Archived TM's don't want drinks anymore.... what else to do?

[StateofTarget]

Hi everyone -

I am not creating a bi*** and moan thread here. Long story short morale at my store sucks, the ETLs know, and they don't care.

As a TL I feel it is partly my job to boost morale so I can't just blame the ETLs.

So I decided to do something about it. Last week on my closing shift I bought the whole team 20oz drinks. (yes, it was using my money) This was for about 9 TMs as we are a low volume store.

Well tonight I decided to get the team drinks again due to the fact they busted their ass and floor was great. Last week everyone was excited about it and really liked it.

This week, however, I got on the walkie and told the team if anyone wanted a drink, candy bar, etc come up to the front lanes. Last week everyone came up, but this time only like two TMs came up! It was mostly the same TMs in the store as last week.

So I guess they didn't really like it that much? Any ideas what else I can do for the closing team?

 

[b72pkdPhv]

Unfortunately, boosting morale gets really difficult when the team feels like they are used. I know this all too well because my store doesn't give ANY ************s about boosting morale, so the random "free soda" thing only results in people scoffing. You have to _continually_ reinforce good morale by supporting your team and rewarding individuals for good work as well as acknowledging team effort, all of which _is in your goddamn team leader best practices_. Not that, it seems, anyone ever follows that.

But if you want OTHER ideas other than that, and that are non-alcoholic (most often requested), I'd say vary the type of reward you give them and at what time of the day. Openers want coffee, closers just want to go home. Mid shifters are the easiest to please in my experience, and if you reward the closers earlier in the day they are far more receptive to morale boost.

 

[TargetTeam]

I say either you like it or you don't. You cannot please everyone🙂 At my store whenever someone gets a red card we have drinks or sometimes a candy bar and there is always someone who says I don't like candy or I do not like drinks. The GSTL says well I guess you aren't getting anything. I know it sounds kinda mean but it is the truth.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Always talk to your closing tm's during the night, to see how they doing(zoning) & get ideas on what they want if they finish early. Partner with your lod/etl, so that store will pay for it.

 

[theissueoftissue]

The only thing Target offers when we get hired, is a paycheck every 2 weeks.

If they want more, tell them to find another job.

 

[Stuckinsoftlines]

Suggestion some lod's bring treats to closing huddle that makes the team slightly happy.

I walk my floor pad 1-2 times during the night depending how busy we are and stop in with each tm see how they're doing in not target life and help with they're zone for about 5 minutes each. Ask them how school is going, what crazy thing they're kid did this week or just how they have been. Its a trick I picked up from an old srtl at my store makes them feel like they're not someone's red and kaki slaves and you get to see how everyone's doing in they're zone. Win win.

 

[dek067]

the store should be paying. i requisition things all the time for my time.

my fave on a long night was ice cream. our etllog was on my closing weekend and when it was rough he would zone market for us (yippie!) and then walk around throwing nutty butty ice cream cones at people. it was a nice break from soda.

my team loves chocolate milk. on our crazy days i get a gallon jug. sometimes i swing by kk and get donuts. but the biggest thing is immediate feedback. i work with my team daily. if they aren't performing well, they know it immediately. if they are performing well, they know it immediately. keeps them on track so we don't have to stay longer.

 

[invictustaylor]

The only thing Target offers when we get hired, is a paycheck every 2 weeks.

If they want more, tell them to find another job.

I think they also offer benefits and a wide variety of discounts...but yeah if I'm not getting any kind of incentive or bonus or reward for going above and beyond...i will only do so if I feel like it. Otherwise, I tend to work just hard enough so that I'm not the weakest link on the chain, so as not to get fired you see!

 

[commiecorvus]

The TL for plano makes blondies for her team.
Knowing that someone has baked you something (even if you aren't a huge cookie fan) makes you feel good.
When we do adset I pick up doughnuts and coffee on my way to work.
Figure I'm going to want some for me, no reason not to get some for everyone else.
The fact that you are paying for the drinks out of your own pocket is very cool.
Thank you for being one of the good guys.