- Joined
- Jan 13, 2013
- Messages
- 133
Hey Everyone!
So I've posted a couple times on here, and I've spent the last two hours reading as much as I could on previous threads but I want to get some serious feedback.
Brief Intro... I've been with T for about 3 months now (with a lot of previous retail experience, especially sales and guest service) as a GSTL. I love my job so far and this is my first time in a leadership position. I've walked into a bit of a tough situation, as I am the only GSTL in my store and I only have two GSAs. My team is having a really tough time in general, a lot of them have serious attendance issues, everyone gets "sick" constantly (even while they're working), the morale seems pretty low, and to top it off, our conversion is just plain rotten :-/.
I am actually trying to become an ETL, so I am learning a lot right now and I am trying to grow and adapt as much as possible. I am a highly positive person and luckily one of my strengths is motivating others. However, I have a team that only performs when they are being monitored second to second. I AM NOT a micromanager. I have hated this from previous managers in the past and I know how it feels, especially when you are working your butt off with no appreciation, so my goal is to have self-sufficient cashiers that don't need babysitting. (Please note that I rarely leave the front end, so I am ALWAYS available and within 30 ft of the registers, so I am not an absent leader.)
I need some ideas about how to get my cashiers to offer redcards and explain the full benefits, without constantly giving them physical rewards. I disagree with conditioning them to constantly want a prize, and I am very adamant about praising them (I give them high fives, congratulate them, call them out over the walkie while they are nearby so they can hear the woohoos, and I do not ever ever say "now get me more!")!
I have already spent a lot of time with each cashier giving them tips, role playing both as a guest and as a cashier, explaining expectations, answering questions, showing them week after week of their individual and our stores conversion scores, you name it... but the only way they seem to do what they need to is if I hang over their shoulders. (We have climbed from a 1.2 to a 2.0 since I started, but I was gone for ONE week and we went from a 2.7 to a 1.3 :-///)
I have even made it a point to back up cashier constantly (something they requested I do when I asked during my WTV), take over their lines if they want to sign someone up, and I consistently get Redcards to show them that I hold myself to the same expectations.
Sorry for all the info, I just want everyone to see that I'm coming from a point where I don't know where else to turn. The low reliability added to the low morale makes it incredibly difficult to motivate, unless I promise them riches or stand over them (which frankly, I have no time for since I am doing about 3 peoples jobs right now :-(... ). Any advice would help because we are DEAD last in our group and we are getting constant visits and phone calls over our conversion. I want my cashiers to love coming to work, but also know they have a job to do!
Thanks guys!!
So I've posted a couple times on here, and I've spent the last two hours reading as much as I could on previous threads but I want to get some serious feedback.
Brief Intro... I've been with T for about 3 months now (with a lot of previous retail experience, especially sales and guest service) as a GSTL. I love my job so far and this is my first time in a leadership position. I've walked into a bit of a tough situation, as I am the only GSTL in my store and I only have two GSAs. My team is having a really tough time in general, a lot of them have serious attendance issues, everyone gets "sick" constantly (even while they're working), the morale seems pretty low, and to top it off, our conversion is just plain rotten :-/.
I am actually trying to become an ETL, so I am learning a lot right now and I am trying to grow and adapt as much as possible. I am a highly positive person and luckily one of my strengths is motivating others. However, I have a team that only performs when they are being monitored second to second. I AM NOT a micromanager. I have hated this from previous managers in the past and I know how it feels, especially when you are working your butt off with no appreciation, so my goal is to have self-sufficient cashiers that don't need babysitting. (Please note that I rarely leave the front end, so I am ALWAYS available and within 30 ft of the registers, so I am not an absent leader.)
I need some ideas about how to get my cashiers to offer redcards and explain the full benefits, without constantly giving them physical rewards. I disagree with conditioning them to constantly want a prize, and I am very adamant about praising them (I give them high fives, congratulate them, call them out over the walkie while they are nearby so they can hear the woohoos, and I do not ever ever say "now get me more!")!
I have already spent a lot of time with each cashier giving them tips, role playing both as a guest and as a cashier, explaining expectations, answering questions, showing them week after week of their individual and our stores conversion scores, you name it... but the only way they seem to do what they need to is if I hang over their shoulders. (We have climbed from a 1.2 to a 2.0 since I started, but I was gone for ONE week and we went from a 2.7 to a 1.3 :-///)
I have even made it a point to back up cashier constantly (something they requested I do when I asked during my WTV), take over their lines if they want to sign someone up, and I consistently get Redcards to show them that I hold myself to the same expectations.
Sorry for all the info, I just want everyone to see that I'm coming from a point where I don't know where else to turn. The low reliability added to the low morale makes it incredibly difficult to motivate, unless I promise them riches or stand over them (which frankly, I have no time for since I am doing about 3 peoples jobs right now :-(... ). Any advice would help because we are DEAD last in our group and we are getting constant visits and phone calls over our conversion. I want my cashiers to love coming to work, but also know they have a job to do!
Thanks guys!!