Got Rejected for On Demand

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Sep 9, 2022
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Initially wrote this up as a comment in a separate thread, but figured it was big enough to make its own post.
I requested to go on demand for my own sanity, but was rejected. I initially went to HR, but she said she couldn't do anything and I had to speak to my ETL, which I was hoping to avoid, not because I have any problems with her, but just because I kind of felt bad since I was one of her more dependable TMs and also figured it would be difficult since my department has been bleeding employees. Just for context, apparently our store is the worst in the district despite being a corporate location, but even just from personal experience and anecdotal evidence it's terrible and keeps getting worse. We started like a family and everybody loved it, but since 2020 we lost a store director, our GM ETL AND his replacement, closing ETL, front end ETL, various TLs and key teammembers who had been there for YEARS. My department alone has lost over 70% of its members just since the last holiday season including our TL who was with the store for over 10 years. A newly promoted TL was partly filling in for the spot until she went on an extended LOA that she never returned from. All seasonal hires who were kept full-time have quit except for 2 people btwn fulfillment and GM, and even new hires won't stick around for more than a month or 2, many even walking out on their first day or not returning for a 2nd shift. Now we are going through a remodel which is only making things even crazier, and the staffing shortages makes the burden of an increased workload fall on the rest of us, but we're still lectured and expected to get things done even with our bare bones crew.
Anyways I went to speak to my ETL, even made up a valid excuse about going back to school and getting a 2nd job (which I do actually plan on doing in the near future, i just dont want to wait for those plans to come to fruition) but as I predicted she didn't want to put me on demand, her exact words being: "if I put you on demand then you basically dont even work here anymore"..... which was kind of the point lmao. However, she would allow me to reduce my schedule to 16 hours a week, pick any 2 days as long as 1 of the days was Sunday... which is not what I wanted at all. I wanted the option to come in, or not come in, whenever I wanted and not be forced to abide to a strict schedule that I can't get out of. But I agreed because going down to 2 days a week was the next best option that I didnt think I had.
I was loving it at first, however now, 2 months later even this reduced schedule is taking its toll. I started off the first few weeks with a consistent closing 4-midnight schedule. Then my ETL went MIA for reasons (it's now an ongoing joke that the GM ETL position is cursed) and my consistent schedule is now all over the place. I had a no call no show due to a last minute schedule change from 4pm-12am closing to 4am-12pm opening, then coming in 2 hours late the next week for another 4 am shift. I've been getting scheduled to work 10 hour shifts along with continued last minute schedule changes (but never any changes in my favor). The 4 am Sundays basically ruins my Saturdays because I can't make any plans in the evening and spend the whole day stressing out about it.
Then last week I was scheduled to work in GM instead of my usual fulfillment role. I hadn't had to work GM in almost a year, and was thrown into the worst section imaginable (chemicals) WHILE the shelves were being swapped out and redone by the remodel team. I always hated working GM, but this was even worse than I remembered. It was very infexible, everyone is forced to take their breaks at the same time, and you get yelled at for being 5 minutes late to the breakroom because everyone's expected to return to the floor at the same time. I was constantly being "checked on" on the walkie to see if I finished clearing my vehicle. I was even stressing about using the restroom because of how it took away from the time I needed to finish my work. I had 2 full flats of backstock that mostly consisted of heavy ass boxes of detergents and bleach, tons of overstock, and very limited space to quickly store it all in. Came back in the next day to the 2nd TL lecturing me about the work I didn't finish the previous day, telling me I needed to "work faster" and pressuring me to stay longer to finish everything. I kept getting pulled away from my work to help out in my actual department. And when you're finally ready to leave you get lectured about any work you left behind, even tho everyone in GM always works past schedule because they rarely can finish their workload in the time they're scheduled to. Also for some reason they don't have people coming in to continue working in each section for the 2nd half of the day, so any incomplete work from the morning shift just piles on to the next days workload.
I've heard of this thing called quiet quitting where you basically just fulfill the bare minimum requirements of your job, and I think that I've hit that point. I've lost so much motivation working for target that I pretty much stopped caring about giving it my all or going out of my way as much to make sure that we reach our goals as a store.
I planned to request to go on Demand again, especially now that my ETL is gone, but I fear that my shift in performance will be too noticeable. Apparently the SD wasn't happy with my work in GM last week and I'm scheduled to work GM again this week for 2 9hr 4am shifts, most likely in chemicals again. I also think that 1 no call no show and 2 hr tardy will tarnish my record, although it's been a month and no one has given me any conversations about it yet, so I'm hoping it goes by unnoticed for when I go back into the office. Unfortunately since HR is useless and my ETL is out of the picture, that means I have to talk to my SD and she is the LAST person i want to talk to. Ive had other TMs tell me to just go straight to corporate about it instead... Otherwise im thinking of just puttin in my 2 weeks, but its hard considering the years I've put in and connections I've made. My biggest immediate concern is how im gonna make it past these next 2 GM shifts. Sorry my ODTM complaint turned into this mega rant 😔
Have any of you faced similar issues?
 
If it's that bad just jump ship like everyone else. Can change your availability to not work 4am if you really want to stay.
 
Sorry for the necropost but I, too, found the OP impossible to read, so ChatGPT happily summarized it in .5 seconds. To any future readers, you’re welcome.

You're experiencing challenges with scheduling, workload, and changes in your responsibilities at Target. The store has faced significant turnover, a remodel, and ongoing staffing issues, affecting your work environment negatively. Despite requesting on-demand scheduling for your well-being, you were offered a fixed reduced schedule, which has proven challenging due to inconsistent shifts and GM responsibilities.

You're contemplating the option of "quiet quitting" and considering whether to request on-demand again or explore other alternatives like talking to your SD or going to corporate. Other TMs' experiences or advice on handling similar issues would be appreciated.
 
We've had several TM's ask to go OD and get told no. Some were because they were TM's that were considered crucial to their department's success, so they wanted them to work more hours than ODTM's typically do. Others were because they were considered low-performing TM's, and they were hoping they'd quit rather than go On Demand. When the TM's that were top performers made it clear that they were quitting unless allowed to go on demand though, they were made on demand, whereas the others were just let go.
 
Sorry for the necropost but I, too, found the OP impossible to read, so ChatGPT happily summarized it in .5 seconds. To any future readers, you’re welcome.
Why do people make such a big deal about this? I can mentally insert punctuation and paragraph breaks. Sure it makes it harder to read, but if I care enough to read it I just take my time.

Honestly I find @commiecorvus almost as hard to read when he does his edits, because he breaks after every sentence. Normal paragraphs are easiest.

Sorry to shade you Commie!
 
Why do people make such a big deal about this? I can mentally insert punctuation and paragraph breaks. Sure it makes it harder to read, but if I care enough to read it I just take my time.

Honestly I find @commiecorvus almost as hard to read when he does his edits, because he breaks after every sentence. Normal paragraphs are easiest.

Sorry to shade you Commie!

No worries.
I do single lines mostly because in the old days it loaded faster then in big blocks.
Also my ADHD just can't read a solid wall of text.
I get about a quarter of the way in and my brain nopes the fuck out.
When the sentences are broken out or in short paragraphs, I can read them quickly.
I will burn through a book or two a week in that case.
 
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No worries.
I do single lines mostly because in the old days it loaded faster then in big blocks.
Also my ADHD just can't read a solid wall of text.
I get about a quarter of the way in and my brain nope the fuck out.
When the sentences are broken out or in short paragraphs, I can read them quickly.
I will burn through a book or two a week in that case.
Ahh, very interesting and makes sense!
 
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