Archived Speaking Your Mind to Higher Ups

[Dying Sun]

Speak up! Leadership at my store loves when TMs speak up instead of bad talking about it to other TMs. The open door policy is truly in effect at my store. ETL HR & STL created a big poster sign by the schedule board that reads:

"You got a question? Come talk to us!
Need more hours? Come talk to us!
Scheduling inconveniences? Come talk to us!
Ready to advance and develope? Come talk to us!
Need time off? Come talk to us!
Wages & benefits questions? Come talk to us!

Team members, our door is always open to assist you in every way possible. Don't forget to COME TALK TO US!"

I've approached them with a lot of stuff that has been going with me in my life. I can say it seems as if they all really cares about you, except for my direct ETL who I think generally doesn't want to be at Target anymore haha plus I never talk to her I go to ETL HR or STL.

And no I'm not brainwashed lol.

Man your store seems to embody that which this company was founded on if that's the case kudos to them all. either that or its a trap to get dirt on team members. I have seen both happen.

 

[FlowingandWaving]

So guys, my STL posted this by the time clock:

"Hi anonymous user "FlowingandWaving,"

I'm elated to know that you and other team members are appreciative with our efforts to accommodate your needs. We try to be flexible and accommodating as much as possible. For instance, you guys on Logistics (obviously you're logistics based on your posts and name) are performing 2x's better than six months ago. Why? Because we thought if we approach things differently than in the past, we can get impeccable results. We listened to you guys for process changes and you got it! We care about each and every TM needs. No, we're not doing this for the "best team survey". We're doing this because it improved our results! Notice how I got rid of all the ETLs who weren't committed to improving, opened to changes, or was careless when it came to TM needs?

When TMs feels like their needs are being met they tend to perform better. I've seen it first-hand with this store.

So, continue to bring your problems and questions to us. We will help you! All we ask in return is you just help us by doing your part as a team member.

Your STL,
----

P.S. I lurke iwontmentiontheforumname too. Wish Target wasn't so strict because I'd tell all TMs to register. The forum is very informative, especially for new TMs."

I'm pretty sure she knows who I am based on some of my posts...lol. I should go up to her and be like, hey I'm F&W.

I would post a picture but it will reveal my store information in the header and footer.

 

[commiecorvus]

So guys, my STL posted this by the time clock:

"Hi anonymous user "FlowingandWaving,"

I'm elated to know that you and other team members are appreciative with our efforts to accommodate your needs. We try to be flexible and accommodating as much as possible. For instance, you guys on Logistics (obviously you're logistics based on your posts and name) are performing 2x's better than six months ago. Why? Because we thought if we approach things differently than in the past, we can get impeccable results. We listened to you guys for process changes and you got it! We care about each and every TM needs. No, we're not doing this for the "best team survey". We're doing this because it improved our results! Notice how I got rid of all the ETLs who weren't committed to improving, opened to changes, or was careless when it came to TM needs?

When TMs feels like their needs are being met they tend to perform better. I've seen it first-hand with this store.

So, continue to bring your problems and questions to us. We will help you! All we ask in return is you just help us by doing your part as a team member.

Your STL,
----

P.S. I lurke iwontmentiontheforumname too. Wish Target wasn't so strict because I'd tell all TMs to register. The forum is very informative, especially for new TMs."

I'm pretty sure she knows who I am based on some of my posts...lol. I should go up to her and be like, hey I'm F&W.

I would post a picture but it will reveal my store information in the header and footer.

I have to admit to having really mixed emotions about this post.

On the one hand it seems too good to be true.
I've been trained not to believe anything that remotely seems like reason and common sense in high places especially when it comes with admitting that low folks might be right about things.

On the other hand, I'd never call out one of my own.
So that's pretty damn cool, glad to hear that you have one of the good bosses.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Complaining about your raises will do no good. The store can only give out so much money in raises. And only a few can get outstandings. 3 people in the entire store doesn't give you much opportunity for a good raise.
And they can NEVER just give you more because you asked for it.

 

[FlowingandWaving]

Complaining about your raises will do no good. The store can only give out so much money in raises. And only a few can get outstandings. 3 people in the entire store doesn't give you much opportunity for a good raise.
And they can NEVER just give you more because you asked for it.

I don't think TMs complain about. Inquiring more information about it is more like it....I doubt any tm would ever have the balls to tell an ETL "you're not paying me enough to do this." I think that it's more of "what can I do to move up into a higher pay grade. Just recently one of the Flow TMs got promoted to PA. We had a couple cashiers move over to Flow after their ninety days.

 

[Nowolf]

this thread is interesting, comparing to my own store. its largely known for our area stores what you can expect based on your likability and years of service. reviews often have little insight into your actual work career with the company, its only as good as the person writing the review. I've found talking to anyone about it does next to little, or nothing. this can always vary depending on your store. merit wage increases are locked but it really depends on your management and the team of people in place. reviews can easily be copy pasted BS.

i hate review time. seeing many of my cashiers come out today with long faces or disgust made me remember my first 7 cent review. its a hard pill to swallow if you actually put effort into the job title. i hate being put into the role of counselor to keep good employees interested in the company after their hard work yielded a nickle.

oddly enough, i find myself in a similar spot as my new cashiers. im going to have to be requesting my GSA raise be held off even longer (after being put on ice due to head count cuts even while running GSA/GSTL shifts heavily). management sees it fit to now rush a title change through before july 1st when the minimum wage increases to $9.00. a quick way of nullifying my 25 cent raise as i'd be under $9 by 3 cents. as if losing the merit raise before the minimum hike wasn't already a bit disheartening. it will be a happy day finally working the job with the "title"; even if they'd prefer i take the title in May, so they can get away paying me the same as a new team member...

i feel even more for my fellow GSA/GSTL's who will lose even more years of merit and their title increase when we go to a $10 minimum in 2016.

work politics are never easy, target or not.

 

[Retail Girl]

There is no way in hell I would GSA for minimum wage.

 

[pfreshdude]

My ETLS are pretty much like this too now. My leadership is pretty awesome and have stuck around now for a while. Only way one of them probably leaves is if they get promoted. I am at an ULV store and that might be why I view my leadership that way because they actually have to be out of their offices and the TMSC and be on the floor. My STL was backing up cashier at Pharmacy when I got in today. The LOD was covering electronics and backing up cashier a few times tonight as well. My current STL is probably the best one ive had in my few years here. I ALWAYS see them out and about on the floor when they are in. Its very rare they are in the office for a long time.

 

[sher]

Ugh. I'm not looking forward to reviews. I don't think I'm capable of pretending to be okay with the b.s. a second time. And I'm not optimistic about it, because my TLs hate me lol. I'm not sure why, but I can feel it.

 

[ZombieGurl]

when i first started i thought my tl's hated me.. i was lonely *sniff* but then i figured out they didnt they just didnt know how to talk to me cause i used to be very shy lol... im so different now. if you think you have a hard time receiving that review imagine your tl having to write that BS. i don't know if its the same for everyone but they basically give me the scores and I have to match the review to the score. it sucks. one of my tm's isnt even getting 1 penny for a raise.. how is that right? they dont have to tel them that.. I DO

 

[sher]

My tl actually hates me. I don't know why she doesn't like me, but I know what hate feels like. And she's been giving it for over a year. And if she doesn't dislike me, she's just terrible at being a lead, because nothing she does or says conveys that I'm useful to her... Unless we count the fact that I haven't been fired.

I'd honestly rather have a truthful review with honesty about why I'm not getting a raise. I actually believed the review last year and freaked out because I didn't understand why I wasn't fired. I slacked off for a while afterward because well, I wasn't gonna do my best if I thought I was already unappreciated, and on the road to being fired.

 

[usojelly]

With next month being the time my store does raises, I was wondering if anyone here has actually spoken up to any of their management or team leads about what they really feel about the store. I'm approaching my 4 year mark and making almost $1 past my starting salary, which is absolutely terrible compared to other companies, and feel like I'm getting screwed over badly. I self trained myself into most of the departments at my store besides softlines, which I refuse to do, and my management are aware of this and use me in most of them, but fail to help promote me. That's not to say I don't apply for the positions when they are available, but I count 3 instances alone in the past 2 years where people I've trained as new team members have already been promoted to a team lead position. I've only called out maybe 4x the whole time i've been with the company and have never no call no showed. When I do meet with my management to discuss my new raise, I'm definitely going to speak up about it, but I was wondering if anyone else has spoken up and what were the repercussions?

Let me give you a little bit on insight on why you are not getting promoted. Take this from a neutral party who has nothing to win or lose in your situation.
The first thing I see that sticks out is that you refuse to do softlines but it's more than that, that is just showing some of your attitude/personality. I'm sure you've made that known at your store as well (correct me if I'm wrong on that part). You can't pick and choose what you do, if a job has to get done then it has to get done. If you refuse to do something then how can you expect the people working for you to complete that task without losing all respect for you?
Secondly, they did not fail to promote you, you failed to do what it takes to get promoted. Did you seek out a mentor? Did you make it known you would like to be promoted? Have you approached anyone about developing you into a leader?
The third and fourth points are about your attendance, that has no bearing at all in this. Do you know why? Because it's a given that you should go to work. Saying you don't call out or have never had a NCNS is like saying you complete your reshop or put up a missing label.

You need to adjust the way you think. If you want to be promoted into a leadership position then you need to be a leader. Going in there and blasting an ETL or TL about them not promoting you is a childish and your anger is misguided. Ask yourself how and what you can do to get promoted.

 

[Backroom81]

So guys, my STL posted this by the time clock:

"Hi anonymous user "FlowingandWaving,"

I'm elated to know that you and other team members are appreciative with our efforts to accommodate your needs. We try to be flexible and accommodating as much as possible. For instance, you guys on Logistics (obviously you're logistics based on your posts and name) are performing 2x's better than six months ago. Why? Because we thought if we approach things differently than in the past, we can get impeccable results. We listened to you guys for process changes and you got it! We care about each and every TM needs. No, we're not doing this for the "best team survey". We're doing this because it improved our results! Notice how I got rid of all the ETLs who weren't committed to improving, opened to changes, or was careless when it came to TM needs?

When TMs feels like their needs are being met they tend to perform better. I've seen it first-hand with this store.

So, continue to bring your problems and questions to us. We will help you! All we ask in return is you just help us by doing your part as a team member.

Your STL,
----

P.S. I lurke iwontmentiontheforumname too. Wish Target wasn't so strict because I'd tell all TMs to register. The forum is very informative, especially for new TMs."

I'm pretty sure she knows who I am based on some of my posts...lol. I should go up to her and be like, hey I'm F&W.

I would post a picture but it will reveal my store information in the header and footer.

The fact that your STL was able to instantly recognize his/her own store from just 1 positive post should give you some insight on how things are in most stores.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Spot is weird with raises, it can be .03 or zero. I have seen it happen to others at my store.

 

[Guest]

Got to kiss butt and put on your best fake happy face in order to have a shot at a promotion.

 

[redeye58]

Sorry, my fake happy face is in tatters from over-use....

 

[Fyi]

there going to give you whatever raise they want, the entire raise structure is BS. there is little you can do. There are quotas and caps for raises over the whole store

 

[ZombieGurl]

we (team leads) had a visit/chat session today with our DTL i didnt even bother saying anything because i dont feel like they even care one bit. it was a "make your team feel loved so we get a good best team survey results" visit.

 

[commiecorvus]

we (team leads) had a visit/chat session today with our DTL i didnt even bother saying anything because i dont feel like they even care one bit. it was a "make your team feel loved so we get a good best team survey results" visit.

Even though the rest of the time we really don't care how they feel?

 

[ZombieGurl]

exactly... i was like.. every year they say they arent happy about pay/benefits/recognition.. how are we suposed to improve their pay and benefits when w e cant even decide their review scores.

 

[Leonhart621]

Got a E.

Every year since I started, always been getting EX. Bust my ass every ****ing time, being recognized by other TLs when I was in BR Dayside last year. Went back 4am because they "needed" me, work my ass off, every ****ing week I do item merge, MIRs, answer Backroom calls, pay attention to research batches, always on top on flexible fullfillment
(as in I'm the only BRTM who pays attention and check every morning), and all they heavily focus on the negative.

Loved how my fellow peers and TLs know what I do yet the ETL who did my fucking review doesn't have a clue what the fuck I do

 

[Bosch]

we (team leads) had a visit/chat session today with our DTL i didnt even bother saying anything because i dont feel like they even care one bit. it was a "make your team feel loved so we get a good best team survey results" visit.

I have already told them they won't like it.. Last year I was so angry I refused to take it.. Your goals are not my concern, since my goals are never your concern.. I have not decided to take it this year..

 

[The Dude Abides]

we (team leads) had a visit/chat session today with our DTL i didnt even bother saying anything because i dont feel like they even care one bit. it was a "make your team feel loved so we get a good best team survey results" visit.

I have already told them they won't like it.. Last year I was so angry I refused to take it.. Your goals are not my concern, since my goals are never your concern.. I have not decided to take it this year..

I screw with my ETLs every single year on the survey, but in a different way. One year I answered every question with "Neither Agree nor Disagree", another year when asked to take it I told them I had no opinion, when asked why I said because you don't listen to me any other time of the year why should that change now?

 

[Bored Food Aver]

I'm coming up on my 4th year at Target (near the end of this year) and I've gotten maybe 50 cents over what I started with. My biggest raise was when I was on LOA... shows how good I was doing. Just a couple of more classes in school and I am outta here though.