Archived Why did target fuck over the GSA position so much?

[Flow Warrior]

I have been asked to be a GSA... not sure yet if I’ll do it, but I feel like I kind of do a lot of GSA duties currently so I might as well get the title. I love my GSTLs and GSAs, so I want to do it in that right, but so much stress and so little incentive... I am torn.

You are? hmm.


I'm all out of faith This is how I feel I'm cold and I am shamed Lying naked on the floor Illusion never changed Into something real I'm wide awake And I can see The perfect sky is torn You're a little late I'm already torn.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Target rarely ever promotes people internally. I know one person similar to that and they only moved up due to connections.

Hmm.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Target Express stores don’t have ETLs, just SrTLs and an STL.

and thankls to the new policy where there ARE NO SRTLs its just TLs and an STL

 

[Bullseyerc]

and thankls to the new policy where there ARE NO SRTLs its just TLs and an STL

So I’m pretty much stuck as a GSTL lol.

 

[Flow Warrior]

So I’m pretty much stuck as a GSTL lol.

yes. things get better though. Unless you live on the big island of hawaii, then you got a volcano and a hurricane.

 

[Flow Warrior]

“GSA, I need help on register 7!”
“GSA, can you come to guest service to speak with a guest?”
“GSA, can you go to the back room and pull some product to fill these end caps up front?”
“GSA, can you come to electronics to override for a price match?”
“GSA, I need pennies!”
“GSA, I need my break covered at Starbucks because I’m about to hit compliance in 5 minutes”
“GSA, can you do this guest pull? Backroom has gone home for the day”
“GSA, can you watch out for OPUs? Flex has to go downstairs and pack to meet goal”
“GSA, can you unlock a baby monitor for a guest? Electronics is on his lunch and beauty is backing up at the front lanes”
“GSA, we have no one to back up right now, can you just hop on a register? I’ll be in my office if anyone needs anything”
“GSA, can you call in this SCO? It’s broken”
“GSA, I need help on register 7 again”

YOU have a downstairs?

 

[greg yarms]

Lol.

At my store, GSTL has become the position where TLs who couldn’t handle their workcenter end up.

Cashier: base pay
GSA/Service Desk: +50¢
GSTL: team lead pay is negotiable and varies based on experience, performance, and your negotiating skills.

My store GSA/service desk make the same amount as cashiers.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Target Express stores don’t have ETLs, just SrTLs and an STL.

Ehhhh technically it’s not a senior if you’re in an express store. You’re an express TL which carries most the same responsibilities of a traditional Sr but they’re technically different roles.

 

[Coqui]

Ehhhh technically it’s not a senior if you’re in an express store. You’re an express TL which carries most the same responsibilities of a traditional Sr but they’re technically different roles.

I work at one, it’s the same thing just a different title.

 

[Dog]

YOU have a downstairs?

Yes and the packing stations are down there. We have 2 floors, one of which is the sales floor and the other functions as a big back room

 

[TTGOz]

Same with PAs.

I'm trying to develop into a PA position but the position literally no longer exists. I mean... it still does... but not how it use to. Same pay as everyone else, but people are still marked as Food Assistant or whatever, same with GSA. Fuck, I feel like I already do a lot of PA work, but if I even got "promoted" what would I be? I'd be trying to move out of that hella fast.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Criminally underpaid they were before but now not even a raise? You’re a manager but not a manager when convenient and make the same (often less) than the team members you supervise..

As a former GSA and now GSTL.. it doesn’t make any sense. Even as a GSTL now my workload is more or less the same than when I was GSA (however I was essentially a GSTL when I was a GSA, without the official title).

This is definitely one of the craziest decisions corporate has made to date in my opinion.

Eh, there are TM's in the store, who have just as much responsibility (some even more). And were screwed a year ago.

 

[Times Up]

We have only 1 GSA (by title). This person is very salty about making the same as everyone else on the front end so prefers SCO or SD shifts. We have 3 TMs who are GSA trained and each does 1, maybe 2 GSA shifts a week. No one wants the position.

 

[NoTasking]

GSA, in an ideal world, would work mid shifts while GSTLs are scheduled full coverage. They would watch the lanes for any blinkers, do overrides, speedweave, call for backup, get change/bags etc. GSTLs could focus on managing their team, ordering supplies, maintaining front end brand, dealing with any guest issues, not just front end guest issues. GSAs would cover the GSTLs breaks.

If that’s how it was done, I wouldn’t see a need for a pay increase, or at least not much of one. It’s simply different front end work, the way service desk, SCO, and order pickup are.

The new operating model actually prioritizes having open-close SEA/GSA coverage with a SEL/GSTL mid every day

 

[starmaster1000]

Service Desk: +50¢

That'd be nice. I make my cashier pay at the Service Desk.

 

[Parker51]

I am a weirdo.

I love being a GSA. It gives me great pleasure to see my cashier team work together serving guests. I enjoy feeling part of the "adult supervision" and knowing that the entire GSA/GSTL team has each other's backs, with good communication and teamwork.

Never a dull moment, whether removing obstacles as a servant leader (bags, change, overrides, boxes, getting everyone to breaks and lunches) or the ad hoc interaction with guests, solving problems and providing the first and last impression of Target to everyone that walks in the door.

It's not for everyone, but I feel that I am sharpening skills that I can take anywhere, and look forward to going to work every day. Kind of like being a squad or element leader again.

 

[Ahem]

I know of only one person that was hired as a cashier, bumped to GSA then to GSTL, then to SrTL THEN became an ETL at a new Target Express store. In nine years of working for this company... one person.

wait... I looked at my new-ish etl's job history in workday and that could be my etl... or there's 2 of them! He was a cashier, gsa, gstl, sr gstl, sr sftl, and now he's in my store as an etl-sf. I don't know if his sr positions were at an express, though.

 

[RedcardReba]

It will be interesting to see what happens when there isn't a pay increase. Right now our GSAs get 50 cents more plus guaranteed hours.

 

[Starswilldiex]

A former GSA told me how much she made (this was around the time everyone was getting bumped to $11). She made $.50 more than cashiers and the same amount basically as cafe/Starbucks (bc they get/got $.50 more for speciality). She was an amazing GSA with potential to develop into a lot more. She left as soon as she graduated for a better job and Target lost a great employee.
The only difference between cafe/GSA pay at my store is GSA are guaranteed hours but we have such little staff and high volume in our cafe that everyone gets 30-35 hours except for me at the moment because I'm working less due to medical.

 

[Times Up]

It will be interesting to see what happens when there isn't a pay increase. Right now our GSAs get 50 cents more plus guaranteed hours.

That's an ASANTS thing. My store GSA gets same pay as cashier and average about 25 hours a week. Cashiers average 12-20 hrs. a week. So if you want to be more stressed and get about 10 extra hours a week, go for it!

 

[itsajob]

I have heard from a few former GSAs that you are expected to a leader without being too much of a leader. One said she left after she was talked to about not having her Red Card action plan ready, as she had several shifts the week before where her team did make Red Card goal. She also said that later that week she talked again, as pulled a cashier into an office and spoke to them about talking very rude to a guest (I guess the cashier ratted her out). The guest is my neighbor and told me that she will be back to Target if that cashier is employeed. I just have to say this cashier and I are not the best of friends and would be very happy to see her go (anywhere including playing in the traffic on the busy street in front of my store). At the same time they lost a few cashiers when said cashiers heard of why she was going. My question is, so do you want your GSAs to be leader or don't you?

itsajob - I am starting to wonder

 

[starfishncoffee]

When I left, I was asked to stay by numerous Leads/Leaders, and to call if things didn't work out at my new job and I wanted to return. I said I would consider it only if I could return as NOT a SEA.

I have come to the conclusion after being on these boards that GSA/SEA is definitely an ASANTS position. By job description, they are supposed to be support only to the front end team, guests, and SELs. They are not supposed to be leadership.

This is not how it was at my old store. At our store, we were held to the same standards as SELs and I had to remind my Leader more than once that I could NOT coach. As such, losing that pay differential felt like a sucker punch.

I loved my store. I loved the team. I wish I had never said "yes" to being a GSA (what it was called when I said "yes"). The endless clopens and the stress of being held to leadership standards when I never should have been was making me a bundle of anxiety and was starting to make me physically sick. (I lost 10 pounds because I couldn't eat.) I take responsibility for my own actions. No one held a gun to my head and forced me to agree. I would probably still be there if I hadn't agreed, though, even with modernization.

 

[Switch23]

I am a weirdo.

I love being a GSA. It gives me great pleasure to see my cashier team work together serving guests. I enjoy feeling part of the "adult supervision" and knowing that the entire GSA/GSTL team has each other's backs, with good communication and teamwork.

Never a dull moment, whether removing obstacles as a servant leader (bags, change, overrides, boxes, getting everyone to breaks and lunches) or the ad hoc interaction with guests, solving problems and providing the first and last impression of Target to everyone that walks in the door.

It's not for everyone, but I feel that I am sharpening skills that I can take anywhere, and look forward to going to work every day. Kind of like being a squad or element leader again.

Do you work at T1040 by chance?

 

[RedcardReba]

That's an ASANTS thing. My store GSA gets same pay as cashier and average about 25 hours a week. Cashiers average 12-20 hrs. a week. So if you want to be more stressed and get about 10 extra hours a week, go for it!

The store tried cutting hours like you describe. 8 front end quit within a week. Lol

 

[Times Up]

The store tried cutting hours like you describe. 8 front end quit within a week. Lol

That's just how my store always schedules front end. Other than late November through December whert cashiers can get 25-30.