Service & Engagement Front end breaks, how does your store do them?

[TheFrigidPenguin]

Hey everyone!

I'm a S&E TL at a decently high volume store. We used to just hold our daily grid with us at all times with break times written out, our ETL didn't like that. We switched to writing out a set of names and breaks on an index card and handing them out to 1 or 2 people per shift, but we're still having to follow up constantly and make sure they're all on time, and our ETL says we need to spend less time focusing on our team members and their breaks, they think break cards consume too much time writing out, and we spend too much time following up. We have 2 self checkout each staffed by a TM, each of the 2 entrances has a cart cleaner/mask distributer, and we usually have between 2-3, sometimes 4, checkout advocates on a checklane. Anyone have suggestions on how to run breaks? We obviously need some time of order or schedule to it at least for the mask distributer/self checkout as these areas always need constant coverage. Any help or suggestions?

 

[Tessa120]

So the grid worked but your ETL said no. Cards are difficult and he doesn't like them. He wants less emphasis on breaks.

Ever feel like you are being deliberately set up for failure?

Try a formal meeting and ask him how it should be done. Be prepared to present your ideas and pluses/minuses. Be prepared for him to just say "do it!" Be prepared to have a clever plan of throwing him under the bus when breaks don't happen.

 

[DBZ]

It takes like 5 minutes to write out the breaks.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

My store has preprinted break cards given to cashiers. GSTMs manage their own

 

[BullseyeBabe]

So, my SD told me this yesterday. He doesn’t want TMs asking me where to go when they clock in or when they come back from their breaks. If I have a break schedule posted where they can check themselves, they spend too much time looking at it. I’m not sure how to do breaks and lunches myself. I’d like any suggestions on how to make this work.

 

[NotCynicalYet]

This one is more complicated than it seems like it should be, and there are many approaches. I haven't figured out what is best yet.

When the grid is sitting in the open by GS, the TMs hover around it too much and try to change things or move people around without talking to me first. Causes problems and silly little power games.

When the grid is at self-check, the efficiency depends on who is working there that day. Some can handle it and some can't. If it is a particular problem on a certain day, this is a good short-term fix.

When the Service Desk person is put in charge of it, the breaks tend to get delayed because the desk is very busy, and again the communication is not always good.

When I am carrying it around, I feel like I'm micro-managing and people resent that the break sheet is unavailable to TMs.

When TMs get individual break notes for the day, this doesn't change the fact that breaks are not set in stone and I don't think it helps.

Micro-managing gets the most efficient break results but increases the stress. Service Desk managing gets less efficient results and puts more pressure on communication skills. Self-Check has a lot of variance. It's more of a nuisance than it should be.

 

[Anelmi]

The break grid is at GS. We write out sticky notes w breaks/lunches along w lane assignment if necessary. Front end breaks are pretty much set in stone although if I need someone to shift theirs, I will tell them and then fix it on their sticky note.

i think making break times largely non-negotiable needs to be a starting point but that might mean changng the whole culture of the way you do things which could invite pushback.

 

[DBZ]

I like it when the breaks are less negotiable. It's the culture of "I don't want my break yet. It's too soon" that makes me crazy. The breaks are so dependent on each other. I just want to tell people that if they aren't going to go when they are scheduled to go, then they don't need to go at all.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Our guest service TMs are way too busy to run breaks. They do OPUs, returns, phone calls and often have to help with drive up.
I’ve tried having the break out at guest service, but then they all stand around looking at it like it’s a tv show. Also, there is a problem with TMs taking too long for their breaks.
I want to make this work so I just need to understand how.

 

[DBZ]

We have some TMs take their breaks for too long too. Our breaks are written on the wall. People barely look at it. Who has the time? Half the time I don't even get my 15. My SETL takes theirs though!

 

[Loading]

GSTLs manage all front end breaks at my store, if you don't go when asked, to bad!

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I am serious. My SD does not want me to send TMs to breaks or tell them what to do when they come in to work. What am I missing? How do I make this work?

 

[Tessa120]

What you are missing is intent. The SD doesn't want breaks since breaks require coverage, and wants you to take the fall for the front end never getting 15s.

So it's a circle. No matter where you look, you are told bad, don't do. But you're not going to break out of the circle until you pick your badness and go right through it.

Now I'd be the passive aggressive bitch that would collect any evidence I could that breaks were being inhibited and mail it off to the HRBP. Officially anonymous of course, including throwaway emails and the like.

 

[DBZ]

We tried that a year ago. It failed miserably

 

[Loading]

You need to have a conversation with your SD and ETL, they are setting you up to fail. I find it really strange that your SD has a problem with you managing the break schedule, at my store managing breaks and watching the front is like 80% of their job.

 

[Far from newbie]

I agree - no break schedules. Let the tm’s be responsible and required to take their own break.

1. making A break schedule is a waste of time - it’s rarely followed anyway and turns you into a traffic cop
2. i thought with modernization there didn’t NEED to be anyone “watching” the front as ALL cashiers were to be self-reliant, empowered
3. We are mostly adults - not children with curfews - as adults they shouldn’t be ‘told’ when to go to break!
I would snap at anyone telling me “you can go now” or “no, you must wait”. !!

my solution:
—-‘EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN BREAKS !
For Consistency : Every tm must go to break 2 hours after their start time for work, NOT just ANY time they like !
( of course the schedule will need to be staggered - not ALL cashiers starting at the same time for this to work)
Ex: in at 8;00 - break at 10;00, in at 10:00 - break at 12:00, in at 2:00 - break at 4:00.

—-if 2 cashiers start at 8:00 - they should work out between them who prefers 10:00 and which goes at 10:15

very little training should be required for everyone to understand they break every 2 hours,
no break will be too early OR too late because they are ALL every 2 hours.

For 5 hour shift - you could make the exception 2 hr. 15 min. So that first half of the shift is 2.25 hrs. Long /15 min break/ 2.5 hrs til shift ends - more in the middle

as for meals: if 6+ hour shift - your lunch is 2 hours after you return from break
the Added benefit - no compliance violations cause ALL meals are 4 to 4.5 hours after start time.

 

[Anelmi]

I literally do not see what is so hard (or overbearing) to write the TMs breaks on a sticky note and hand it to them when they check in at GS for the day.

They get their breaks and are responsible for taking them on time.

It largely works at my store but again break times are non-negotiable bc adequate coverage depends on it.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

What if you only have 2 SCO TMs, 2 cart wipers and 1 guest service TM? They all come in at 8:00AM. How do they take breaks if there is no one to cover them? Please, I’m not trying to be contrary. I need you to dumb this down for me.

 

[TheCartGuy]

What if you only have 2 SCO TMs, 2 cart wipers and 1 guest service TM? They all come in at 8:00AM. How do they take breaks if there is no one to cover them? Please, I’m not trying to be contrary. I need you to dumb this down for me.

It would give the ETL something to actually do.

 

[DBZ]

But ALL cashiers aren't self reliant or empowered. You can drill the empowerment rule into their head, but they still put on their light. Some of them are new and have questions or need help. "hey SETL, do we take cash cards here?"

What are the SETLs supposed to do if they aren't there to support their team?

 

[DBZ]

How does the OPU team manage their breaks? I don't think they have as many people on their team though and management cares a whole lot more about their metrics then the guests standing in line.

 

[allnew2]

Hr Tl or hr team prints the break schedule just for cashier as it shows in my time edit, and hands it to the setl. And since is computer generated the breaks for them are really spread out where they don’t call for backup.

 

[Loading]

What if you only have 2 SCO TMs, 2 cart wipers and 1 guest service TM? They all come in at 8:00AM. How do they take breaks if there is no one to cover them? Please, I’m not trying to be contrary. I need you to dumb this down for me.

Stagger the breaks, one at 9:45, 10, 10:15 use people who show up at 9 and 10 for break coverage.

 

[sunnydays]

Hr Tl or hr team prints the break schedule just for cashier as it shows in my time edit, and hands it to the setl. And since is computer generated the breaks for them are really spread out where they don’t call for backup.

haha the breaks generated in mytime for my store are comically bad, like having cashiers take their 45 2 hours after their shift starts and shit like that. no one ever follows them, just a total trainwreck

 

[sunnydays]

im gonna be honest, i haven't looked at a break schedule in months, outside of writing out the breaks for black friday weekend and printing them out on wristbands and stuff. i haven't engaged myself with my team's 15s and 45s in a long time outside of the occasional question of who should go first if we have 3 people who came in at the same time who all need a lunch

i have a team that i trust to make sure everyone is accounted for, no one hits their 5th, and our coverage is always as good as it can be given the grid we have for the day. they also save me the trouble of asking team members to extend if we have callouts, since they'll do it for me...