Archived Reasonable expectations

[Targetelect]

Worked hardlines the other day. Clocked in at 5pm, was expected to do Chem, pets, and c and d. Problem is, because of pulls, I didn't get into c until 830pm. And on top of that, i was on backup for almost an hour after 830. Lod was visibly upset. Worried I am gonna get coached, because I didn't have my stuff done on time and we had to stay late, even though payroll is tight. Is this fair?

 

[pinkp2ie]

That sounds like a lot. Normally (excluding beauty/electronics) how many other hardlines closers do you have? My store has 1 beauty, 2 hardlines & electronics. Sometimes 1 beauty, 1 hardlines. C/D sounds like more then enough just for one person. GSTL/GSA should know that is priority to get you off a lane, and the LOD should know that too.

My store always has to stay late, it's not your fault. They can schedule better. Stores usually need to be done one way or another.

 

[NPC]

It's not uncommon to run into "unreasonable expectations." Unreasonable isn't the best word, but sometimes the expectations set, don't account for unforeseen issues like backing up at the lanes, or spending a long time helping a guest. The best thing you can do is keep the LOD updated on your progress. That way, it's not a surprise at the end of the day when you only get through half of your tasks. Status when you go to break, if you see them in passing, ect. Like tell them, "LOD, I'm done doing (x) I'm headed to break." or "LOD, I just got done backing up, I'm working on (x)." Tell them how long you were at the lanes. Tell them when you get off the lane. Otherwise, if they don't know what you've been up to for your whole shift, it looks like it was your fault things weren't finished. It's better to keep them in the loop as things happen, rather than explain yourself days later if they talk to you about it.

 

[Bosch]

It's not uncommon to run into "unreasonable expectations." Unreasonable isn't the best word, but sometimes the expectations set, don't account for unforeseen issues like backing up at the lanes, or spending a long time helping a guest. The best thing you can do is keep the LOD updated on your progress. That way, it's not a surprise at the end of the day when you only get through half of your tasks. Status when you go to break, if you see them in passing, ect. Like tell them, "LOD, I'm done doing (x) I'm headed to break." or "LOD, I just got done backing up, I'm working on (x)." Tell them how long you were at the lanes. Tell them when you get off the lane. Otherwise, if they don't know what you've been up to for your whole shift, it looks like it was your fault things weren't finished. It's better to keep them in the loop as things happen, rather than explain yourself days later if they talk to you about it.

I am sorry but they know they schedule shitty and this week they have acted surprised its busy and the lines for the two cashiers they scheduled are six people deep. Its the week before Easter and some schools are on break? Don't be shocked when your two salesfloor people are on lanes most of the day. I actually had to basically say that to the ETLGE yesterday. She didn't even think of Spring breaks, why? She doesn't have kids so doesn't pay attention to that sort of stuff. Her words not mine.

Don't worry about the LOD, Just do what you needed to do, which was back up cashier and do what you can. It's their job honestly to see that the traffic heavy and back ups are heavy and to get someone to either get on a lane or to back fill to keep the line moving. They did neither. You can speak that you were doing what you supposed to be doing, working and responding to back up calls.

 

[NKG]

Worked hardlines the other day. Clocked in at 5pm, was expected to do Chem, pets, and c and d. Problem is, because of pulls, I didn't get into c until 830pm. And on top of that, i was on backup for almost an hour after 830. Lod was visibly upset. Worried I am gonna get coached, because I didn't have my stuff done on time and we had to stay late, even though payroll is tight. Is this fair?

This is s double edged sword. You should have communicated with LOD early on that you were at the lanes most of the night so they could see if someone could have helped with the zone. The GSA/GSTL should have partnered with LOD to make sure they know about how many times you went up so they can see about scheduling correctly next time. If I were you I would have started with C/D first since it's the biggest work center. If your cut on time, only focus on what you can visually see. Make sure endcaps and aisles facing the racetrack are zoned. Pick up any random abandoned and anything on the base deck. You should get through your zone faster that way.

 

[can't touch this]

Heh we don't have any hardlines closers at all, apparently. I can tell because if I come in for a morning shift to do pulls and can't get them all finished, they're still sitting by the line the next morning ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Back when I was getting short shifts and they wouldn't let me stay any later, I would always focus on the huge ones first (toys, seasonal, housewares) and leave the smaller ones - that looks *way* less lazy than the other way around. Even though I never got in trouble, it was always aggravating being the only one on the salesfloor while we were mobbed out with guests on every aisle. At the end of my shift I would just let the LOD know that I had to spend X amount of time guest servicing instead of pushing and that I left the small batches by the line. I'm not cashier trained for this exact reason, fam!

Thankfully though that hasn't been an issue for a while because hours are growing on trees AND my favorite LOD is back from a long ass LOA and he's been scheduling me some help, so we can slam out multiple toy pallets in a little over an hour instead of me doing them by myself and fielding guest questions for 3 hours.

 

[squirrely]

I don't think those zones are unreasonable on a normal week, but on the week of Easter, the store is getting shopped hard. My store was trashed yesterday.

 

[Targetelect]

This is s double edged sword. You should have communicated with LOD early on that you were at the lanes most of the night so they could see if someone could have helped with the zone. The GSA/GSTL should have partnered with LOD to make sure they know about how many times you went up so they can see about scheduling correctly next time. If I were you I would have started with C/D first since it's the biggest work center. If your cut on time, only focus on what you can visually see. Make sure endcaps and aisles facing the racetrack are zoned. Pick up any random abandoned and anything on the base deck. You should get through your zone faster that way.

I definitely did partner with my lod, I always do. Also, I call out on walkie whenever I'm going up to backup or when going on break. I've been with target for over 3 years now, I know how this works. The reason I started with a was that had I started with d or c, I'd still be zoning those two sections at close, with a not having been done. At least with zoning a first, I got it done, and it looked really good. It's not my fault when i come in at 5, and it's just me, the grocery team lead, and beauty in hardlines. With being that short handed, the mid we had should have been put on pulls, not focusing on mini, but b3cause of reasons, I didn't get done with a until around 815 830 because of how late I was working on pulls. Then, for the rest of the night, I was on back up every 5 minutee, on top of covering electronics, and cleaning a spill that took me 30 minutes to clean up all because of responding to electronics.

 

[Targetelect]

Not to mention, I did start in towels which is the beginning of c, but because of them being ptm and clearences, it's utterly trashed.

 

[NKG]

I definitely did partner with my lod, I always do. Also, I call out on walkie whenever I'm going up to backup or when going on break. I've been with target for over 3 years now, I know how this works. The reason I started with a was that had I started with d or c, I'd still be zoning those two sections at close, with a not having been done. At least with zoning a first, I got it done, and it looked really good. It's not my fault when i come in at 5, and it's just me, the grocery team lead, and beauty in hardlines. With being that short handed, the mid we had should have been put on pulls, not focusing on mini, but b3cause of reasons, I didn't get done with a until around 815 830 because of how late I was working on pulls. Then, for the rest of the night, I was on back up every 5 minutee, on top of covering electronics, and cleaning a spill that took me 30 minutes to clean up all because of responding to electronics.

Then I'm not sure why you complaining if you know how Target works lol

 

[Targetelect]

Then I'm not sure why you complaining if you know how Target works lol

It's more like venting. Lol. I've been coached for my attitude before, and that attitude came from stressing about getting my stuff done on time. So, they tell me not to worry, they know I work, and that shit happens, but then I let my guard down, try as best I can, stay calm, and I have a night like I described, and the Lod acts like I shit in their lawn. It's the confusing and lack of consistent cultures that gets to me. I expect it, but it still stresses me out.

 

[AJH212]

That sounds like a lot. Normally (excluding beauty/electronics) how many other hardlines closers do you have? My store has 1 beauty, 2 hardlines & electronics. Sometimes 1 beauty, 1 hardlines. C/D sounds like more then enough just for one person. GSTL/GSA should know that is priority to get you off a lane, and the LOD should know that too.

My store always has to stay late, it's not your fault. They can schedule better. Stores usually need to be done one way or another.

At my store, for closing we have between zero and 1 Hardlines, myself in Electronics, and one Beauty. Typically I am away from Electronics working in other aisles. I suspect that will be changing since we are getting robbed more often as a result.

 

[Targetelect]

At my store, we have between zero and 1 Hardlines, myself in Electronics, and one Beauty. Typically I am away from Electronics working in other aisles. I suspect that will be changing since we are getting robbed more often as a result.

I know the feeling. It'll be a Saturday, and I'll have a cart in a half of reshops, and maybe be halfway through my zone in e, and " hey, can you help out in d, and infant hardlines " .

 

[AJH212]

I know the feeling. It'll be a Saturday, and I'll have a cart in a half of reshops, and maybe be halfway through my zone in e, and " hey, can you help out in d, and infant hardlines " .

The worst part of it is that Electronics is E2E. I have to do my research, pulls, zone, price changes, and assist with POG's. I'm stretched so thin that I've been on two phone calls at the same time.

 

[Targetelect]

The worst part of it is that Electronics is E2E. I have to do my research, pulls, zone, price changes, and assist with POG's. I'm stretched so thin that I've been on two phone calls at the same time.

We haven't gone full blown end to end. They do have a flow person open electronics most days, he does his push and helps guests. We do do our own research during the mid day zones, but since it's done so late, the research batches fall to the responsibility of the closers, and that's one of the reasons we start our zones late some days.

 

[Anelmi]

I think not finishing the pull until 8:30 is the kicker. That should've either been done before the closer showed up (or by 6 at the latest) or put back on the line for the next day.

 

[NPC]

I am sorry but they know they schedule shitty and this week they have acted surprised its busy and the lines for the two cashiers they scheduled are six people deep. Its the week before Easter and some schools are on break? Don't be shocked when your two salesfloor people are on lanes most of the day. I actually had to basically say that to the ETLGE yesterday. She didn't even think of Spring breaks, why? She doesn't have kids so doesn't pay attention to that sort of stuff. Her words not mine.

Don't worry about the LOD, Just do what you needed to do, which was back up cashier and do what you can. It's their job honestly to see that the traffic heavy and back ups are heavy and to get someone to either get on a lane or to back fill to keep the line moving. They did neither. You can speak that you were doing what you supposed to be doing, working and responding to back up calls.

none of that negates the fact that it's good to keep your LOD updated.

 

[HLN13]

I feel like the closers at my store never zone. We usually have openers zone because they’re better at it (not high schoolers) and we generally have a lot of free time until around 11am.

 

[Anelmi]

That’s all the HL closers do at my store: zone and put away abandon and backup at registers if no cashiers were scheduled (which is all the time).

 

[Frontlanegirl]

This is s double edged sword. You should have communicated with LOD early on that you were at the lanes most of the night so they could see if someone could have helped with the zone. The GSA/GSTL should have partnered with LOD to make sure they know about how many times you went up so they can see about scheduling correctly next time. If I were you I would have started with C/D first since it's the biggest work center. If your cut on time, only focus on what you can visually see. Make sure endcaps and aisles facing the racetrack are zoned. Pick up any random abandoned and anything on the base deck. You should get through your zone faster that way.

The LOD should have been aware already that this person was on the lanes for most of the evening.

 

[PaRaD0x]

Wow, we usually have anywhere betwen 3-5 closers for hardlines.

 

[Targetelect]

Wow, we usually have anywhere betwen 3-5 closers for hardlines.

We have 3 hardlines closers most nights, not including electronics. The one night that I work hardlines in almost 4 months, and it was just the two of us.

 

[WalksforMiles]

Unreasonable expectations are the norm at my store.

Working past your clock out time just to finish your insane workload shouldn’t be expected of anyone.

 

[Bosch]

none of that negates the fact that it's good to keep your LOD updated.

No it doesn't, but they should know that traffic heavy and back up calls are heavy so they need to back fill the line to keep that moving or the zone happening. Blaming the TM for not getting stuff done is bad leadership.

 

[NPC]

No it doesn't, but they should know that traffic heavy and back up calls are heavy so they need to back fill the line to keep that moving or the zone happening. Blaming the TM for not getting stuff done is bad leadership.

Never assume what someone knows. That's a moot point. Update your LOD, rather than try and prove a point later on.