pulling all this favoritism for her, say, someone she's sleeping with, it's only a matter of time before that falls apart. If that's not the case, with Target having the quick turn over with employees, it's only a matter of time before someone comes around whom doesn't find her as charming, and wants someone better for the job. What I'm trying to say, is that her pussy pass has an expiration date.

I don't think you'd be successful making the argument/accusation that she was promoted due to some clique based favoritism, because you really can't prove that's the case, no matter how obvious it may seem. It's also just a really hostile conversation to have, and it probably won't be taken seriously, especially since you'll be accusing the people who support her of making a stupid decision. (which might be true!) However, if you can prove how terrible of a job she's doing, and provide solutions, you may stand a chance. Personally, I wouldn't bother unless I had to work for this person, or if I wanted their job.

 

[redeye58]

While it may be obvious to you, it might not be as obvious to leadership.
Results speak louder than smoozing so sooner or later she'll have to own her screw-ups.
At this point, all you can do is feed her rope.

 

[HRZone]

. What I'm trying to say, is that her pussy pass has an expiration date

Amen to this. She won't survive q4.

Every store has cliques. It's just the nature of any business with 100 plus employees. My store has the group who has been there since the store opened. They always talk crap about how we get these awful new hires.

I've found if you ignore them they will ignore you. If you try to take them on, they love the challenge and drama. As HR though I just take note of the crappy things they do and quietly report them to leadership.

 

[DoWork]

I've found if you ignore them they will ignore you. If you try to take them on, they love the challenge and drama. As HR though I just take note of the crappy things they do and quietly report them to leadership.

I've begun doing just that.

These instances in no way affect my work. My concern is more for those who work alongside me.

I'm simply asking how does leadership typically handle this kind of thing, if at all? I've seen mass terminations, but that's just one instance. There was another one that fizzled out or imploded, but I don't know if leadership was involved.

@Target NPC your bluntness is always appreciated. I believe the milk done gone bad with this girl.

 

[LessWork MorePay]

I'd give her the pipe

 

[DoWork]

She'd give you the pipe.

 

[commiecorvus]

The tough part is that cliques can actually work to some managers advantage.
They get a bunch of employees who always show up (because they want to work together), they get a (totally false) kind of teamwork and the people back each other up.
What they don't see until it is too late is the overall damage that they cause, the us against them drama, the freeze outs that keep talented people from coming on board and the petty crap that clogs up the system.
The only way you can beat this stuff is having a manager who has experience and understands the differences between a clique and a team.
The problem is that way too many of the ETLs haven't been at this long enough to know and will have to learn the hard way.

 

[BackroomAlpha]

Is she a good employee? Is she fit for the TL role? Quickest ive seen a TM go to TL was 4 months. Was a very attractive girl who quickly became great friends with one other TL, flow lead position opened up and whap they through her into it. She boasted for a werk about how she just started and was going to be everyones boss. Her 3rd day as flow TL she quit....bwahaha ive seen this shitty company make the worst decisions possible. For somr reason it is common practice..

 

[HRZone]

These instances in no way affect my work. My concern is more for those who work alongside me.

Sadly there is no way to intervene without getting directly involved. If you have a leader with back bone you can ask them to observe the behavior but most of them will tell you they don't have time for the childish drama.

 

[LessWork MorePay]

She'd give you the pipe.

She'd be too worn out

 

[tgtguy]

IMO...those that rely on anything other than good old fashioned hard work and common sense to get ahead...eventually will fail. May not happen today, tomorrow or next month but it will eventually happen. Through the years I have seen so many people promoted or given "perks" like more hours etc...just because they were in the "cool club" or the etls , stl liked them. Leadership wouldn't rest till their chosen one was promoted. Guess , what almost . every time they either quit or they fall out of favor and were fired ..So, sometimes its hard but just take a step back and wait cause Karma will do her work

 

[NPC]

Make friends with her, and find out dirt she has to say about her friends. Spread rumors about what she said to these people. Sit back and watch shit go down.

 

[Billybobjoe]

There's something like this at my store as well. I don't want to give out too many details for privacy reasons, but I will say I've seen a TL give out preferential treatment to two TMs in particular, and engage in cliquish behavior with their subordinates. I'm not the only one who notices this, the rest of the team does as well and it is completely deflating. Here are a few examples of it:

A. The TL and TM #1 take breaks together at Sbux. The TL requisitions coffee for the TM, and they shoot the shit and gossip about life, and target. This TL has never taken any other TM to starbucks. A couple times this has been in front of several of their TMs who are on lunch at food avenue. Like in your story, this TM is a good looking girl. Several ETLs have also given her Sbux. ETLs have also ignored the PA and spoken to her instead because of the fact that she is a good looking girl and they want to talk to her(my store is mostly male ETLs)

B. The TL allows TM #2 who is a family friend, to take a vacation before their 90 days. They also have two call-offs during their 90 day probation period, and have left a shift early. The TL will confront everyone else about a call off and being late, but with this person they never say anything. Management loves this TM even though they are merely a solid worker, due to the fact that this person is very charismatic and possesses a silver tongue. In other words, they are a total kiss ass. One time in a team huddle the TL recognized this TM and nobody else in the entire department of about 15-20 people. I caught other TMs in the department rolling their eyes. Furthermore, this TM has been allowed to stay OT to finish his section(and stays OT every shift as a matter of fact) but when another TM stayed late to finish their area they got yelled at.

Obviously, this deflates the hell out of the entire market team. We have several TMs who outwork these people, but are overlooked due to the fact that they aren't friendly with the TL/ETLs. Nothing is more destructive to a team in my opinion than to have hard work ignored in favor of charisma. I can't go to higher leadership, because they are guilty of it also!

Now, I'm a hard worker, but I have zero social skills. I'm not friendly and I don't kiss ass. I have had numerous ETLs/TLs tell me that I need to smile more. This has been a HUGE detriment to my success at target. I can say though, I'm proud that I was promoted to PA based on my work, and not due to my charisma(which is non existent). However, I also know, that I would have been promoted to a TL if I was more social.

This is not unique to Target though. You're story and mine are similar due to human nature. People care more about how friendly/hot you are are then what your work ability is, and that's a sad fact I've learned from working here.

 

[PogDog]

The tough part is that cliques can actually work to some managers advantage.
They get a bunch of employees who always show up (because they want to work together), they get a (totally false) kind of teamwork and the people back each other up.
What they don't see until it is too late is the overall damage that they cause, the us against them drama, the freeze outs that keep talented people from coming on board and the petty crap that clogs up the system.
The only way you can beat this stuff is having a manager who has experience and understands the differences between a clique and a team.
The problem is that way too many of the ETLs haven't been at this long enough to know and will have to learn the hard way.

I'm the remaining member of a team that consists of all new members and a new TL... they all formed a clique and I'm the one on the outside. I'm also the only one on the team with more than 6 months of experience in the department and I'm considerably older than them as well. I'm experiencing everything you have listed. My TL is grossly incompetent and under experienced to lead the team effectively... so they're leaning hard on this clique mentality. The individuals, alone, can be very effective... but once they start working together, it's more blah blah blah and less quality work... and I'm blatantly ignored on all fronts. It's frustrating to say the least.

The saddest thing is... leadership doesn't seem to care one way or another, as long as the work gets done.

 

[buliSBI]

In my experience, the ETLs are feeding or friends with the cliques.