Archived Christmas is coming...let's all be nice

[Retail Girl]

no everyone's lives at Target aren't the same and everyone's families aren't the same - through the years growing up, someone in my family always had to work - or was in a football game or had another obligation. Such as going to in-laws (eww). We either planned dinner around them or they were there early or later. In my opinion it's not such a big deal. There have been times when we celebrated Thanksgiving on another day if we wanted to get everyone together and we couldn't do that on Thanksgiving.

The problem is, if I want to convince my family to move thanksgiving so I could join them, it would a) be the weekend before or after (they have jobs, too) and b) because they are out of state, it would require me asking for two days off in a row (and be the weekend, no less). And that would also be denied faster than they could read the request. So basically you are telling me it's okay to not see my family for yet another holiday. I didn't sign away my desire to see my family on occasion when I took this job.

I am very thankful that this will hopefully be my last 4th quarter in retail.

 

[Producer]

This is the worst time of the year to be in HR. I can't tell you how many times I've been yelled at for a schedule this is almost entirely produced by the executive team. I was told not to touch a single shift from Wed-Sat of that week, and yet everybody is bitching at me about how they deserve to have Thursday and/or Friday off. Well guess what, I'm working Thursday night AND Friday morning/afternoon too. This is my fourth straight year where I won't see my family AT ALL on Thanksgiving... But that's working in retail. If I hated it so much, I could go for another job.

So I can have sympathy for the OP's frustration, though his/her tone is definitely unprofessional. The fact is that around the holidays, Team members treat HR team members like guests treat cashiers, so please be considerate to those of us who are trying our damn hardest to be as accommodating as possible while catching all of the shit that is thrown our way for decisions made that are far beyond our N07 paygrade.

 

[tgtguy]

WE all need to remember that no matter what job we do within Spot...we should all treat each other with respect..

 

[sher]

It's not really one day anymore. It's "only" 5 hours more than a full day, but that 29 hours spans across 2 days, one being a day that until 2012 target employees could expect to have that day off. A holiday where dinner is the focus, we're going into work at dinner time, But oh, let's just erase years of family traditions so everyone can shop. Amurrica. Land of "never forget" ...unless there's a $79 30" tv on sale.

My etl hr went around, buuut I know one person who didn't get a talk about that for some reason. And I just didn't get what I wanted, so it's not like those little availability things mean anything. I'm technically available during the part I'm annoyed about, but I wouldn't have volunteered to overnight on thanksgiving if I'd known I'd have to work on Friday, too.

 

[redandkhaki]

Our ETL-HR went around and asked everyone and I tried as hard as I possibly could to schedule people to what they wanted to work. I honestly tried to base what i could on seniority if I couldn't please anyone but I have dreaded going to work every single day since the schedule came out. I haven't been yelled at by a single regular team member but I have been yelled at by about 10 seasonal cashiers. It's funny because I interviewed every single one of them and went through having to work on thanksgiving and even told them we would probably be opening at 6pm. I'm sorry but if you had this big of a problem with working on thanksgiving you should have either spoke up in the interview or not taken the job.
I can't believe how some of the other stores are treating you guys though. I don't care about having to work on thanksgiving because i have a very small family who all live in town and they all go to the in-laws and we have ours the weekend after but it does suck for people who have family out of town or traditions they can't do anymore.
As someone who writes the schedule let me just say I'm sorry but please please please look at it from their side too. We have to staff the store and we have no choice.

 

[Dying Sun]

All TMs should just refuse to show up on Thursday. What are they going to do fire everyone? Not bloody likely turn over is already a nightmare. And the PR disaster would be huge. Just forgiving every thing by saying thats retail is not valid. Retail has alway required much but, retail was never ever like it is now.

I wonder what's preventing us from striking and unionizing like our predecessors in the industrial world did. Maybe a lack of organization or willpower.

or a scare tactic. Fear can be one of the most powerful motivators on earth if used properly. think about it Target plants subliminal messages in its orientation videos, especially the union one. they paint them out to be evil and soulless but they as in Spot are afraid of them because if we did unionize they would have no choice but to treat us fairly. Spot is terrified of unions (who are nowhere near as powerful as they were during the industrial revolution) and as such they use threats and scare tactics on us to prevent us from unionizing.

 

[Dying Sun]

believe me im as pissed off about having to work thanksgiving as everyone else due to the fact that I will wind up missing most of my families gathering to serve the Insecticon hoard who choose to waste the day shopping but why are TMs yelling at HR. Do they not realize that most of the BF schedule is outta their control they are no happier about than we are. as I have said before we all are in this fight together but on BF especially. it doesn't matter if we work at Target, Wallyworld, Kmart, Khols, Sears, or Macys. All Retail workers are one on BF. we all burn in the same hell but the time will come where our corporate overlords will burn with us.

 

[JuicedSoftball1]

 

[Samshayna]

I am new to Target and I guess I haven't experienced enough. After reading everyone's post, I think we are missing something. It seems like we are blaming Target and the other retailers for making their employees work the night of Thanksgiving. It is not Target's or the other retailers fault. It is far from there fault. If you want to blame someone, blame our guests/customers. If there wasn't guest/customer demand for this, the retailers would not open. Our guests/customers created this problem, not Target. If my memory serves me, it was Walmart who decided to open on Thanksgiving night as an experiment. They wanted to see if there was a demand. Obviously, 10+ years later, the American public made a decision that is was more important to buy a TV at 7pm on Thanksgiving Thursday than be home with their family. If the millions of Americans decided family time was more important, than Walmart would have been empty, and they would not be open on Thanksgiving night going forward. Let's cut through the BS. Target is a for-profit company. They have shareholders to answer too. If they see a possibility for a return on investment, they are going to act. If there wasn't then they would be closed.

 

[konk]

Guess who's PRN at his other job so he doesn't get time and a half? Suck it up, buttercups!

 

[commiecorvus]

I am new to Target and I guess I haven't experienced enough. After reading everyone's post, I think we are missing something. It seems like we are blaming Target and the other retailers for making their employees work the night of Thanksgiving. It is not Target's or the other retailers fault. It is far from there fault. If you want to blame someone, blame our guests/customers. If there wasn't guest/customer demand for this, the retailers would not open. Our guests/customers created this problem, not Target. If my memory serves me, it was Walmart who decided to open on Thanksgiving night as an experiment. They wanted to see if there was a demand. Obviously, 10+ years later, the American public made a decision that is was more important to buy a TV at 7pm on Thanksgiving Thursday than be home with their family. If the millions of Americans decided family time was more important, than Walmart would have been empty, and they would not be open on Thanksgiving night going forward. Let's cut through the BS. Target is a for-profit company. They have shareholders to answer too. If they see a possibility for a return on investment, they are going to act. If there wasn't then they would be closed.

And once again I have to point out that there are a number of companies Burlington, Costco, REI, etc. who have chosen not to take this money over their employees approach.
Those few extra dollars are not necessary to the final numbers while your employees mental work/life can make all the difference in the world.

 

[sher]

I'm not getting time and a half for the day I'm annoyed about lol. Im not sucking shit up, though... Until Thursday. And during every other shift, because I pretend to be into Black Friday when I talk about it with the guests. Unless the guest is on the other side where they feel bad for us and think it's dumb. Basically, I just agree with the guests on the topic.

I'm not really mad at my etl hr, or the hr other people (are they team members? I don't think there's an hr tl... Or is there...?) I'm mad at the situation, I wish I was part of the lucky bunch who got their requests. I'm jealous. I waas lucky enough to get Saturday off though, so I'm not terribly jealous. If your Black Friday situation doesn't bother you, that's fantastic.

 

[sher]

I think if retail companies weren't in this dick measuring contest to begin with, it never would've gotten to the point of starting on thanksgiving. And I believe the shoppers never would've been like outraged about not getting Black Friday on thanksgiving. So, I can't personally take all the blame away from Wally, target, et al.

 

[Samshayna]

I have a 40 hour a week job and do to some financial issues, I took a part time job

I think if retail companies weren't in this dick measuring contest to begin with, it never would've gotten to the point of starting on thanksgiving. And I believe the shoppers never would've been like outraged about not getting Black Friday on thanksgiving. So, I can't personally take all the blame away from Wally, target, et al.

This has nothing to do with "dick measuring". This solely has to do with demand. The retailers will make decisions based on the buying public.

 

[neversaynever]

I have a 40 hour a week job and do to some financial issues, I took a part time job

I think if retail companies weren't in this dick measuring contest to begin with, it never would've gotten to the point of starting on thanksgiving. And I believe the shoppers never would've been like outraged about not getting Black Friday on thanksgiving. So, I can't personally take all the blame away from Wally, target, et al.

This has nothing to do with "dick measuring". This solely has to do with demand. The retailers will make decisions based on the buying public.

Oh it isn't demand that they drop their turkey and pie and rush to shop - it is ALL about keeping up with other retailers in HOPES of grabbing the elusive "first stop and spend it all" money from customers.

That is it. Period.

Everyone backs up the time to be first, to drag it out longer. People got up early friday to shop, they were fine. Then it started..... and now no one dares change it back for fear of losing that all important first stop money.

 

[RedDog]

I am new to Target and I guess I haven't experienced enough. After reading everyone's post, I think we are missing something. It seems like we are blaming Target and the other retailers for making their employees work the night of Thanksgiving. It is not Target's or the other retailers fault. It is far from there fault. If you want to blame someone, blame our guests/customers. If there wasn't guest/customer demand for this, the retailers would not open. Our guests/customers created this problem, not Target. If my memory serves me, it was Walmart who decided to open on Thanksgiving night as an experiment. They wanted to see if there was a demand. Obviously, 10+ years later, the American public made a decision that is was more important to buy a TV at 7pm on Thanksgiving Thursday than be home with their family. If the millions of Americans decided family time was more important, than Walmart would have been empty, and they would not be open on Thanksgiving night going forward. Let's cut through the BS. Target is a for-profit company. They have shareholders to answer too. If they see a possibility for a return on investment, they are going to act. If there wasn't then they would be closed.

The earlier openings have not done much to increase sales at all. In fact Target does about the same amount as they when they opened at 6AM Friday. All the extra payroll means Black Friday is now less profitable. Which is why many others do not open. Target however has so completely lost its compedative edge that they are afraid of losing even more if they did not follow others into the early openings. So in the end it really is Targets fault. They have had a series of failures that has them now dancing to Walmart and Kmarts tune. When Target was well lead and inovative they did not even consider Walmart and Kmart competition. The people up top wrecked the company and it is the people in the stores who have payed for it.

 

[seewhatididthere]

I don't know about anyone else, but I've had conversations with guests who came through my line about us opening on Thanksgiving and all of them agreed that it was crazy to be open on Thanksgiving. It's definitely not the demand from the people, rather it's the greed from the corporations. Soon they'll begin to ease their way into Christmas full force, if you thought being open until 12AM Christmas Eve was bad...wait until they announce they'll be open 8AM Christmas Day, but hopefully we the workers won't let it get that far.

 

[AMRAAM187]

I have been working on Black Friday since we used to open at 7am on Black Friday. And maybe I'm just crazy but I've had every a blast every single year, it's so much fun to watch people yell and argue over a $2 set of towels that they don't need. All my family knows that I have to work that day and we schedule our holiday around that. I think most of the complaints about opening on thanksgiving come for the newbies that are shocked to learn that they have to work on thanksgiving.

 

[commiecorvus]

I have been working on Black Friday since we used to open at 7am on Black Friday. And maybe I'm just crazy but I've had every a blast every single year, it's so much fun to watch people yell and argue over a $2 set of towels that they don't need. All my family knows that I have to work that day and we schedule our holiday around that. I think most of the complaints about opening on thanksgiving come for the newbies that are shocked to learn that they have to work on thanksgiving.

And I'm willing to bet you're wrong.
Many of the people who are upset are people who remember working BF when it was indeed on frelling Friday.

I enjoy BF, it's fun, frenzied, and time just rushes by, but there is just no reason it has to start during Thanksgiving.
Or that people have to be told to suck it up because they are upset that family traditions are being destroyed by retail greed.

 

[jenna]

Ugh. I just want sleep. Not a 10 hour overnight shift that starts immediately after my family dinner. F*ck that.

 

[BaristaChick16]

Without getting too personal, this is the first Thanksgiving I'll have with my parents being separated. We were all trying to figure out plans...until I got my schedule.

6pm. Outside of my main work center which I'm annoyed about. Against my availability (like others on here, I was never asked what my preferred times were on Thursday and Friday).

My HR woman is awful...she played favorites with who she asked. How she got away with it, I'll never know.

 

[sher]

This has nothing to do with "dick measuring". This solely has to do with demand. The retailers will make decisions based on the buying public.

The buying public didn't know they wanted to shop on thanksgiving until Wally said "bruh, I bet no one else has the balls to open on thanksgiving... We should do it... We'll be first to open... We'll get all of their money before target even opens the doors muahahahahahahahahaha"
Then they did their market research with the focus groups and such and at the suggestion, many of the people they surveyed were like "ooh, yea, that sounds like fun."
I said Wally because I think they were the first to open thanksgiving night and do an overnight Black Friday start time. Here, thy did it the year before target started 9pm (2 BFs ago, target's first thanksgiving open). I'm assuming that doesn't apply for people who live in 24 hour Walmart regions. There was a time when BF started at 6am, then 4, then 2, then midnight. If you think people were calling retailers asking them to creep into another day, you're crazy. Most people were shocked that first year. I had the same "wow, you guys are opening on t day?" Conversation a million times that year.

So yea, money has everything to do with this new shopping tradition, but the people didn't ask for it because they didn't know they wanted it. I mean, you could be right, but I refuse to believe it happened your way lol and you will stick to your guns, so really this is futile. And it doesn't even matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Flabbergasted]

If every retailer switched back to opening around 6am or whatever on Friday no one would be upset about it. I agree with others who say that this is not about public demand but rather retailer greed. People didn't even know they wanted to shop on Thanksgiving. In fact, I'm willing to bet the vast majority disagree with it but since they really want those door busters they're willing to sacrifice their turkey and show up whenever the retailers want them to. It's a little sick, really. Of course people have the power to change it by collectively refusing to shop but most of us are sheep in a herd.

10 years from now it's just going to be called Black Week: Monday through Friday stores will be open for 24 hours, 120 hours straight, with new door busters each day starting at midnight. I'm thinking you can count on it.

 

[missall]

The fact about all this is Thanksgiving is family time, hence the reason for Black Friday. There is no more black friday. Its GREEDY Thursday for both the employers and the employees who want to work.

 

[JuicedSoftball1]

We can blame the crappier retailers for this. The Sears, Kmarts of the World had sinking sales so they thought this would help. Us and Wal-mart just followed along