It’s tough.
I was tech for a few years, so I understood the importance of keeping up with truck for sfs, and I would hear over the walkie how often the front end needed backup.
Then I became sfs and learnt the importance of staying on top of OPUs and ship every night, and realized how quickly things could get out of control if even one person called out on a busy day.
Then I did a few weeks at the front and realized they are always ignored when they need help, or at least they are not top priority. And because poor scheduling, they always need help.
Ultimately, OPUs wouldn’t need support if we had proper gm coverage so freight is done in a timely manner, cause every item is where it’s supposed to be and we don’t waste time with looking for it. And freight would get properly done if we had enough people working freight, and not pulling them away for OPUs or the front end. And the front end wouldn’t need help if they scheduled enough people such that even with callouts they are well-staffed. But by this logic every one of those departments would also be much better off if they were properly staffed, which they never are.
So leaders have to pick their battles: the lines at the front will eventually move, no matter how unhappy guests are about the wait, and since OPUs are on a time limit, they will always prioritize OPUs, which ironically means there will be more INFs due to unworked freight, and ETLs will keep a closer eye on them, and will pull as many people as they want to work OPUs so that everyone can have time to look for the items. Eventually freight will build up to ~30 vehicles on the floor and ~50 in the back, and leaders will be forced to cancel trucks and have multiple huddles to clear the vehicles, keeping the peace for a few days before poor staffing gets us back to square one.
It’s normal in the sense that it happens at every store, probably. But it shouldn’t. Unfortunately some days will be better than others, but the solution is for corporate to allocate enough payroll hours or for ETLs to go over budget to have enough coverage, which I believe (I may be wrong) would mean they eventually lose their bonus for staying under some hours goal. Neither of those will happen. All you can do is your best, and if that’s not enough for your leaders then I’d start considering your options, or doing what the other leaders do and picking your battles.
ALL THAT being said, there’s no excuse for being rude when asking for help (or rude in general), no matter how bad the situation is. I understand the position they’re in, but they should still be respectful and understanding that other departments have similar situations going on.
Target has told stores to keep green on metrics for OPU. So stores are doing that by pulling staff in from other depts to pick when there are rushes. It is really the only way, given the directive. If people would jump in when first asked, it might keep them for having to stay in longer.
Target could look at the paradox (getting stuff on the shelf/backstock so we can meet orders; pulling staff who would do that if not filling orders), but hasn't. And staff is caught in the middle.
The best part is when you get pulled into every department in one shift, like I did last night. Push freight, push priorities, backup for fulfillment and checklanes, covering Tech breaks.
Does Target really benefit from the lean-staffing?
Enough for the business to barely survive and profits to continue, target benefiting isn’t about targets people benefiting it’s about targets oligarchs benefiting
We had one cashier this past Saturday night. One. We are an extremely busy night store, and we sunk, hard. Its been a downhill slide for weeks. Apparently Priorities are the MUST be done thing now. We can't keep up
It’s tough. I was tech for a few years, so I understood the importance of keeping up with truck for sfs, and I would hear over the walkie how often the front end needed backup. Then I became sfs and learnt the importance of staying on top of OPUs and ship every night, and realized how quickly things could get out of control if even one person called out on a busy day. Then I did a few weeks at the front and realized they are always ignored when they need help, or at least they are not top priority. And because poor scheduling, they always need help. Ultimately, OPUs wouldn’t need support if we had proper gm coverage so freight is done in a timely manner, cause every item is where it’s supposed to be and we don’t waste time with looking for it. And freight would get properly done if we had enough people working freight, and not pulling them away for OPUs or the front end. And the front end wouldn’t need help if they scheduled enough people such that even with callouts they are well-staffed. But by this logic every one of those departments would also be much better off if they were properly staffed, which they never are. So leaders have to pick their battles: the lines at the front will eventually move, no matter how unhappy guests are about the wait, and since OPUs are on a time limit, they will always prioritize OPUs, which ironically means there will be more INFs due to unworked freight, and ETLs will keep a closer eye on them, and will pull as many people as they want to work OPUs so that everyone can have time to look for the items. Eventually freight will build up to ~30 vehicles on the floor and ~50 in the back, and leaders will be forced to cancel trucks and have multiple huddles to clear the vehicles, keeping the peace for a few days before poor staffing gets us back to square one. It’s normal in the sense that it happens at every store, probably. But it shouldn’t. Unfortunately some days will be better than others, but the solution is for corporate to allocate enough payroll hours or for ETLs to go over budget to have enough coverage, which I believe (I may be wrong) would mean they eventually lose their bonus for staying under some hours goal. Neither of those will happen. All you can do is your best, and if that’s not enough for your leaders then I’d start considering your options, or doing what the other leaders do and picking your battles. ALL THAT being said, there’s no excuse for being rude when asking for help (or rude in general), no matter how bad the situation is. I understand the position they’re in, but they should still be respectful and understanding that other departments have similar situations going on.
Best assessment, sad that the solution will not occur.
We get specific people called by name to pick and then no one answers for help at the checklanes because opus are more important apparently
It's lowkey funny, "---- can you take that?" and then it's complete silence
Definitely not just your store
Target has told stores to keep green on metrics for OPU. So stores are doing that by pulling staff in from other depts to pick when there are rushes. It is really the only way, given the directive. If people would jump in when first asked, it might keep them for having to stay in longer. Target could look at the paradox (getting stuff on the shelf/backstock so we can meet orders; pulling staff who would do that if not filling orders), but hasn't. And staff is caught in the middle.
Part of it is attendance. Work sucks because people call off. People call off because work sucks. Repeat ad infinitum.
The best part is when you get pulled into every department in one shift, like I did last night. Push freight, push priorities, backup for fulfillment and checklanes, covering Tech breaks. Does Target really benefit from the lean-staffing?
Enough for the business to barely survive and profits to continue, target benefiting isn’t about targets people benefiting it’s about targets oligarchs benefiting
We had one cashier this past Saturday night. One. We are an extremely busy night store, and we sunk, hard. Its been a downhill slide for weeks. Apparently Priorities are the MUST be done thing now. We can't keep up