Archived Training? Or lack of I should say

[xNightStockerx]

I have been with Target for 2 years and I just can't believe a corporation as big as Target is so awful in its training ! It's an embarrassment.
I have scene TM that have been there less than a month told to train new TM.
A new person started last night. Came in to the store and didnt know where to go or what to do. Got a 5 minute training on how to stock. And looked so lost. So I became the trainer.
I myself pretty much trained myself.
Sorry....just venting.

 

[PinkZinnia]

Yes training sucks. I think it's the lack of consistency.

 

[RunForACallBox]

Ha, as one of my store's former SrTL said. We throw you out there, if you survive, you can stay. Haha.

 

[Circle9]

Yes training sucks. I think it's the lack of consistency.

Speaking as one of my store's trainers for instocks and flow, pretty much. Its gotten better in some areas (new hires aren't stuck with a non-trainer TM for 2 hours before meeting a trainer anymore) but the process still feels shaky at times. That's mostly me never quite knowing what I'm doing, on the best of days though :v:

Ha, as one of my store's former SrTL said. We throw you out there, if you survive, you can stay. Haha.

Sort of worked for me. Half of what I know for instocks comes from either puzzling it out myself, or somebody else coming up and directly or indirectly going "so you're doing this thing kind of wrong." Which I'm not too frustrated about except when almost a year into this I find out basic things I should have known/been told ages ago. Whatever. But when it comes to trying to train somebody else on it? Oh boy. Either I spend an hour running through the quirks of the process, or shrug and go "yeah you'll learn it sooner or later." Which feels like it defeats the point of training.

 

[SpotOn]

Glad it is not just me. I started recently and noticed immediately that there is absolutely no structure to the training. I am a newly hired TL too so I am getting kind of nervous about the fact that no one has told me what my responsibilities are. Also, everyone keeps saying "You haven't done this yet, or you haven't done this yet?!" But no one seems to point me in the direction of where/when I need to do these things. The people training me don't have any idea of what I have or have not been taught yet. It seems so unprofessional. Also, I am pretty sure I am supposed to go to eHR to fill out some sort of paper work and the only reason I know that is from being on this forum. My ETL-HR certainly never said anything about it during orientation. Is there an agenda or something that trainers are supposed to follow or is it always just a free for all?

 

[signingminion]

There should be a learning plan to sign off on. At a minimum. But it's bare bones.

Last Q4 I trained cashiers when I picked up a shift...even though I rarely work a full cashier shift.

On the opposite hand I did not train the last three pfresh people except in passing. My clueless ctl did. Somewhat.

 

[SpotOn]

There should be a learning plan to sign off on. At a minimum. But it's bare bones.

Last Q4 I trained cashiers when I picked up a shift...even though I rarely work a full cashier shift.

On the opposite hand I did not train the last three pfresh people except in passing. My clueless ctl did. Somewhat.

Yes the learning plan. That is the thing that tells us what we are supposed to read on the my training area on workbench right? It has these exercises that you are supposed to complete with your trainer right? If so, why does no one do these things?! I mean seriously! What the heck is going on?

 

[signingminion]

There should be a learning plan to sign off on. At a minimum. But it's bare bones.

Last Q4 I trained cashiers when I picked up a shift...even though I rarely work a full cashier shift.

On the opposite hand I did not train the last three pfresh people except in passing. My clueless ctl did. Somewhat.

Yes the learning plan. That is the thing that tells us what we are supposed to read on the my training area on workbench right? It has these exercises that you are supposed to complete with your trainer right? If so, why does no one do these things?! I mean seriously! What the heck is going on?

They do. It's tracked. You have two weeks from hire to finish a new hire learning plan...or something like that. We track expired training on a white board at my store. It's mostly yearly right to know and spill clean up stuff though.

 

[SpotOn]

They do. It's tracked. You have two weeks from hire to finish a new hire learning plan...or something like that. We track expired training on a white board at my store. It's mostly yearly right to know and spill clean up stuff though.

I wonder if I do not complete it in two weeks if someone is going to finally realize that they need to tell me these things.

 

[signingminion]

They do. It's tracked. You have two weeks from hire to finish a new hire learning plan...or something like that. We track expired training on a white board at my store. It's mostly yearly right to know and spill clean up stuff though.

I wonder if I do not complete it in two weeks if someone is going to finally realize that they need to tell me these things.

You can always hope...lol.

 

[dabeastfromtheeast]

As someone who was a trainer store-side, and probably going to be a trainer DC-side in the near future, part of the problem is how they train trainers. Store-side (at least how I went through it), to become a trainer, after receiving the blessings of your TL, ETL and HR, you take a 45 minute online course a fourth grader could complete and....that's it. No real way to determine if the TM is qualified to teach others in their job function. What they should adopt is a system similar to how the DC trains trainers. After getting all the necessary winks and nods from authority figures, you have to do an essay. I've heard varying things about it, but it's along the lines of why you want to be a trainer/why should you be a trainer/etc. After passing that, then they'll pair you up with a trainer, who you have to psuedo-train in one of your dept's core roles. The trainer will intentional try to do things wrong, so you can give feedback/help correct their actions, as you would in a real training scenario. Only after you pass this, you can then become a trainer.

However, I doubt they'd ever adopt a policy for store-side, as it'd probably be seen as a waste of time and money to go through all of that instead of a simple online course. But if you ask me, training new hires is vital, not only because of the constant stream of new hires in the high turnover world of retail, but because the better trained your new hires are, the more money the company can make in the long run (read: more hours and better pay for y'all) through better GS, better sales, better metrics, better conversion, better unload times, etc.

Sorry for the long-winded response, it's been a long night at the office...

 

[Mhugh220]

Even the training program for ETLs is a joke. Six weeks and a learning plan that doesn't have to be turned in or verified. How do you expect ETLs, who aren't trained properly, to properly train TLs? I'm sure there are ETLs who don't know everything but just enough to survive. I received great hands-on training but that was because my trainer was very passionate about his position and making everyone better. Not all trainers share that desire.

 

[Patty]

Hello - is there a fitting room /phone operator guide or instruction sheet? I thought I saw this morning - but now I cant find it. Thanks team!

 

[sigma7]

When I became a TL the first time a few years back, my training consisted of the online training and then a tour around the store pointing out what my areas were. No expectations were set, no "this is our culture" sort of thing, not even told where the equipment was kept. Luckily I made friends with a one other TL and had a couple stellar TMs. In the end though, I demoted to go back to my original store. The super I transferred to was in shambles as far as leadership goes and my non existent training left me feeling totally lost in the new store.

Proper, thorough, engaging training can really work wonders on your store's and tm's efficiency and engagement. Poor training programs too often lead to the exact opposite.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Hello - is there a fitting room /phone operator guide or instruction sheet? I thought I saw this morning - but now I cant find it. Thanks team!

Here is a link:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/fitting-room-operator.98/
Welcome!

 

[Anonymous12345]

I agree that training is very poor for most TMs except at stores that take it very seriously. It also helps a great deal if you get the right amount of training hours because if you don't then those new TMs are basically part of your coverage which makes it even more difficult to train.

But I also believe if your training was inadequate you shouldn't complain about it but instead just ask questions. Just keep asking questions until you fully understand your responsibilities. Ultimately the TM is responsible for their own training. I still ask questions, there is always something new to learn.

 

[whippingboy]

I've been a trainer since 2009 and never took a trainer's course or anything of the sort. They basically handed me a nametag that says "Trainer" and that was that.

 

[tgtguy]

Years ago we had a etl log...who I am pretty sure could make the devil cry ( I will admit she scared me ) . She would always say...if you are training someone and if she came in the backroom and found you not side by side with them....you would be written up. One day I had a female trainee ( I am a male) everything was going fine until I had to visit the bathroom....I knew either I had to go or there would be a huge puddle. So, I waited until she walked out of the backroom and made a dash for it .....I came out of the bathroom and what did I find....the etl talking to my trainee...the etl log looked at me and said well ( insert my name) your trainee was left alone..you know what I told you guys about that. In that second ( which seemed liked forever) I thought wtf...I am a grown man...I cant even go to the bathroom?. However, I didn't say anything...she kept fussing and fussing and then finally she said...Well ( insert my name) what do you have to say for yourself. I then looked at her and looked at my trainee and said ...Well, I had to use the restroom what did you think I was going to take her with me? I have been by her side all day long....I cant help it that I I had to go....are you saying that I cant go unless she goes with me ? The etl log walked off....I went down a aisle and thought damn that felt good to stand up to her . She never mentioned trainees and the bathroom again

 

[Patty]

Hard line master ! Thanks so much for your help! I couldn't get the link to work, but I will try again.

 

[xNightStockerx]

The person that trains in my section picks and chooses who gets the most time training.
If your good looking you will get more time...not good looking less time.
And than has the nerve to say crap about the person who got less time and how he/she just is not cutting it. Well I wonder why!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Hard line master ! Thanks so much for your help! I couldn't get the link to work, but I will try again.

It is under our guide forum, speciality section.

 

[queencat]

Training is piss poor at my store. Most people are given the bare minimum for training and then just thrown out there. I was never even trained for my main job (cashiering), and then they tried to get me to train a new person after I had only been there for a month. Thank god for this site and the guides otherwise I'd know literally nothing about my job.