Archived the gentleman's agreement....

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So at my store there seems to be some kind of understanding between the team leads, that you only get to take your lunches. That's it. No one talks about it, but everyone does it. It was kinda shocking when I came on as a new Team Leader, seeing as how we are always talking so much to the team about following the break schedule, and ensuring they are taking all their breaks. My etl's have never asked me to not take my breaks, but I can't help but feel I shouldn't be taking my breaks. Is this the same way at any other store?
 
I feel bad for our team leads. They almost never take either of there 15 minute breaks simply because they don't have the time to. I know I also sometimes don't get my breaks as a cart attendant if I get behind with any of the 100 things I have to get done on top of backing up Guest Service or at the check lanes because we don't have enough cashiers. Today for example, I tried 5 times to take the hangers to the back room and grab our garbage tub to start collecting the trash, as soon as I starting heading to the back room: "ADDITIONAL CASHIERS TO THE FRONT LANES". I was almost an hour late starting the trash because we just didn't have enough cashiers, and it was scheduled like that. It is really frustrating when you can't get your work done so you can take your break. 2 cashiers is all we get at any one point in time this time of year. It really sucks for everybody. But, what can you do? Complaining about it does nothing anyway....
 
Our store is like that too. They just don't take breaks. Completely ridiculous IMO.
 
Our TLs take their breaks. Most, if not all, though end up forgoing a second break. Not really like we actively choose not to take it. It's just that near the end of your shift you are trying to just wrap up everything and a second break just never gets taken before it's time to go.
 
I hardly ever take my breaks unless I'm on flow where we take our beak and then do the huddle.
 
As a team member I usually opted not to take my break in favor of getting more done (I know I know I'm crazy like that). It just became second nature to me (even though I'd be wiped out by lunchtime). Now that I'm training to be a Flow TL I'm noticing as you said that there's a combination gentleman's agreement/double standards going on about breaks. I can name a couple team members that always skip breaks but are not called out on it, yet another one of our other excellent team members had something said to her the other day because she was pushing during break. It also seems like as a TL you don't have that luxury of break since by the time you cash everyone out 15 minutes has already elapsed......
 
Our PTL would go on break with the team then walk back to his office and do paperwork with a sandwich in his mouth.
That agreement can come back to bite them on the ass if your store is in a state with strong employee break laws like California.

Goes to show what kind of movie nerd I am that this is what I thought the thread was about when I saw the title
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039416/

Gentleman's_Agreement_(1947_movie_poster).jpg
 
This seems to happen at my store for ad set. They work 4-8 and the LOD is on the overhead saying "ad is 24 hours and we have 6 people, you guys should be done by 8". This was the STL too.
 
The only time I take a break is when we are fairly caught up and I can afford to sit down for a few minutes. I don't remember the last time that was.
 
At our store TMs weren't taking their breaks. When asked why they said "Because my TL doesn't take theirs." Guess what! We now have HR policing everybody's breaks!
that's my concern at my store. I don't take my breaks, but I'm one of few TLs that don't take their breaks. I doubt my HR will start policing breaks though.
 
I would suggest taking your breaks. If an STL or ETL wants to threaten with a coaching "Go ahead, coach and document me being told not to take my break."

Down the road they can use your not taking breaks against you if they so choose.
Sure it might seem like you won't get the work done if you take the break but whatever issues come from that aren't worth the trouble that would come from not taking your break.
Take it from me, I've been there.
 
I understand people wanting to work through their breaks in order to accomplish the unrealistic goals Target pulls out of their hats. Conscientious people feel discouraged when they cannot meet a goal even when the goal is ridiculous & impossible.

What I don't understand is why so many underpaid & under-appreciated employees can justify working FOR FREE when they know it sends a message to corporate that they can push people even harder than they already do. It's bad enough people are willing to work for no pay in order to benefit Target Corp. but in the long run, they are prolonging the time Target will be forced to schedule more hours!

Work for free & only Target benefits. Target officially frowns on people working during breaks but only when it becomes a legal liability to their corporation. Otherwise they are more than happy to have unpaid labor so they can show stockholders a higher profit.
 
All I can say is I need my breaks. Tough shit if my TL doesn't take his, but I'll be damned if I'm not taking mine. I need the rest, even if it's only 15 minutes.

And since breaks are guaranteed by Target, why would you work through them?

Just working for free. Makes no sense to me.
 
If I'm not mistaken the memo by the time lock lining out time frames for breaks and lunches say TMs may not voluntarily forfeit breaks or lunches? Until that's removed Ill continue to take every break I am entitled to, just means more work I will have to leave incomplete. My motto is, if Target isn't concerned about it, why should I be.
 
I understand people wanting to work through their breaks in order to accomplish the unrealistic goals Target pulls out of their hats. Conscientious people feel discouraged when they cannot meet a goal even when the goal is ridiculous & impossible.

What I don't understand is why so many underpaid & under-appreciated employees can justify working FOR FREE when they know it sends a message to corporate that they can push people even harder than they already do. It's bad enough people are willing to work for no pay in order to benefit Target Corp. but in the long run, they are prolonging the time Target will be forced to schedule more hours!

Work for free & only Target benefits. Target officially frowns on people working during breaks but only when it becomes a legal liability to their corporation. Otherwise they are more than happy to have unpaid labor so they can show stockholders a higher profit.


What do you mean working for free? 15 minute breaks are on the clock, nobody at my store works on their lunch except salaried employees.

I don't take my breaks most of the time because I either have too much to do or because I don't feel like walking to the break room or cafe. I could take my 15 right then and there and chill but that isn't really possible with guests and ETLS walking by not knowing that you're on your break.
 
Target pays you during your break. If you work during your break, you are not getting paid for the work... you're getting paid for the break you're not taking.
To avoid interruptions of my break, I wear a lightweight hoodie that isn't red. In 5 years, I have been asked questions only twice on break and both of those times I directed the guest to another team member. I have taken my break sitting down at the fitting room after the store has closed, when we're forced to stay late enough for me to get a second break.

I find that I am refreshed after breaks and more efficient overall when I make sure I take all of mine. After a couple of bad shifts, I now insist on taking one break for shiftf long enough to have one, though I admit I was skipping my second one when I was getting shifts long enough for 2 15's.
 
I work Backroom. If there's a lot of work, I skip my last 15. From time to time I used my 15 to help out other tms like their pog pulls or clean up the backroom like the bale or cleaning out the first trailer

Same with first 15 but I rarely do it
 
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