Archived VML from a leadership perspective

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Digi_E said:
VML training states you store tie to secction 98 to not disrupt sidecaps or confuse the team. Also mannequins should be tied as well, I go the extra mile and tie the hurdles so you can scan them and tell what doesnt go.
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98 is the area above a rack. So much for not confusing the team.
 
What's on the runway? That's what goes on the hurdle.
 
RetailWorld said:
For the rest of the year, every store was allocated a certain amount of payroll for the VMTL every week that is outside of it's yearly payroll financials. What people are worried about though is that next year, when AE2016 rolls out, how the VMTL position will affect headcount and payroll. There are certain work centers that are just "given" payroll, regardless of sales or trends. AP, PMT, and I *think* HR. Though I think that changed when most stores got rid of the HR-TL. VM, being a sales-based work center, will most likely be based on sales. So the across-the-board allocation system won't be in place next year. Your work centers payroll will be based on sales.

AND, with the way Target is trying to push for "salesfloor" coverage rather than "Hardlines vs Softlines vs Market vs VM", you and your team members will probably count against what Target insists is proper salesfloor coverage. That means you and your team members will be expected to cover front lanes, make sure CAFs are pushed, make sure breaks are covered, etc.

But what it boils down to is that team leads eat up payroll. And it severely affects their work center...typically making their job harder. You'll probably be in charge of all brand team members. Right now, you're just being scheduled, and your brand team members are being scheduled, and you're expected to do your thing. Next year though, your work centers hours will probably fluctuate based on sales. One week you might have 100 hours of payroll(Where you eat up 40, your brand team members get the other 60), and another week you get 60(where you get 40 and your brand team members get 20). It's stressful. Instead of being a TEAM leader, you become the sole team member of your department. Expect this between January and September. And every other sales based department is being ran the same way. You get to a point to where ONLY team leads are scheduled on the floor. So you *have* to respond to back up. You *have* to push out those CAFs. You *have* to take care of that reshop.

This is how Target has ran every new department it's rolled out. Eventually you'll just be a replacement for your team members, rather than an asset.
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What you are describing is similar to what happens when a new store opens. New store hours are amazing. I've done 3 planoramas and its like target is printing money in the backroom they have so many hours. The first year is magical, overtime flows to all that want some, people are called in for extra shifts left and right and the store looks great. Then after the first year target starts to get some data on what to expect in sales month to month and adjusts payroll accordingly; the honeymoon is f'ing over. But, but, but we used to close with 8 salesfloor TM's in hardlines now we only get 2 how can we possibly finish.
 
Bosch said:
Who ever told you that. Cause we have the same problem, or they break the pog to store tie one flex item, breaking the entire isle.
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It happens with the myDevice. Of course, the choice should be to not untie the pog, but a tm that doesn't know better and was told to store tie something will probably just do it because that's what they were told to do. We are now using a unique section number.
 
RetailWorld said:
For the rest of the year, every store was allocated a certain amount of payroll for the VMTL every week that is outside of it's yearly payroll financials. What people are worried about though is that next year, when AE2016 rolls out, how the VMTL position will affect headcount and payroll. There are certain work centers that are just "given" payroll, regardless of sales or trends. AP, PMT, and I *think* HR. Though I think that changed when most stores got rid of the HR-TL. VM, being a sales-based work center, will most likely be based on sales. So the across-the-board allocation system won't be in place next year. Your work centers payroll will be based on sales.

AND, with the way Target is trying to push for "salesfloor" coverage rather than "Hardlines vs Softlines vs Market vs VM", you and your team members will probably count against what Target insists is proper salesfloor coverage. That means you and your team members will be expected to cover front lanes, make sure CAFs are pushed, make sure breaks are covered, etc.

But what it boils down to is that team leads eat up payroll. And it severely affects their work center...typically making their job harder. You'll probably be in charge of all brand team members. Right now, you're just being scheduled, and your brand team members are being scheduled, and you're expected to do your thing. Next year though, your work centers hours will probably fluctuate based on sales. One week you might have 100 hours of payroll(Where you eat up 40, your brand team members get the other 60), and another week you get 60(where you get 40 and your brand team members get 20). It's stressful. Instead of being a TEAM leader, you become the sole team member of your department. Expect this between January and September. And every other sales based department is being ran the same way. You get to a point to where ONLY team leads are scheduled on the floor. So you *have* to respond to back up. You *have* to push out those CAFs. You *have* to take care of that reshop.

This is how Target has ran every new department it's rolled out. Eventually you'll just be a replacement for your team members, rather than an asset.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've already realized that I have no team whatsoever. Its a lonely position. I feel isolated from the other teams and nobody is really sure what the hell I do all day. It's upsetting to me, plus there really isn't any daily/weekly guidance from the etls as to what they expect me to work on, I'm kind of left to do my "thing".
 
Retail Girl said:
Target doesn't create more payroll. If they are giving more payroll to department A, that means they have pulled it from department B. And the department that gets the hours has to help make up the lack of team members in the other department (most of the time). You will see this more after the holidays.
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Are you sure? Most corporations don't work that way, they "invest" in creating a new position and take that as a new "loss" for the company that will be made up for down the road once that person's contributions really start to come into play and boost profits. I mean look at it, just as the cost of living rises each year so does the expenditure that it takes to run a company. I'm not sure about this robbing peter to pay paul theory people are describing, of course target is going to increase spending when they are developing a new department, doesn't mean that they are cutting someone else's.
 
Redzee said:
Completely political and ephemeral position.
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Thats interesting to say, why do you think that about the position, I'm a vml and would be interested to know...plus I'm new to retail and target so not quite sure how it would be political in my case.
 
I think it was well-timed that the VML position was being rolled out just as Macy's is experiencing an exodus of talent after THEIR VML position was dropped from salaried to hourly.
Add to that the anticipated closure of 35-40 stores next year.
 
Bryantpp said:
Most corporations don't work that way, they "invest" in creating a new position and take that as a new "loss" for the company that will be made up for down the road once that person's contributions really start to come into play and boost profits.
Click to expand...

This is the first time Target has created a position in years. The last batch was the PFRESH roll out about...5 years ago. Since then the CTL and the Food Business Partner positions have been eliminated.

What will most likely happen is that the new VMTL and related positions are going to be used to change the culture and best practices of the company. Once solid routines are in place, the experts will not be needed and the positions will be folded into the rest of the "core" positions. This has happened EVERY time. Replenishment, recovery, price change, food, operations. These were all leader positions that no longer exist.

The VML position was a "reflexive" move. Target saw a problem, and responded to it. Once the problem is gone, the VML won't be needed. Sorry, but that's just the history of the company.
 
RetailWorld said:
This is the first time Target has created a position in years. The last batch was the PFRESH roll out about...5 years ago. Since then the CTL and the Food Business Partner positions have been eliminated.

What will most likely happen is that the new VMTL and related positions are going to be used to change the culture and best practices of the company. Once solid routines are in place, the experts will not be needed and the positions will be folded into the rest of the "core" positions. This has happened EVERY time. Replenishment, recovery, price change, food, operations. These were all leader positions that no longer exist.

The VML position was a "reflexive" move. Target saw a problem, and responded to it. Once the problem is gone, the VML won't be needed. Sorry, but that's just the history of the company.
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CTL position still exists. But it may be similar to Food Ave in that lower volume stores don't get one. I know that is the case for a few ulvs around me.
 
Bryantpp said:
Are you sure? Most corporations don't work that way, they "invest" in creating a new position and take that as a new "loss" for the company that will be made up for down the road once that person's contributions really start to come into play and boost profits. I mean look at it, just as the cost of living rises each year so does the expenditure that it takes to run a company. I'm not sure about this robbing peter to pay paul theory people are describing, of course target is going to increase spending when they are developing a new department, doesn't mean that they are cutting someone else's.
Click to expand...


Ok, here's what happens...I may have the exact details wrong, but this is what happens. Target decides how many hours to give a store on any particular week. This is based on sales goals, work loads, and other things.

The STL takes those hours and doles them out to each department as he or she sees fit. Their issue is that your position has come along. Come February when hours are cut to the bone (and many times into the bone) the STL has to have the hours for your position...so that's 32 to 40 hours less for the rest of the store. I guarantee you payroll is so tight in some months, to the point that we couldn't adequately staff a store on what we were given...so the STL had to say "screw it" and go over payroll...that they aren't going to magically add hours simply because there is an extra mouth to feed in the store.

In fact, my STL said corporate assumes that stores can absorb 10% of their hours each month as needed when things come up...for instance, if they send an extra truck, the store doesn't get any more hours, but since an extra day's truck is well within the 10% absorption guideline, then the store can handle shifting some hours around to compensate for it.

I have no doubt in my mind that they will do the same for this position as well.
 
Captainzim said:
There is all kinds of sales numbers but to look at it in the minuscule detail you would have to be given more depth compared to what is already available. You can look at each department number for example: you could see that sales for girls pants/shorts 205 is up x% and you made $xxx.xxxxxxxxx amount for the week/month/year compared to last year. But to further break it down you'd have to know what sells for Target well and that's what these know it alls they are bringing in from outside won't know as these number only give you a generic idea what sells.

Endcaps are handled corporate side so unless you are figuring out numbers to see what would make the most sense for your specific store for a blown endcap then yes that would make sense otherwise the VML is a glorified overpaid team leader with a slightly more visual approach.
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BITTER
 
VML's were hired for an outside view/vision. And depending on the experience determines the pay scale. VML's are highly skilled in what they do. They have years of experience. There are reasons internals were passed over. You need to take that up with your ESTL. And FYI, not all of them have a degree. It's call years of on the job training, which equals, the same. They deserve respect, And they are respecting you the same. But, in some cases, not getting it in return. Which is unfortunate, because Target is supposed to be about TEAM WORK.
 
Back to this again?
This discussion has already been had & my store (like others) DID hire an internal.
And your 'years of on-the-job training' is no different from the long-timers at Target.
As to 'respect', the Golden Rule applies & there have been plenty of posts from BOTH sides of the aisle about the lack of respect.
And I'm SURE you meant 'STL'.
 
Forever70 said:
VML's were hired for an outside view/vision. And depending on the experience determines the pay scale. VML's are highly skilled in what they do. They have years of experience. There are reasons internals were passed over. You need to take that up with your ESTL. And FYI, not all of them have a degree. It's call years of on the job training, which equals, the same. They deserve respect, And they are respecting you the same. But, in some cases, not getting it in return. Which is unfortunate, because Target is supposed to be about TEAM WORK.
Click to expand...

If you're great, that's fine. Most people aren't mad that externals got a lot of these jobs. They're mad that they didn't even get a chance. They weren't interviewed, they were talked out of interviewing, their applications were overlooked. This int about degrees. Lots of TMs and TLs have degrees. As far as respect goes, you get what you put out. If you feel the TMs at your store don't respect you, reexamine yourself.

In the beginning I was not here for my vml at all, but she warmed up. I think she assumed we all hated her from the jump and came in guns ablazing. She asks my opinion sometimes and I'm like "girl wyd? I wore yellow sneakers and a hoodie. Idk nothing bout no stylish merchandising." (I dont really say it like that lol). But I feel like she values my opinion somewhat lol. That's what brought me over to her team. And when she helps softlines guests, she gets really into it. She'll help them pick out a gang of clothes, then she helps them in the fitting room with creating outfits and shit. They love it. Of course she does some annoying things that get on my damn nerves, but so does everyone at work.
 
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