Crappy. Our TL BTS chat session was awesome. At first it seemed like everyone was quiet and mumble-y, but then I started laying it out brutally honestly as the ETL-HR posed his questions regarding each individual point, because I just don't give a f*** anymore, and shortly after that everyone else piped up with their own concerns and frustrations. It was great.
We mentioned how TMs are burning out. Especially the good ones. Each year they pile on more and more work, and each year there are fewer and fewer hours. So the efficiency has to go up and up as a result. But...that only works up to a certain point. After that point, it's just flat out not possible to get everything done. That's to say nothing of call offs. When people are busting their ass everyday for 8-9 something per hour, going home dirty and sweaty and drop-dead exhausted, it takes a toll on them. It doesn't take long to burn out.
We mentioned how we are tired of getting s*** from ETLs anytime we need to call off or change our schedule with a few days notice and other related things. Target only cares about Target. Target is Target's life. It's their business, so fine, ok. But those of us who are the actual working grunts have lives outside of work that are more important than Target (note: not salaried people with the exact same paycheck 26 times per year sitting on top of a desk kicking their feet). Someone's sick kid is more important than Target. My dead relative is more f***ing important than Target. Etc. We said that the ETLs need to relax on that. "I can't come in today. Family issue." "OK, thanks, hope things are o.k., bye." is how the conversation should go. We bust ass and perform beyond expectations everyday - we aren't bull****ing you into getting an extra day off. You think we can afford to do that? Especially with the should-be-illegal housing prices in our area? Relax.
We mentioned how it's cool to have benefits, but that we are scared of using them because of how crappy they ultimately are. It's deceiving. You go in to a doctor's visit and pay 10, 25, 35, 50, whatever it is for that visit, and you think cool, that's not bad. But then for the next 2 or 3 months, you get random bills from the hospital saying oh hey, you owe an extra 69 for this, 35 for that, 275 for the other thing, etc. We never know what's going to happen, and so we don't even bother using the benefits because we are scared of what the random bills for the next 2 or 3 months are going to be, and if we can afford them or not.
The rest of the TMs have similar feelings about everything as well. Most TMs like working with each other, but they hate how much the actual job stresses them out. Not one person says "I love working here! I'm not looking for another job! I want to stay here and ride this out!" Not one.
So, morale sucks.