I'm Lost! Where in the h*ll are my team leaders?

[IHaveNoIdea]

I just wanted to know if this is just a thing at my store or if it is rampant across the company. I work in the market department (frozen, dairy, dry food, etc.), and hours can go by without seeing or hearing from supervisors. In the weeks I've been working here, I can count on one hand the number of minutes I have spent with team leaders. Almost every question has to be answered by a regular team member, and I get most of my directions from them as well. Half the time I don't even know which team leaders are even working that day, and sometimes it ends up there are none for the department, and it's just the store leaders who can be absolutely anywhere. I've talked to the HR manager who hired me on the sales floor more than the people I thought I was supposed to report to, if I can even find them. Is this normal practice?

 

[Hanknado]

I just wanted to know if this is just a thing at my store or if it is rampant across the company. I work in the market department (frozen, dairy, dry food, etc.), and hours can go by without seeing or hearing from supervisors. In the weeks I've been working here, I can count on one hand the number of minutes I have spent with team leaders. Almost every question has to be answered by a regular team member, and I get most of my directions from them as well. Half the time I don't even know which team leaders are even working that day, and sometimes it ends up there are none for the department, and it's just the store leaders who can be absolutely anywhere. I've talked to the HR manager who hired me on the sales floor more than the people I thought I was supposed to report to, if I can even find them. Is this normal practice?

I hear ya! I'm not used to zero communication, which seems to be the norm. Where are /is the ETL'S on the floor, having meaningful conversations with TM's and Guest and observing guest interactions and providing feedback?

 

[Tessa120]

I'm pretty sure that all jobs want people who can work independently. No one really wants a worker who will be productive only when management is breathing down their neck and micromanaging.

You sound like a couple of people at my current job who quit almost as soon as they arrived. One woman held onto her written time sheet silently for over two weeks after the pay period ended because no one told her what to do with it. Um, you ask what to do, rather than wait until payday and ask how you will get your check? Nope, completely unreasonable that she should have to ask, and the 20 year former federal gov't employee agreed they should not have to ask a single thing, they should just be told in advance every single teeny thing they may come across.

Work independently, ask for help when you need it, and don't expect the ETL to be there with a tissue when you need to blow your nose. Sounds like you've gotten really good help from the people around you, and they are taking care of you.

 

[xNightStockerx]

I just wanted to know if this is just a thing at my store or if it is rampant across the company. I work in the market department (frozen, dairy, dry food, etc.), and hours can go by without seeing or hearing from supervisors. In the weeks I've been working here, I can count on one hand the number of minutes I have spent with team leaders. Almost every question has to be answered by a regular team member, and I get most of my directions from them as well. Half the time I don't even know which team leaders are even working that day, and sometimes it ends up there are none for the department, and it's just the store leaders who can be absolutely anywhere. I've talked to the HR manager who hired me on the sales floor more than the people I thought I was supposed to report to, if I can even find them. Is this normal practice?

This is normal in my store. I cannot count on my TLs for much of anything. The only time I really communicate with any of them is when they ask me "when are you going to be done?" with what ever I'm doing.
I go to HR for questions I have.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You can talk to your lod or closing tl about feedback.

 

[rd123]

My TL would call us by walkie or come to us if there is anything specific to be done other than the usual stuff and pretty much gives an idea of how to do it if it’s new for us.
but yeah they are busy with their work and might not check on you . I just think they trust us with what we are doing . 😀 if I’m done with all the stuff that I’m supposed to do, I find either TL or ETLand ask if they need me somewhere. Else I go to back room and do some audit or pull some manual batches. There is always something to do .
But I felt this time new hires are just put to work on something without much training. Everyone just pushes stuff and don’t even know how to properly backstock or take something from backroom ,or use zebra properly! I assume they won’t last long this time !

 

[BrianKeknell]

I just finished my first week in GM and could honestly start training people. I worked here two years ago and the management change is a plus for me. TLs and ETLs used to breathe down our necks and were always pushing us to sell/red cards/zone/push products all at the same time. Now, I ask my TL what needs to be done when I get in and I don’t hear from them again, unless I walkie them with a question. It’s not that they don’t care, it’s that they’re managing more people now, so they trust that adults can work without being micro-managed. It’s awesome! I just take my 2, 15 min breaks whenever I want. It’s how adults should work. But if you have questions, just ask for your Team Lead, go to a separate channel, and ask away

 

[NKG]

I tell my team what I'm working on and where to find me but they know I move around alot so they just radio me. I always tell my team this is who you report too when I'm not here. I tell them xyz leader is closing when I leave. I also expect some independence so it goes both ways

 

[happygoth]

Throughout my 30+ year retail career I have usually felt that the less I saw of management, the better.

 

[FredPanda3]

I always felt like they were always on everyone's ass, so I get asants

 

[kimimpossible]

I tell my team what I'm working on and where to find me but they know I move around alot so they just radio me. I always tell my team this is who you report too when I'm not here. I tell them xyz leader is closing when I leave. I also expect some independence so it goes both ways

Same here. With being a Closing TL now, I expect some independence since I have a whole store to take of. I usually do three checks throughout the night, sometimes more with new members to set my expectations.

 

[hufflepuff]

I'd be happy never having to see my TL again 🤷‍♀️. I know my job inside out, I know what I'm doing, and all they do is give me a headache.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

I'd be happy never having to see my TL again 🤷‍♀️. I know my job inside out, I know what I'm doing, and all they do is give me a headache.

Ditto my micromanaging ETL...🙄

 

[FlowTeamChick]

Most of my store's TLs and ETLs spend a good portion of their day on the sales floor, but they're not hovering over their TMs. And they're almost always available by walkie. If one of them happens to be in a meeting, another TL will be available.
Used to have a micromanager for a TL and it was awful. Didn't matter what I was doing, he'd still find something to fault about it.
New TMs are assigned to work with the same experienced TM (or a couple of TMs) for their first few shifts and that experienced TM is the main resource for any questions, not the TL.