Anyone else wondering what is up post-Covid? It’s like we can’t get our feet back under us. Target used to have a clear goal, to be the retailer of choice for families, bringing joy for a fair price and clearly be a step up from the Dollar stores, Bargain, and WalMarts of the world. But lately, it seems like we can’t get out of our own way. Decisions are all over the place, constantly in the news (and not good news), and all changes seem to be reactive or following in everyone else’s footsteps. Why did we stop leading and start following? Target no longer interviews, at least on the Distribution side, we just hire whoever. There is no selection process, so of course turnover is rampant, causing extra workload for those of us that stuck around through the years. Managers are never on the same page, not even those that run the same teams. The only time you see senior leadership or HR on the floor it’s never good news, and recent business decisions seem to always screw us workers and make our lives more difficult. It no longer feels like Target is a leading employer in our community based on new hiring practices and constant need for hiring due to so many exiting to other jobs. I used to be proud of working here, now I find myself never volunteering this info, which is sad.
Jayunderscore
r/Target Rat Tamer
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Imagine this but an entire company. That’s what’s wrong with Target right now.
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We have NEVER been a leader. I started in 1994 and we have always copied what Walmart does.
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Was just talking with my TL about this. She was expressing frustration about the latest batch of contradictory communications.
First, we're supposed to do things a certain way so it's consistent chain-wide. Oh wait, stores need to do what works best for their lay-out. Oh wait again, we're supposedly empowered to do what makes sense within the store and the TMs (you know, availability, expertise, etc.). No, no, do what corporate says we're ALL supposed to do so it's all the same.
How about this? If decisions are made, at least offer a little explanation so we're not all wondering about what seems to be useless, time-consuming, wack-a-doodle ideas.
But we end up with nothing that really makes a whole lot of sense. Doesn't make for loyalty, feeling proud of where I work, wanting to stay there.
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Brian Cornell continued the Greg Steinhaffel blueprint of gutting payroll which becomes a self fulfilling prophecy in terms of how poorly stores operate. They were struggling long before covid, it just wasn't as obvious.
I haven't worked for them in 9 years as of next month but it's hardly surprising nobody knows what is up or down. They aren't staffing the stores properly so they don't know what to do because they aren't going to suddenly start staffing the stores, so again, not surprising that it's just straw grasping chaos.
I haven't worked for them in 9 years as of next month but it's hardly surprising nobody knows what is up or down. They aren't staffing the stores properly so they don't know what to do because they aren't going to suddenly start staffing the stores, so again, not surprising that it's just straw grasping chaos.
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I'm sorry but that is incomplete. Target's checkout process and zone/branding was worlds apart from Wal-Mart for a very long time. The clothing on the floor and the towels & blankets were far better too. I worked there from 2006 to 2016, totaling over 10 years. Nothing compared to your tenure so nothing but respect for that in particular, but you absolutely must be aware that the store process started to unravel with Steinhaffel and then an ex-WalMart employee in Cornell took over and yes they trended more and more towards Wal-Mart from the moment he took over, that is true.
Look at the store number totals year by year from 1970 until now. It's not a coincidence that Target expansion skyrocketed when Ulrich took over and crawled to a damn near halt the moment he retired.
Target did a lot of things different from Wal-Mart for a long time and now they've become a downgraded version of what Wal-Mart was 20 years ago, operationally speaking.
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I go to my local Walmart and see a zoned store. My store is not zoned, apparel is a mess with reshop a constant and apparel all over the floor.
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Any store that I shop at Walmart, Meijer, Jewel, Woodman's, and Mariano's all have better zones than Target does. I remember staying until midnight or 1am to finish zoning toys many years ago.
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Here's my question: if zoning is supposed to be a priority now, just when are we supposed to do it? I used to get compliments on my area all the time, but haven't a long while because it hasn't been deserved. It's pretty much always a wreck. If it wasn't for self-pushers, I'd be doomed.
Give me another hour in my shift and it'd be a lot different.
Give me another hour in my shift and it'd be a lot different.
OneGoodEar
Former team member
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Which is why I said without them, I'd be doomed. At least some of my area is zoned.
And they work pretty well for most of the things they're used for. But not all of my area has self-pushers, hence the problem.
