Archived I think they're off the pill.

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Prodigy

Prodigy

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Nov 9, 2015
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I work electronics and hardlines; today's shift was specifically electronics. All was fine and dandy until earlier today the newly promoted hardlines team lead approached me and wished to "speak in the stcokroom."

Side-note, I thought it was a little odd because any other time I had to speak with a TL, GSTL, or LOD about scheduling or questions it was always done in an office..

Anyways, I get in there and she immediately starts chewing me out about how "you know that no one is to have drinks at the boat." At this point I'm wondering what's going on because I knew that information and have never had a drink at the boat and didn't have one there today. She then goes on to tell me that my coworker did and that she's getting onto "everyone" about it and that if she "sees it again" there will be major consequences for the whole team (???).

She then mentions that Mobile can't cover our breaks anymore. Which that's annoying because I got in at 8am, Mobile (who up until this point covered) got in at 10am - being when I planned to take my break. This new rule is odd because since there's only one person who is in hardlines that early, and their break is at 1o as well - this would mean no one is to cover the boat in which I would then wait until 10:15 to take my break, which I have absolutely no problem doing.

What's throwing me off is that she wants us taking breaks/lunches at exact two hour intervals because there is a "system" and "specific break times for everyone." I understood that when it came to cashiering because if I didn't go at the right time it meant others couldn't take theirs at their scheduled time and it throws everything out of whack. Got it. But what's different in electronics is if it's slammed and break time rolls around I can't just drop it and go. That's how bad reviews and upset guests happen.

As far as I was concerned today working a 7hr shift as long as I took my meal before 6 hours and got my two breaks in - one before and one after meal - then why the hell does it matter??

Making things more difficult, later in the day she had my other electronics TM (the one to cover me) pushing hardlines pulls (while he's scheduled electronics) and when it came time to cover me our TL wouldn't let him because pulls are "more important than a timely break."

I can't take a "timely break" if the people who are to cover can't and if there are restrictions on whom can and cannot cover. Timely break; -or someone to watch the boat? It's like by following one rule I'm breaking another and vice versa.

Oh? And after this little talk, we walk out to our Mobile guy standing in the boat working on a Slurpee he got from a nearby 7eleven. Was a word ever said to him? Nope. Double standards.

So what should I do? I can only feel it getting progressively worse from here.
 
Having drinks at the boat is not a good idea. I don't have any. Mobile folks can do anything they want at their station only. Our breaks and lunches area schedule for a certain time. But, we work it out between ourselves for keep coverage on the floor. She was trying to communicate some issues.
 
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Hardlinesmaster said:
Having drinks at the boat is not a good idea. I don't have any. Mobile folks can do anything they want at their station only. Our breaks and lunches area schedule for a certain time. But, we work it out between ourselves for keep coverage on the floor.
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I completely agree it's a bad idea, that's why I never have. The double standards is the problem. Or even that she yelled at me AND our other guy, even though it was only the other guy that's done it. And yes agreed with that, I try to go at a scheduled time but I can't drop and go when there's no coverage or if it's busy. That's also why I'm confused on why Mobile can't cover our breaks if all they do is sit around on their phones scrolling Twitter all day anyways.
 
Prodigy said:
I completely agree it's a bad idea, that's why I never have. The double standards is the problem. Or even that she yelled at me AND our other guy, even though it was only the other guy that's done it. And yes agreed with that, I try to go at a scheduled time but I can't drop and go when there's no coverage or if it's busy. That's also why I'm confused on why Mobile can't cover our breaks if all they do is sit around on their phones scrolling Twitter all day anyways.
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Mobile is separate from spot. They don't have cover us. I would talk to your etl about the conversation & document all events, is highly suggested.
 
Hardlinesmaster said:
Mobile is separate from spot. They don't have cover us. I would talk to your etl about the conversation & document all events, is highly suggested.
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After a little thinking I figured that was their reasoning on why Mobile couldn't cover, which still begs the question on how I'm supposed to take my break at exactly 10 and still have boat coverage if the other hardlines TM has to take his at the same time. Either I'm late or he is, no way around that.\

Current plan is to speak with ETL.
 
Prodigy said:
After a little thinking I figured that was their reasoning on why Mobile couldn't cover, which still begs the question on how I'm supposed to take my break at exactly 10 and still have boat coverage if the other hardlines TM has to take his at the same time. Either I'm late or he is, no way around that.\
Current plan is to speak with ETL.
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Let the lod worry about it, not you.
 
Prodigy said:
Anyways, I get in there and she immediately starts chewing me out about how "you know that no one is to have drinks at the boat." At this point I'm wondering what's going on because I knew that information and have never had a drink at the boat and didn't have one there today. She then goes on to tell me that my coworker did and that she's getting onto "everyone" about it and that if she "sees it again" there will be major consequences for the whole team (???).
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Like many TL's this woman has a little power and knows how to parrot the company rules but has no idea how to communicate in a respectful way.

She wasn't wrong to remind all TMs not to have drinks at the boat BUT there is no good reason she should threaten a whole team if one person breaks a rule. I'd love to hear her try to come up with some "major consequences" to punish the whole team the next tim one person goes astray.
 
Produce Queen said:
What does the title of this thread mean?
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I think my TL is acting unprofessional and going against her own direction, essentially. "off the pill" meaning an altered state of how one would normally act.
 
Prodigy said:
I think my TL is acting unprofessional and going against her own direction, essentially. "off the pill" meaning an altered state of how one would normally act.
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Its basically coming off as you talking down about people with mental health issues by likening this woman's behavior to someone off their medication. Just my 2 cents, it's tip toeing the line of statements like "that's so gay".
 
Drinks on the salesfloor are actually a Steritech violation, believe it or not. I'm sorry you were treated that way. No one should feel like that at work. Definitely talk to ETL or HR. It will be hard, but stay calm and stick to the facts. You will have all the credibility that way.
 
Yetive said:
Drinks on the salesfloor are actually a Steritech violation, believe it or not. I'm sorry you were treated that way. No one should feel like that at work. Definitely talk to ETL or HR. It will be hard, but stay calm and stick to the facts. You will have all the credibility that way.
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So then why do we provide the Cup holders for the carts for guests to put there drinks in? If its a violation why are we encouraging guests to take drinks onto the salesfloor? kind of a double standard for guests to be to have drinks on the floor and for team members to not
 
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Phoenix26 said:
So then why do we provide the Cup holders for the carts for guests to put there drinks in? If its a violation why are we encouraging guests to take drinks onto the salesfloor? kind of a double standard for guests to be to have drinks on the floor and for team members to not
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We got gigged for it once. I really don't understand the rationale behind it. Also got gigged for Sbux tm having a jacket hanging on a hook in the offstage part of Starbucks--I could see AP not liking that, but Steritech?
 
Phoenix26 said:
So then why do we provide the Cup holders for the carts for guests to put there drinks in? If its a violation why are we encouraging guests to take drinks onto the salesfloor? kind of a double standard for guests to be to have drinks on the floor and for team members to not
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You can't really compare the two. Target wants guests to feel at home. Having drinks adds to that. Starbucks and food avenue wouldn't do near the business they do if drinks weren't allowed when shopping.

Being an employee of Target, you're not paid to have a drink near by you. It's work. Granted, it's an outdated rule and using 'safety' as an excuse is bullshit.
 
DoWork said:
You can't really compare the two. Target wants guests to feel at home. Having drinks adds to that. Starbucks and food avenue wouldn't do near the business they do if drinks weren't allowed when shopping.

Being an employee of Target, you're not paid to have a drink near by you. It's work. Granted, it's an outdated rule and using 'safety' as an excuse is bullshit.
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I understand that. My store doesn't enforce that rule anyway. My main point though was referring to the statement in an above post that drinks on the salesfloor are a Steritech violation. That tells me that if Steritech wanted t they could give the store bad marks for every guest they see with a drink on the salesfloor. So I was pointing out that if that is the case why do we encourage guests to drink while they shop.
 
Phoenix26 said:
I understand that. My store doesn't enforce that rule anyway. My main point though was referring to the statement in an above post that drinks on the salesfloor are a Steritech violation. That tells me that if Steritech wanted t they could give the store bad marks for every guest they see with a drink on the salesfloor. So I was pointing out that if that is the case why do we encourage guests to drink while they shop.
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Steritech is a third party company with no power whatsoever. They are contracted by Target essentially as a non biased auditor to help ensure routines are followed.

So it really doesnt matter what guests do, because they don't care. The point is for them to ensure a consistent routine and standard are set across all stores. Target is obsessed with metrics, you can't really put a number on cleanliness routines, this allows them to do that.

Take Steritech for what it really is, an indicator of your overall cleanliness routine.
 
While I do agree with you on the extremes PC has gone too, we can't deny that it exists and can cause you issues in your professional and personal life. Even if I don't agree with how sensitive our culture has become, I still try to be mindful of whats being said and how it can be interpreted.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Um what's wrong with being mindful of others feelings?

Really it's a good thing.

Anyway if it's not your drink then you can't get in trouble for it.

Also when it is break time call the LOD to let them you need coverage and it becomes thier choice/problem.
 
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