Archived Let's talk Money

Do you believe Target compensation is fair based on the work you perform?

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Producer said:
daninnj said:
researchr said:
Your team member salary post is inaccurate. It assumes a 40 hour work week. Hardly any team members get 40 hrs. It's one of the things that finally pushed me out the door.
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In addition, the STL and ETL hourly estimates are inaccurate. They rarely work 40 hrs a week, up to 50 or even 60 4th quarter.
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I was going to say the same thing. Our ETL-Log regularly puts in 70 hour work weeks, in addition to working away from the store. When you really break down the hours worked, a lot of our TLs (especially the seniors) make more per hour than our ETLs.
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Can confirm.. ETL-Log's hours have been steadily increasing the last few weeks. He left the same time I did yesterday, meaning he did a 16 hour shift. Takes some dedication.
 
Our ETLs worked 15 hours yesterday. And were back at 4 this morning. And were still there when I left tonight. Hey, it must be Q4.
 
Would I like to get paid better? Sure..... Will spot ever pay us better?? no.......... Unless we get min wage increased.
 
I've always said that BR and flow shouldn't be the same pay grade. But BR is pretty much a FT position, so I guess that's where the increase is.
 
konk said:
I've always said that BR and flow shouldn't be the same pay grade. But BR is pretty much a FT position, so I guess that's where the increase is.
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Which one do you think should get paid more? And what's FT?
 
BR since it is a more specialized position and it requires more training. FT is full time.
 
waterspout said:
Interesting thread. Thanks for posting.

I actually do feel I am paid a fair amount for the work I do. But I have been at Target for over 10 years.

My problem is that I have to push back a lot because the management is always trying to force me to do more or take on more responsibility, which I do not want.

For example ... When my boss is in vacation, I immediately am called upon to lead the team. I can do it, but I don't think I should. I am not compensated for it. And I do not want to promote. So I have to push back against the ETL-LOG every time.
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From a dick-headed, upper-management point of view - Target can replace you with a minimum wage person who doesn't want the responsibility either - cut that TM salary cap of say $15 an hr to $9 an hr and get what Target is actually paying for. Increased responsibility should follow increased pay raise - whether it's through promotion or years of service.

Sometimes a stale TM is worse than a fresh TM. You'll never see it that way because you don't want to be promoted.

This is just a thought - not directed towards anyone specific
 
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The ETL salary is comparable to other professional careers. It might be enticing to go after that big salary, however the extra hours push it down to the average of $45K or so. I'd rather have my weekends/nights/holidays off and make $80K at a relaxing job than make $90K busting my ass to sell toilet paper and video games.

TMs need a higher starting wage to be able to support themselves, however companies don't want to close the gap between laborers and management. And honestly, being a TM shouldn't be a career - it should be a stepping stone to better opportunities.
 
If this poor boy can do it anyone can. Get a degree, learn a valuable skill, start a business, innovate, invent, be willing to move, don't have kids you can't afford, don't break the law and get caught, join the military, take a risk, etc.

These are a few things people make excuses for.

@Signkitty since I provided a list of excuses people use to stay stuck in a lower paying job, which is much shorter than jobs available, please tell me why I've never had a hard time finding a job since I was 15?
 
Signkitty said:
Mhugh220 said:
And honestly, being a TM shouldn't be a career - it should be a stepping stone to better opportunities.
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Welcome to America where Retail Worker and Cashier are the two most common jobs followed up by Food Service Worker.

But please tell me what better opportunities there are out there for everyone.
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More than a decade ago I worked in a grocery store where cashiers worked until they retired, butchers could make make house payments and send their kids to college on one paycheck.
Sure you had to scramble for hours sometimes (crosstraining was important there too) but the store was closed on major holidays, they were union, had emergency funds to take care of their employees when they were in trouble, and family picnics.

The economy has changed but more than that companies have made a choice to go with the Wallyworld business plan that treats employees like trash that can be discarded and replaced at will.
The lack of light industry and the numbers of people with college degrees who can't find work in their fields is a clear indication that the our economy has major problems but the companies must shoulder a large portion of the blame as well.
When they decide that a CEO is worth a 100000 times more the people who actually deal with the customers every day there is something wrong.
 
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The cost of living grew faster than wages in the early 90s. My dad has worked for 48+ years and still only makes $15 an hour. 48 YEARS!!

Bottom line is companies are greedy. They put money in their pockets rather than investing in their people.

As for degree holders not finding work - shouldn't have majored in underwater basket weaving - for real though, it takes a lot of work to find a job. Nothing is easy.

I knew a TM with a degree in Zoology - what to do with that?
 
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Mhugh220 said:
@Signkitty since I provided a list of excuses people use to stay stuck in a lower paying job, which is much shorter than jobs available, please tell me why I've never had a hard time finding a job since I was 15?
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I have not had a hard time finding a job since my paper route when I was 13, however none of them pay enough to live comfortably. I have never been arrested and have no kids. I was sent to college when I was 17 by my mother despite my pleas not to go knowing I was not mentally ready. I was asked to leave after trying to kill myself and upsetting the dorm. After that I tried a for profit tech school (while working full time) and graduated the computer programing corse only to find out the paper I got at the end was useless. It took years of multiple jobs to pay for all that schooling.

Also it's worth mentioning I suffer from a long list of mental issues including OCD, depression and social anxiety along with a sleeping disorder akin to narcolepsy.

I am so fucking sick of people acting like those that do not have a decent job never tried or made bad choices.
 
Do you know Java, .Net, JavaScript, C++, C#, or any other language?

Plenty of companies hire graduates from degree mills. I have a for profit degree.
 
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Not well enough to get a job all those years ago. And by now what I did know is very outdated.
 
Signkitty said:
I am so fucking sick of people acting like those that do not have a decent job never tried or made bad choices.
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I don't feel that way and I don't think you'll stay stuck. If you can teach yourself Java, like I did, there are more Java jobs than people. Even more so for people who know SharePoint
 
Mhugh220 said:
waterspout said:
Interesting thread. Thanks for posting.

I actually do feel I am paid a fair amount for the work I do. But I have been at Target for over 10 years.

My problem is that I have to push back a lot because the management is always trying to force me to do more or take on more responsibility, which I do not want.

For example ... When my boss is in vacation, I immediately am called upon to lead the team. I can do it, but I don't think I should. I am not compensated for it. And I do not want to promote. So I have to push back against the ETL-LOG every time.
Click to expand...

From a dick-headed, upper-management point of view - Target can replace you with a minimum wage person who doesn't want the responsibility either - cut that TM salary cap of say $15 an hr to $9 an hr and get what Target is actually paying for. Increased responsibility should follow increased pay raise - whether it's through promotion or years of service.

Sometimes a stale TM is worse than a fresh TM. You'll never see it that way because you don't want to be promoted.

This is just a thought - not directed towards anyone specific
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I agree! Your comment is exactly what I think a dick headed, upper management point of view (your words, not mine) person would say.

But I think of it like this. I get called on the walkie twice to three times more a day than my boss. Why? Because I know two to three times more than her and can solve problems she can't. My experience and knowledge make me worth the pay.
 
waterspout said:
But I think of it like this. I get called on the walkie twice to three times more a day than my boss. Why? Because I know two to three times more than her and can solve problems she can't. My experience and knowledge make me worth the pay.
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Your value is unmeasurable and should be considered an asset to Target Corporation. People who stick at a company for many years shows dedication and should be valued and compensated fairly. I have worked for Target for 6 years (5 years consecutively and 1 year after a 3 year break). I've seen the amount of work that Target has required from their team members at all levels. What is unfair to me is how you can dedicate yourself to every aspect of Target from guest service, red cards, store brand, and friendliness and still get around a $0.25 annual hourly raise. If you were able to work full time, which i know is not possible for a regular team member at Target, that equates to $480 extra a year to your annual compensation. Or an extra $20 per bi-weekly pay period. While your STL benefits at a much higher pay for all the hard work you do. Where does this make sense??
 
Mhugh220 said:
If this poor boy can do it anyone can. Get a degree, learn a valuable skill, start a business, innovate, invent, be willing to move, don't have kids you can't afford, don't break the law and get caught, join the military, take a risk, etc.

These are a few things people make excuses for.
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I agree that an education is the best route for a comfortable lifestyle and sustainability for yourself and your family. However, one thing that many people should understand on this forum is that everyone comes from different backgrounds and situations. Not everyone has the same road ahead of them and others destinations could be more lengthly or have multiple road blocks which alter or make their goals seem unattainable. I have worked at Target during college and started as a seasonal team member to Team Leader (after shoe specialist to in-stocks team member route). After i quit in 2011 i was making $11.08 an hour, I quit to move to a new city for my career job which is in Biotech. I currently perform biomedical research and work on developing a biological assay that will replace a century old medical test and save millions of lives in the USA and other parts of the world. I get compensated very well at my current career job and it did take a university degree which I currently have. I do get treated with respect and value because my skills and knowledge do make me a huge asset to the biotech company that I work for. I have no family and spend most of my evenings alone so I decided to return to Target, as a second job, to meet people, stay busy, and save up to reduce student loan debt and increase my savings. When I came back to Target I immediately noticed a huge difference which i will briefly describe:

  • Lack of training and management presence - This has decreased over the years, Target had very well experienced and dedicated (many years with the company) ETL's and STL's who knew how to manage and relate to their employees. All my management team could speak to their business and they took time to ensure that every commitment and training was done properly. ETL's could be promoted from within the company without a college degree, so an ETL could work for Target for many years after being a team leader and know Target from every level. Shortly before I left Target in 2011, the ETL requirements were changed and Target required a college degree (which could be in any field, yes even Microbiology which I have) and started hiring what seemed to be pretty faced college grads. I could see the level of management drop, they didn't know how to run a Target store with the current culture that they company had. When I came back in 2013 I noticed immediately what became of this decision, and it wasn't good for the team.
  • Work required from team members - When I was a Team Leader my store required me to have a specific area of the store (hardlines, housewares and domestics). I had a to keep up with all scores from guest surveys, sales, to sales planner being set on a timely manner. I would have a list of sales planners that I would have to set which required me to manage my time correctly while still leading a team (coaching, delegating tasks). Now I have noticed that in my store they are making regular sales floor team members set all these sales planners, when I asked them if they got a pay increase for this they said No. I also had to take on a zone for my closing shifts which still required me to lead the team and make sure they everyone is on schedule in there zone so we could get out on a timely manner. I have noticed in my store that no Team Leaders are required to take on a zone but instead follow the LOD on duty the whole night. Where in some cases if the LOD is not visible or on the walkie neither is the Team Leader. The most important change is the number of sales floor team members on the sales floor. We used to have a double or in some cases triple the amount of team members during the closing shift. The company has decided to cut back on this which requires more work from the hourly team members but no sadly no increase in pay.

I do feel for Target employees, because many don't have the satisfaction to say enough is enough and quit. I have my career where I don't need this Target hourly job, however I stick around because I want to be vocal to my management team and express my concerns and voice to them. Many team members feel like they can't say anything to their management because they will get shut down or fears of retaliation. Target constantly expresses how there is no need for a union because they have this open door policy. Which is great and I value that I can go talk to any leader at any time and be listened to, however what good does that do if nothing changes? There are many team members who are single moms, working multiple jobs in order to support their family, elderly employees who took on a job during their retirement, young people trying to work through college. I used to value Target and their culture, but after all these changes I feel like Target is not a good company to work for. Now we are working on Thanksgiving, which some probably don't care or mind, but many do. Family and loved ones are important and that used to be something that Target cared about. I hope Target realizes what makes this company profitable and it's not their products!
 
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UNION! UNION! The biggest topic Target discusses during Business College is that they are pro team not anti-union. They fear union because they'll have to pay TMs accordingly.

I think more TM positions should be full time and actually be full-time. My best TMs were the ones with a steady schedule and full time hours. It's easier to dedicate yourself to a company if you know you have hours each week.

@importracer98 - well said. TMs who want better for themselves shouldn't give up. You may have some roadblocks but there are opportunities out there and you can obtain your goals. Wish Target promoted within more. TMs know more about improving Target than fresh faced graduates
 
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This is the first year I'll be above the poverty line, so woohoo, I guess.

No desire for a promotion (unless my current tl gets fired and then they don't eliminate that position. She sucks), but I'm not stale lol. I do those little things that are above my pay grade when they ask and I do it with a smile, but then I come here and bitch about it just before opening that indeed tab to look for a job.
 
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