Archived Best Company Ever? Really?

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The quality of leadership -- i.e., leadership engagement with team members, follow-through, and being actively engaged with anything that's happening in the store each day -- seems to be declining at my store, and fast.

Is this common with Target? (I've been with the company now for about 1.5 years.)

I came across this today http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/t...gagement-1?intlink=us-openf-nav-ymal-t8b6p5p5
Absolutely none of this applies to any manager I've ever worked with at Target.

I have, and am, thinking about looking elsewhere for a job, but holding out for the moment, mainly because I didn't want to "fail," so to speak. I set an objective for myself when I came to work with the company -- to learn the company and its processes well enough to reach the level of TL. The SrTL and ETL who supervise me and my team don't provide any feedback and seem altogether uninterested in team members' professional growth. In fact, storewide, they have cut our hours so severely that we generally have one person in SL and one in HL during the day, and we are a SuperTarget. (I do not count our team leads, as when they actually do show up, as opposed to calling out, they rarely do anything resembling work.) Our specialty teams are not completing their work on time, partly as a result of assisting with guest calls and calls for backup. We get slammed with sales one day, and berated the following (in the huddle) for how lousy the store looks (the phrase our STL used was "it's an embarrassment," which is an accurate, but misplaced, criticism.) Employee morale is in the toilet.

Is this really all the "best company ever" has to offer?
 
Welcome to the real world -- Neo
toetap05.gif
 
in the past few weeks, I have witnessed such a rapid decline in concern and caring and listening that I have been seriously considering a job change as well. I just want to shake someone and say HEY! Are your eyes open? Do you have any idea why great team members are walking out the door?

I'm afraid this is all spot has to offer - inexperienced ETL's who don't even work full shifts in my building, how can they get away with that?
 
Welcome to the real world -- Neo
toetap05.gif

Sorry to burst your bubble there, SBS, but in the real world, hiring managers know that it costs more $$$ to continually hire and train people to perform these types of jobs than it does to retain quality employees.
 
I can't speak for all team leads, but I love my team members so much... want so much for them... and really feel like I'm being discouraged by MY leaders when it comes to mentoring them. I am constantly drilled for results, results, results, yet given no direction on how to develop them and no resources to motivate them. I used to be encouraged to work hand-in-hand with my team to build morale and help with retention. Now I'm expected to delegate and walk away. You are not wrong. Feedback, mentoring, partnership, engagement... the Target fundamentals are things of the past.
 
I can't speak for all team leads, but I love my team members so much... want so much for them... and really feel like I'm being discouraged by MY leaders when it comes to mentoring them. I am constantly drilled for results, results, results, yet given no direction on how to develop them and no resources to motivate them. I used to be encouraged to work hand-in-hand with my team to build morale and help with retention. Now I'm expected to delegate and walk away. You are not wrong. Feedback, mentoring, partnership, engagement... the Target fundamentals are things of the past.

exactly! If you don't have support and resources - there is no chance of success.
 
in the past few weeks, I have witnessed such a rapid decline in concern and caring and listening that I have been seriously considering a job change as well. I just want to shake someone and say HEY! Are your eyes open? Do you have any idea why great team members are walking out the door?

I'm afraid this is all spot has to offer - inexperienced ETL's who don't even work full shifts in my building, how can they get away with that?

All our ETLs do is put in face time now. Unless there's something really radical happening, only one in 10 does anything more meaningful than shuffle paper.
 
All our ETLs do is put in face time now. Unless there's something really radical happening, only one in 10 does anything more meaningful than shuffle paper.

There is an effort to decide where to call out for lunch - which ETL will be sent to get it - and which area to eat said lunch. You have to appreciate the effort and the wallet that accommodates eating out every day. And ignoring the calls for back up during the lunch.
 
Right on, Target Annie!

The bottom line, IMHO, is that The Corporation is more concerned with expansion and trying to get its price-per-share stock prices to match Walmart's.
 
While I definitely agree with your points, I would warn against thinking this is a "Target only" situation. I've worked at more companies and businesses than most anyone, and it's the same all over (except at the places I've worked that were Unionized) And while I can't stand almost any big business or corporate america, I have to tell you that target ranks among the better companies in the Retail world if nothing else, not that that says much 'good" about Target, but still.
The quality of leadership -- i.e., leadership engagement with team members, follow-through, and being actively engaged with anything that's happening in the store each day -- seems to be declining at my store, and fast.

Is this common with Target? (I've been with the company now for about 1.5 years.)

I came across this today http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/t...gagement-1?intlink=us-openf-nav-ymal-t8b6p5p5
Absolutely none of this applies to any manager I've ever worked with at Target.

I have, and am, thinking about looking elsewhere for a job, but holding out for the moment, mainly because I didn't want to "fail," so to speak. I set an objective for myself when I came to work with the company -- to learn the company and its processes well enough to reach the level of TL. The SrTL and ETL who supervise me and my team don't provide any feedback and seem altogether uninterested in team members' professional growth. In fact, storewide, they have cut our hours so severely that we generally have one person in SL and one in HL during the day, and we are a SuperTarget. (I do not count our team leads, as when they actually do show up, as opposed to calling out, they rarely do anything resembling work.) Our specialty teams are not completing their work on time, partly as a result of assisting with guest calls and calls for backup. We get slammed with sales one day, and berated the following (in the huddle) for how lousy the store looks (the phrase our STL used was "it's an embarrassment," which is an accurate, but misplaced, criticism.) Employee morale is in the toilet.

Is this really all the "best company ever" has to offer?
 
I am not giving up on spot, yet. Drive sales, provide great ge, & get product out. The 1st qtr is roughest part of the year for spot. Spot is trying to remain competitive with Wally world.
Hang in there! Retail is retail.
 
Fairplay,I have read your desire to learn and progress up through the ranks at Target and it all is logical in the real world.Over my years with the company I have met dozens if not hundreds who came with the same desires and ambitions,I have met all types from tms to dtls who were excellent and are no longer with the company because Target logic comes from some mysterious place that I for one do not understand but sometimes it seems to be close to crazy and we have all see what is happening over the last month.I feel sorry for your position Annie because you are obviously a very caring person and I know that etls/stl say things in front of you because they forget you are there or the actually thing you are one of them.Try to keep your heads up everyone,this does tend to be a very bad time of year,soon things will start to improve as the survey time approaches.Good luck.
 
Thank you, Hlm and tgtfla. That's the most encouragement I've received in some time.
 
Another thing to add on top of what tgtfla and hlmaster said... It also depends on the direction your STl and DTL take their stores... Sometimes they are very serious and results driven (but not much else) and the store will take a very serious tone that makes some people uncomfortable! But that is just how Target works! We need to adapt to those changes, because more likely than not, they will change multiple times over your course with the company! I have had 3 different DTLs and 5 different STLs in 6 years with the company... and each time they have made changes to how we operate... some will drive results, some will drive morale and culture... whatever it is just be prepared for the changes since everything at Target is temporary!
 
Best of luck with what's happening, the most you can do is communicate your thoughts and share your concerns, and hopefully things should get better.
While I definitely agree with your points, I would warn against thinking this is a "Target only" situation. I've worked at more companies and businesses than most anyone, and it's the same all over (except at the places I've worked that were Unionized) And while I can't stand almost any big business or corporate america, I have to tell you that target ranks among the better companies in the Retail world if nothing else, not that that says much 'good" about Target, but still.
 
Good points,I realised something the other day,I was sorting out some files and I started going through my reviews.I noticed that in all my years at Target the same person never wrote two reviews in a row,in fact over the last 10 years a lot of my etls never lasted long enough to write one.The thing is, all these people come and go,but we keep everthing ticking over sometimes in spite of directions we are given.
 
\I feel sorry for your position Annie because you are obviously a very caring person and I know that etls/stl say things in front of you because they forget you are there or the actually thing you are one of them.Try to keep your heads up everyone,this does tend to be a very bad time of year,soon things will start to improve as the survey time approaches.Good luck.

Thanks for your kind words - I believe you are right
 
You da best, Annie, for sharing your accrued knowlege & the compassion/concern that you show your team mates.
 
Good points,I realised something the other day,I was sorting out some files and I started going through my reviews.I noticed that in all my years at Target the same person never wrote two reviews in a row,in fact over the last 10 years a lot of my etls never lasted long enough to write one.The thing is, all these people come and go,but we keep everthing ticking over sometimes in spite of directions we are given.

Same here - and again this year.
 
While it's ok to share some humor, we have to realize this is a somewhat serious situation where we all have to do our best to communicate all the repairs that need to be made to improve the work environment.
While I definitely agree with your points, I would warn against thinking this is a "Target only" situation. I've worked at more companies and businesses than most anyone, and it's the same all over (except at the places I've worked that were Unionized) And while I can't stand almost any big business or corporate america, I have to tell you that target ranks among the better companies in the Retail world if nothing else, not that that says much 'good" about Target, but still.
 
it's a good thing I don't need the money {yea, right!}
If only I could live off the entertainment value of the comedy and drama of the daily life that is our store.
I would consider myself incredibly overpaid with benefits to boot.

It's kind of like the show Survivor - outwit, outlast, outplay
outwit the idiots, outlast those that don't have the staying power and give up, and outplay those who think they know it all.

end rant/ for now
 
very true
While I definitely agree with your points, I would warn against thinking this is a "Target only" situation. I've worked at more companies and businesses than most anyone, and it's the same all over (except at the places I've worked that were Unionized) And while I can't stand almost any big business or corporate america, I have to tell you that target ranks among the better companies in the Retail world if nothing else, not that that says much 'good" about Target, but still.
 
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