Archived Cleaning house of Team Leads

[lurker]

My TL said to me the other day "Don't be surprised if ____, _____, and I are gone by spring." :sorry:
By the way of the 3 TL's this TL mentioned; one has a college degree, and one definitely has at least a couple of college credits and third is useless anyway.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

Just trying to play catch up on this topic. I tried using multiple quotes, but not sure how it's done. :/ I clicked on multiple quotes, but couldn't get them in my reply.

Someone mentioned they didn't know of any STLs that had retired. One of our former STLs just retired after 30+ years with the company. Don't know how many stores she had worked at. Started as a cashier to supplement her family income & moved up from there. I think this was before a college degree was required.

I mentioned to our HR about college degrees being required for TL positions & if it was happening. She was kind of at a loss for words. Maybe she knows something about it but doesn't want others to know. I honestly don't know how many of our current TLs have degrees.

StateofTarget, she originally said you would be demoted after fourth quarter, this is her way of keeping you as a TL until then. (Keeping you in the dark if your degree is sufficient.)

 

[Formina Sage]

Just trying to play catch up on this topic. I tried using multiple quotes, but not sure how it's done. :/ I clicked on multiple quotes, but couldn't get them in my reply.

Someone mentioned they didn't know of any STLs that had retired. One of our former STLs just retired after 30+ years with the company. Don't know how many stores she had worked at. Started as a cashier to supplement her family income & moved up from there. I think this was before a college degree was required.

I mentioned to our HR about college degrees being required for TL positions & if it was happening. She was kind of at a loss for words. Maybe she knows something about it but doesn't want others to know. I honestly don't know how many of our current TLs have degrees.

StateofTarget, she originally said you would be demoted after fourth quarter, this is her way of keeping you as a TL until then. (Keeping you in the dark if your degree is sufficient.)

You have to click each multi quote and then press New Reply - it doesn't work correctly if you try using the quick reply box.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Fs, you may want to ask that question in your interview. Reference the core roles.

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

I can't help but notice a pattern. All of this, "cleaning house of TL's" talk, seems to be more "dumping GSTL's and shuffling around GSA's." Has anyone else noticed that?

Looks like an attempt to lose GSTLs and get GSAs to do it for less. Doesn't sound out of the question for K-Mart....EERRRRRRR I mean Target brass. I do hope they know they're turning the company into K-Mart with the constant cost cutting.

 

[redeye58]

Never has "Expect more. Pay less" rang so true....

 

[stupid rules]

I can't go into much detail but I can tell you that a degree requirement for team leaders will not be rolling out with AE12 unless it is changed after today. There is some change coming for them but it's not that.

 

[dek067]

is it more cuts?

 

[ISIS639]

When do the AEs come out each year? I feel like we were just talking about AE '11...

 

[IamLegendTGT]

I believe STLs have access to it on workbench by January. The following month, the STL rolls it out to the rest of the team.

 

[insiteful1]

STL's get previews at the September gathering in MN every year.

 

[redeye58]

...and you thought Hallowe'en was scary enough already...?

 

[talan123]

The change is probably going to be...

Must be under 25.
Inability to comprehend situation outside of their department.
Lacks any ability to use finger on walkies to respond on backup.
Less experience means they just don't know what can't be done!

 

[TLWorkerBee]

Today I talked to a TL that works at the store I used to work at, and they told me that TLs really do need a degree. I hadn't seen this TL in months since they were on LOA when I left, and the first question they asked me was if I had a degree (which I do, AA). Apparently even current ETLs MIGHT be looked at also if they don't have a degree, MAYBE. As for "cleaning house", it's something I shouldn't be worried about, especially being a new TL, but who knows.

 

[IamLegendTGT]

I'm curious to see what kind of high volume store cuts, if any, they have coming on AE '12 in terms of headcount for TLs and ETLs....

 

[StateofTarget]

Well just a quick update.

I got word from my ETL-HR after pressing her for info that my AA degree WILL work, and that the requirement is only 60 college credits.... You don't even need the associate degree completed.

Something also she told me was that this is "regional" in the company, and that the regional HR people decide if this policy will be implemented for the "region". Apparently it is decided based on "market conditions". (basically to summarize her BS - if Target thinks they can get away with it at stores that are located in bad economic areas) As far as "regions" of Target I have never heard of that before. Anyone have any idea exactly WTF "regions" of Target means?

 

[Softlines Owns My Soul]

Well just a quick update.

I got word from my ETL-HR after pressing her for info that my AA degree WILL work, and that the requirement is only 60 college credits.... You don't even need the associate degree completed.

Something also she told me was that this is "regional" in the company, and that the regional HR people decide if this policy will be implemented for the "region". Apparently it is decided based on "market conditions". (basically to summarize her BS - if Target thinks they can get away with it at stores that are located in bad economic areas) As far as "regions" of Target I have never heard of that before. Anyone have any idea exactly WTF "regions" of Target means?

Each store has an individual store number, a district, a group, and a region. It's listed on the front page of workbench on the top left.

 

[spikegrouchy]

Note: If this is a situation that MAY expose my store location, please delete this post.

So.
I was told today that they are getting rid of all the TL's that don't have degrees.
As far as I know, they already gave two of my GSTLS (both have been with Target for over 20 years), and a sales floor TL the "two week notice"
They were told "step down or leave"

I heard this from two different people who don't know eachother with different sources.

One source heard it from the actual GSTL and the other heard it from a Sr TL.

Is this....fair? Both GSTL's are old and this is the only job they can get. NO ONE will hire two old, broken ladies.

I don't know if it's my store, which seems, lately, to be the opening to Hell, or if other stores have heard this talk.

I dunno.

I can't imagine that this is a corporate decision, but nothing surprises me anymore! My opinion is that the store wanted to get rid of a lot of old TL's because they make more than the newer ones. This is a sneaky way to do it...by requiring all TL's to have a college degree.

They might not want "two old broken ladies" out front representing a youth-oriented store, either. Oops, there goes my age discrimation issue again. However, I figure my flow team job is safe, because Target can always use a 55 year old retail veteran male to make bales, get carts, unload the trucks and do other dirty work that no one else wants to do....

 

[spikegrouchy]

I was a tl at Target for 10 years. In 2010 they came out with a list at the store i was at. No surprise all the tl names where on it and when they were scheduled to be performance out. The etl's had left it on a table by mistake. I didnt believe it well out of 10 years i was never wrote up, had correction action nothing. Then I was sent out of town to help open a new store. BAMMMMMMMMMMMM i was coached for not being accountable to my team while I was away???? Now how does that happen??? Wouldnt that have been my exc's job when they decide to extend my stay opening the new store from 2 weeks to 8 weeks??? One of the newer exec made the comment" we can get 2 for the price we pay you" So I took my first coaching ever went to the Hr person...they told me it would never happen again. BAMMMMMMMMMMMMM hes transfer ....the day after I'm wrote up for another bogus claim....Guess what I' looked and got a new job, never did replace my position til a month ago. Along with me went 4 other tl who had saw the paper. Just a warning....

As I said many times before, NO ONE is safe at Target or any other job for that matter. EVERYONE reading this post can be "performanced out" for anything. They can write up a coaching, corrective action, final warning or termination for anything that you do not do on a regular basis that is on your Core Roles. And, of course, no one can do EVERYTHING on their Core Roles 100% of the time. Anything that you do not do on a regular basis can be used for a corrective action, etc. I have seen many TL's, ETLs, STLs & DTLs terminated for ridiculous things. But the company gets away with it because all they have to do is document things (bogus or not) that you don't do from your Core Roles list.

All you can do is do your best, work hard and sleep with a high ranking executive (believe me, I have seen this, too)!!!

 

[redeye58]

Welcome back, Spike.
Been missin' your words o' wisdom.

 

[commiecorvus]

As I said many times before, NO ONE is safe at Target or any other job for that matter. EVERYONE reading this post can be "peformanced out" for anything. They can write up a coaching, corrective action, final warning or termination for anything that you do not do on a regular basis that is on your Core Roles. And, of course, no one can do EVERYTHING on their Core Roles 100% of the time. Anything that you do not do on a regular basis can be used for a corrective action, etc. I have seen many TL's, ETLs, STLs & DTLs terminated for ridiculous things. But the company gets away with it because all they have to do is document things (bogus or not) that you don't do from your Core Roles list.

All you can do is do your best, work hard and sleep with a high ranking executive (believe me, I have seen this, too)!!!

Sad to say Spike has it down.
Spot has all the power and we have none.
No matter how well you do your job, how reliable you are, that you are willing to give 100%, even if you've put in twenty years, they can find quick and simple ways to get rid of you.
That is why they fight having a union and that is why they make campaign contributions to organizations that support candidates who are anti-labor.
There are ways to get power, to equalize that imbalance, it's just not very easy.

 

[redeye58]

All you can do is do your best, work hard and sleep with a high ranking executive (believe me, I have seen this, too)!!!

...and I bet you'll never watch THAT YouTube video ever again!

 

[Rarejem]

As I said many times before, NO ONE is safe at Target or any other job for that matter. EVERYONE reading this post can be "performanced out" for anything. They can write up a coaching, corrective action, final warning or termination for anything that you do not do on a regular basis that is on your Core Roles. And, of course, no one can do EVERYTHING on their Core Roles 100% of the time. Anything that you do not do on a regular basis can be used for a corrective action, etc. I have seen many TL's, ETLs, STLs & DTLs terminated for ridiculous things. But the company gets away with it because all they have to do is document things (bogus or not) that you don't do from your Core Roles list.

All you can do is do your best, work hard and sleep with a high ranking executive (believe me, I have seen this, too)!!!

Welcome back Spike! I totally agree with you and would like some advice. I know that I work hard and always try my best, so what's the best approach to use to sleep with a high ranking executive and what rank would be the best? Do you think that they would pay for travel time? :diablo:

 

[Frizzo the Clown]

I know that has been some discussion, (or at least mention) of why would someone with a degree want to do the low-paying job of a TL. While I haven't read every page in this thread, I can tell you that sometimes, even with a degree, we just can't find a better damned job. I graduated college, and I needed to have some income coming in (because the bills aren't going to stop), and I couldn't wait for my "dream job" to come around. Target was the only place I applied to that called me back. I'm just a TM.

My wife graduated college a few months after me, and she's got a Master's Degree. Again, her assistantship was over, and we needed more income coming in, and likewise, she applied at Target (hoping something better might come along), and again, they were the only one that called her back. She is also only a TM. Her store seems dead set against her even trying to move up to TL.

I'm not suggesting that having a degree makes either of us better than anyone else, but its frustrating and disheartening that with our education, this is the best we can do. Not that Spot is an awful place to work, it just seems like we wasted our time, and our money trying to improve ourselves when nothing else better is coming along. Its a blow to our own morale. We have jobs, and we're grateful for them...sometimes you have to take what you can get. An education is never a guarantee of a better job. TL pay may suck compared to what we could be making elsewhere...but if elsewhere doesn't want us...then what are we going to do?

Though, back on topic, it would be idiotic if they did away with the TM's we already have at my store in favor of those who have degrees.

(sorry for the long rant)

 

[redeye58]

We've got quite a few older TMs who have degrees but who wouldn't be considered leadership-bound. Why? Because they don't fit the youth-oriented, hip image & they are blunt & to-the-point instead of coating everything in "Target-speak".