Archived About those seasonal TMs

[Flow Warrior]

My teenager is not a seasonal worker. Has been a cashier for a year. But today they called her in to work backroom. Poor thing, she knew nothing. Clerical told her to go to “receiving”. She was asked to get trash bags from a “baler”. Then handed a “zebra” but she had trouble remembering how to “back stock” as she picked items. (Words that mean nothing in teenager real life)

She said she watched her TL have an actual facepalm over her work a couple of times today. And she was trained by a seasonal backroom worker who’s been there a week. At one point she choked back tears of frustration.

Obviously they were very hard up for help if they asked a teenage cashier to come work backroom.

Girl said she was so tired she “only drove the speed limit home”. She was too tired to drive any faster!

I’ve worked at Target 100 years. So I often forget what it’s like to be a noob. And I can throw out nonsense phrases like “zone the hba” and “Work the softlines repacks” like they are common phrases in the English language.

But it can suck being a noob. I get that her TL was stressed out today, and probably less than thrilled that “help” was only a teenage cashier who knew nothing and a week old seasonal worker. But being new to a job doesn’t equal stupid in real life.

Very true. However,
I know almost every non seasonal cashier because I live so close to the store that I walk there. So I hang out in the break room sometimes for 30 or more minutes after shift (this started when I was just TM about 3 months in) So I personally know and try to know all the people to are permanent.
TL probably cut her a break because he knows she has no knowlege. Yesterday in the midst of insanity I taught people how to do a sidecap

 

[can't touch this]

So you would be Jeff Bezos?

naw, if I was Jeff Bezos I'd fire everybody and replace them with robots

 

[Kartman]

Bailer training is simple. Cardboard goes in.

Not completely simple. As you load it position/stagger/try to spread the cardboard out evenly.

Do NOT (when it's getting full) allow the cardboard to overlap outside the frame of the machine. That makes (when making a bale) punching a hole and feeding the wire through a BITCH.

 

[redeye58]

All hail the master of bails, you, sir, are a true friend of the crown. Dilly! Dilly!

That's 'ma'am' to you.

hat makes (when making a bale) punching a hole and feeding the wire through a BITCH.

The store I first learned to bale at had a steel rod we used just for punching thru but I started showing the other girls (all-female crew beck then) how to stagger/layer & avoid overlaps so we seldom used it.

 

[Kartman]

The problem is nobody who doesn't make bales GAS about it.

They just toss, half the time not even breaking the box down...

 

[redeye58]

We flatten ours before we bring 'em to the back; takes up less room while stocking.

 

[HRZone]

and then last year we kept 8 seasonal people and they had all quit by March

Most seasonals get anywhere from 25 to 40 hours. In January that goes down to anywhere from 4 to 20. It's wise to set expectations with seasonals before committing to them any further.

 

[Stuff2]

Dumping is literally what they do. They don’t crush the cardboard. Its.So.Painfull.

Every time I take a load of cardboard from electronics to backroom, the BRTMs tell me to just leave it there and they'll sort and crush it. They actually seem kind of insistent on that.

 

[Stuff2]

This isn't true, stores aren't allowed to hire seasonally for beauty and electronica

View attachment 4257

Question about that. I was under the impression that I was seasonal, but I'm coded as electronics, and I get the eletronics pay rate. Does this mean I'm not seasonal? I mean, it doesn't really matter (even if I am seasonal and they offer me a permanent job, I'll likely decide to focus on my internship instead), but that sounds odd.

 

[Flow Warrior]

no, sounds like you were given a permanent spot. I defer to HRZone

 

[can't touch this]

The problem is nobody who doesn't make bales GAS about it.

They just toss, half the time not even breaking the box down...

I found out that if I take a few extra minutes to break down my boxes and place the cardboard in the right way, and spend 10min making a bale if needed, is precious time that I don't have to spend on the salesfloor getting pestered about Fingerlings and Hatchimals. well worth it IMO

 

[HRZone]

Question about that. I was under the impression that I was seasonal, but I'm coded as electronics, and I get the eletronics pay rate. Does this mean I'm not seasonal? I mean, it doesn't really matter (even if I am seasonal and they offer me a permanent job, I'll likely decide to focus on my internship instead), but that sounds odd.

If they coded you as electronics you are a regular employee. The 90 day probationary period still applies - they can let you go, you can decide to go. But not very smart of the etl HR to risk retention like that.

Despite the new best practice of not scheduling paygrade 30 people in 35 positions. There is no real checks and balances to stop stores from doing that. We scheduled plenty of cashier's in electronics Thursday and Friday

 

[Marcellow]

WHEN is that? January?

Depends on volume. I was seasonal last year with my friend and other seasonals started disappearing around mid January if they weren't kept. Management didnt even tell us we were kept either, just kept scheduling us.

 

[can't touch this]

No more end-to-end at my store starting next Monday!!!

word on the street is the decision was made based on end-to-end proving to be too much of a newbie-baffle and that in turn was adding to the chaos of the holiday season...lol noobs, but we'll finally have the whole crüe together again pushing the mountains of seasonal freight like last year...I am happier than a pig in shit right now tbqh fam

 

[pinktea]

*cries*

Happy for you, haha!

 

[Flow Warrior]

No more end-to-end at my store starting next Monday!!!

word on the street is the decision was made based on end-to-end proving to be too much of a newbie-baffle and that in turn was adding to the chaos of the holiday season...lol noobs, but we'll finally have the whole crüe together again pushing the mountains of seasonal freight like last year...I am happier than a pig in shit right now tbqh fam

While I do you are happy about this. This isn't a cause for celebration. This is a cause for worry. EVERYTHING I have heard suggests (as I have said before) that stopping end to end is a failure of mgmt that will result in the eventual discipline and possible removal of said mgmt.

We don't train enough as it is. So of course its a newbie baffle. We need to train more. We need to put people in the right positions. Of course its easier to wave all the freight from the truck. The points as to why e2e exist weren't to make our jobs easier or harder. It was to increase sales floor presence and stop paying people for overnights and finally get to palletized freight.

I am willing to bet this is temporary. So I hope it doesnt cut you too hard.

 

[can't touch this]

I am willing to bet this is temporary. So I hope it doesnt cut you too hard.

yeah you're prob right

e2e is fine for 9 months out of the year, when the trucks show up 3x a week and they're mostly small. The only real issue I have with the process is that it just isn't compatible with the Thanksgiving/Xmas season...it was creating less salesfloor presence because errybody was stuck in the backroom stowing 420 kilotons of toys and Xmas crap while fielding questions from noobs the whole time ("hey what's 'fillgroup'...hey what's 'SEA'...hey what's 'location'...hey hey hey...") so if they want to start killing e2e right before Halloween and resuming in January I ain't even bothered

I do hope my stores' leadership isn't being targeted for elimination though, that would be the pits

 

[pinktea]

^^This. I am ALL for more salesfloor presence and I love having Market swarmed with people during peak shopping hours and able to help guests. What I DONT like is when the only closer has to spend the entire shift in the back room backstocking, so there's no one on the floor at all.

The more I think about it, the more I think that E2E works with a dedicated regular team but fails when you add seasonal hires. There's just too much to learn to make any sort of training sufficient for the amount of time you need them. Spot has to figure out a better method for 4th quarter if they wantE2E to succeed ( and I think it should).

 

[can't touch this]

I guess this can be the "Dumb shit seasonal noobs do" general thread?

One of my favorite noobs got termed today for shoplifting a couple packs of Lunchables, needless to say I'm p. steamed about it. The AP guy and LOD pulled him into the office and confronted him and he admitted that he swiped them and that it was because he was broke. so I'm pissed for 2 reasons, the first being that he was a good worker, fast learner and probably on track for after-season retention, and secondly that his fucking pride stopped him from asking me or someone else for 5 bucks. Great job fam, now you're unemployed but at least your precious ego is intact!

 

[can't touch this]

TANSTAAFL: There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunchable

 

[Flow Warrior]

yeah you're prob right

e2e is fine for 9 months out of the year, when the trucks show up 3x a week and they're mostly small. The only real issue I have with the process is that it just isn't compatible with the Thanksgiving/Xmas season...it was creating less salesfloor presence because errybody was stuck in the backroom stowing 420 kilotons of toys and Xmas crap while fielding questions from noobs the whole time ("hey what's 'fillgroup'...hey what's 'SEA'...hey what's 'location'...hey hey hey...") so if they want to start killing e2e right before Halloween and resuming in January I ain't even bothered

I do hope my stores' leadership isn't being targeted for elimination though, that would be the pits

It all depends on DTL and up (this is what I overheard when they were yelling in the closed office as if closed STL office is sound proof. SMH)

 

[Flow Warrior]

^^This. I am ALL for more salesfloor presence and I love having Market swarmed with people during peak shopping hours and able to help guests. What I DONT like is when the only closer has to spend the entire shift in the back room backstocking, so there's no one on the floor at all.

The more I think about it, the more I think that E2E works with a dedicated regular team but fails when you add seasonal hires. There's just too much to learn to make any sort of training sufficient for the amount of time you need them. Spot has to figure out a better method for 4th quarter if they wantE2E to succeed ( and I think it should).

I say give us all overtime and no more seasonals at all. New hires properly trained and abundant equipment. Hey its a beautiful pipe dream isnt it.

 

[Flow Warrior]

I guess this can be the "Dumb shit seasonal noobs do" general thread?

One of my favorite noobs got termed today for shoplifting a couple packs of Lunchables, needless to say I'm p. steamed about it. The AP guy and LOD pulled him into the office and confronted him and he admitted that he swiped them and that it was because he was broke. so I'm pissed for 2 reasons, the first being that he was a good worker, fast learner and probably on track for after-season retention, and secondly that his fucking pride stopped him from asking me or someone else for 5 bucks. Great job fam, now you're unemployed but at least your precious ego is intact!

Sigh.
Because we have so many people who tend to be poor, Market basically drops off some of the qmos food. Bananas or expired energy bars. Also the standing rule is ask LOD. Sometimes they will say yes. Because its better to right off a $2 meal than lose someone over $2.

 

[Flow Warrior]

"Dumb shit seasonal noobs do"
Take out the new style maven shipper with a pallet because you think it will fit between the aisle and it before the store was opened.

 

[Kartman]

I say give us all overtime and no more seasonals at all. New hires properly trained and abundant equipment. Hey its a beautiful pipe dream isnt it.

Pass that pipe over here, friend.