Archived GSTL questions.

[paidtosmile]

Hey everyone, quick questions! I'm sure this is on the forums already, but I wasn't able to search for the right answers I was looking for. So if there's already a huge thread on this I didn't find, just let me know

1) How much off-site time do GSTL's in your store typically give themselves? Ie: They have a GSA running the checklanes and they're able to wander freely between the floor and the TSC/backroom/fixture room/etc.

2) Do your GSTL's spend all of their hours at the front end? Or do they have other shifts during the week like a TLOD, LOD if they're a senior, etc.

3) Question for GSTL's: How do you really stand-out from being a GSA? Like, how do you share the idea with everyone that you're a team leader, not a guest service attendant? Do you help other workcenters? Have a GSA run the break grid and answer help calls for you? etc etc.

4) Question for front end team members and GSA's: How much time does your GSTL spend out on the lanes working with you? Does he/she spend the majority of their hours out alongside you, or do they spend half their time working on other stuff?


~~I'm really trying to dig into each team lead position over the next week or two, and I figured this position and this forum would be a good place to start

 

[StaticSun]

Two GSTLs. One of which was "new in role" as a first time, middle-aged female TL, second was an early 20s male TL with 3 years of in-role experience.
4 GSAs. One typically worked in FA, one typically did 239 M-F, and the other two would split GSA/239 on the weekends. All early 20s with multiple years of Target experience.

1) How much off-site time do GSTL's in your store typically give themselves? Ie: They have a GSA running the checklanes and they're able to wander freely between the floor and the TSC/backroom/fixture room/etc.

Morning shifts usually started with a GSTL at the lanes and a GSA in 239. GSA would do their thing, take a 15, and then come out and cover break at GS and then the GSTL. GSA would status with GSTL, plan/work on projects, and cover cashier breaks and backup requests. GSTL would assist with projects, do coachings, etc. There was only a little time for projects, as the lunch rush would necessitate full focus on the checklanes/guests. Sometimes a GSA would also be on a photo lab shift, helping to cover GS/Photo/cashiers as needed. The GSAs mainly took care of endcaps/planos/dollar spot.

Evenings would typically be the other GSTL, but that was mostly managing the lanes and doing performance related tasks. Once we lost our experienced TL, the NIR GSTL mainly worked mornings M-F and the GSAs ran the closing shifts and the weekends. Eventually HR figured out the GSTL never worked weekends, and fixed that mistake...

2) Do your GSTL's spend all of their hours at the front end? Or do they have other shifts during the week like a TLOD, LOD if they're a senior, etc.

For a very brief time when I started, I had a Sr. GSTL. They only worked 3 GSTL shifts, along with 2 LOD shifts. Even during the GSTL shifts, they were pretty hands off, only doing performance related tasks.

When we had two normal TLs, they spent all of their time as GSTL, no TLOD, etc.

When we dropped to one TL, they started having them be TLOD the same night the Sr. HLTL was LOD. It was a weird situation. The LOD and TLOD were useless/lazy/gossiped all night in TSC, and it was often looked upon as an "easy" night by the team.

3) Question for GSTL's: How do you really stand-out from being a GSA? Like, how do you share the idea with everyone that you're a team leader, not a guest service attendant? Do you help other workcenters? Have a GSA run the break grid and answer help calls for you? etc etc.

Let me give it to you from the GSA's perspective..

The experienced male TL was a great leader. He was serious when he had to be, and was a normal person otherwise. Never condescending, never jumped to conclusions, and was logical in his thought process. The NIR female TL came in with an iron fist, and the cashiers hated it. The cashiers called her an evil bitch, well, because she was. She was snotty, arrogant, and a know it all. I trained her how to run the front because the ETL-GE trusted me and I knew my job very well. Now, when it came to processes, she did a great job. Endcaps were filled, signage was done, the break schedule was completed correctly, and that was great. The problem was the personality. I did my best to emulate the qualities that the experienced TL showed, and I had a great working relationship with the entire front end team. Cashiers respected me when I spoke with them, and they understood when I had to "chat" with them about redcards, or their speed. The service desk team understood my reasoning when I came over to override a transaction, or showed them a new process.

I guess my point is, the GSA and GSTL are essentially the same thing, except the latter can do schedules and performance reviews. We both have the same objectives - redcards, speed, great guest service. My team was really bummed when they brought the new TL onboard, because many people thought I should've gotten the position. They respected me as a team leader, even though Target didn't. So, it all comes to how you carry yourself, and how you manage your team.

4) Question for front end team members and GSA's: How much time does your GSTL spend out on the lanes working with you? Does he/she spend the majority of their hours out alongside you, or do they spend half their time working on other stuff?

I think I covered this in the rest of my answers, but the best part about my team was that we were just that - a team. The GSAs all had areas that we were responsible for. The GSTL(s) let us have free roam of the front end, and the leadership supported our autonomy. I spent a lot of time working by myself, but appreciated that I had leadership who would back me up when I needed support, either with a process or a person.

 

[paidtosmile]

Thank you for the great response! I was very curious about this because we recently switched GSTL's, and I also observed one somewhere else (I wasn't there to be working with them, but I still watched a little bit) and I noticed that our old GSTL would always work right along-side her team, she would always be on the floor; and this new GSTL (and the one from another store I watched) seem very disengaged from their team, only really stepping in for performance management.

 

[Cel]

1) How much off-site time do GSTL's in your store typically give themselves? Ie: They have a GSA running the checklanes and they're able to wander freely between the floor and the TSC/backroom/fixture room/etc.

Won't be a GSA scheduled as GSA almost ever. If there's a GSA at guest services, maybe 20-30 minutes. If they have a morning shift they'll once in a blue moon schedule a GSA closer to overlap for an hour so they can go into TSC for that time.

2) Do your GSTL's spend all of their hours at the front end? Or do they have other shifts during the week like a TLOD, LOD if they're a senior, etc.
Ours usually does 3ish LOD shifts a week. 2ish GSTL shifts.

4) Question for front end team members and GSA's: How much time does your GSTL spend out on the lanes working with you? Does he/she spend the majority of their hours out alongside you, or do they spend half their time working on other stuff?

As a GSTL as mentioned in the other thread: Zero. As LOD, sometimes a 10 minute conversation here or there.

 

[eleuthreophile]

We never have more than one GSTL or GSA scheduled at once, but they all wander freely. Sucks when you actually NEED something, like supervisor numbers. I am knowledgeable enough to fix almost any problem, but sometimes you really just need supervisor numbers.

Our st GSTL sometimes has salesfloor shifts when she's the LOD.

I rarely see any of them. One GSA has been spending time trying to fix jewelry, which is nice since it's right across from the lanes (plus I can go help her and not cash for a bit). Another one of them either stands in Starbucks and gossips or just vanishes (I swear there's a black hole in our store). Some of them will take baskets around the store and they usually assist with ad takedown and sometimes they zone hardlines.