C_Fletch

http://consumerist.com/2010/02/targe...part-time.html

Verified by my sister-in-law. All lose their title, in other words, demoted and they now get part-time hours, which means less or no insurance. In essence what this means is that the employees who know where everything is and where it should be are now gone. Should provide for a more crappy shopping experience. Thanks Target!!!

stingermck

So Target, do you remember when Circuit City did this?

tasha99

Huh. They must be going the Circuit City route.

adrenaline78

Um.. this is not true. It doesn't even say ALL team leaders in the article that was linked.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Exactly, it also says specialists and team leaders and not all of them.

But seriously, they aren't the amazing bastion of knowledge the OP makes them out to be. Asking Target workers questions about where items are located and other sorts of info has always been the last resort after trying to find it out myself and most times they either don't know or give bs answers.

Sucks some are getting demoted but at least they still have jobs unlike many in my state, over 10% unemployed, that have absolutely nothing.

UAIOE

How much proof does one need to understand that working retail sucks?

fujishig

What are team leads, and when do people go to them? Target is actually pretty good, pretty much any redshirt I ask knows the layout, and I'm sure not all of them are team leads. But why demote them to part time?

Also, I'm always reminded that I should never wear a red collared shirt into Target... people stop you constantly asking for things.

Groucho

My guess Target is doing this over laying people off, so it could be worse.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Dressing in slacks or just dressing decent in general seems to get old ladies asking me for help. They also usually figure out I don't work there by the time they're done asking but I've always known the answer, so I help out anyway.

asianxcore

Retail Stores are hurting on given hours. Most aren't making enough to fully staff their stores, or equally pay the ones they have.

By cutting FT's to PT's, they are attempting to permanently sacrifice bodies in the store to help customers, to save hours.

FT's in Retail Stores are pretty much guaranteed their full availability and hours to match (40+). PT's can go anywhere from 30 hours max to dramatically less.

Abob Teff

Most retail operations have not adequately staffed their stores for years, resulting in low quality customer relations and increased theft.

Here is my issue ... if a company is losing money and has to make these moves, I can understand. I have problems when a company makes these moves because they aren't making enough money.

Retail has not been a profession or even a livable-wage job for well over a decade.

UAIOE

I was in there one time in a light blue polo shirt and black dress pants and someone ended up thinking I worked there.

How?? What part of that ensemble screams "Target employee"?

Alan Smithee

I've been mistaken for an employee at a lot of stores just because I actually KNEW about the stuff I was looking through.

I've gone into Target stores twice wearing a red shirt without realizing it til someone came up to me asking me for 'help'.

benedict

I've experienced this when leaving the office and perhaps looking as if I was "management" while shopping in a supermarket!

One time, while I was studying the display of wines, a guy told me that he was going to a party, but couldn't drink anything but the sweetest of wines and wanted to take a suitable bottle! I directed him to the dessert wines, having first ascertained that a fruity German number wouldn't suffice, and recommended a reasonably-priced Sauternes.

Although I'd made it clear that I didn't work there, the guy observed that the actual staff were "useless", whereas I'd seemed to know what I was doing! I don't know how he discerned this although, as it happened, some years earlier I had worked during college holidays at an off-licence/liquor store! For some reason the episode made me smile at the time.

Troy Stiffler

Demoting Full Time = Save Money
Save Money = Saved Jobs, Redistribution of Pay/Benefits
Redistribution of Pay/Benefits = Socialism
Socialism = America's Downfall
America's Downfall = Groucho

Why not just fire some people? This is America, darn it. I'm going to kick a dog in the face to generate and redistribute the American image that Target is diminishing with this anti-American move.

I worked (nights) at Target 4-5 years ago. Good place to work. Learning (and then copying) how their inventory/stock system works was invaluable. And it was the first time that I ever had three jobs.

I don't really see a problem with trashing the 'lead' position. I remember my lead, and think that we would have gotten the job done, almost the same, without him. In an average night, he spent 75% of his time doing the same job as the rest of us and 25% of the time moving people around and stuff. The "leads" aren't "managers". Again, 75% of their time is spent doing the same job as the people below them.

Trevor

My uniform at the hospital is khakis and a blue shirt. I often stop at Best Buy on the way home and frequently get asked questions as if I'm an employee. I usually answer them, as I spend more time there than most of the actual employees.

Quatermass

You guys should have fun with it. If someone thinks you're an employee, send them on a wild goose chase, make wild promises and give them bad directions.
Examples:
"You get a 10% discount if you tell the cashier 'Love is in the air' when you check out.
"This TV gets all the satellite channels free, it's built in to the unit. You can also surf the internet on it."
"The men's room is out of order, you can go ahead and use the ladies room, sir"

arminius

Yep, it could be raining.

Boba Fett

I've always found Target to show signs of over hiring. Every store I've been to, it's easy to spot at least a half dozen people at various spots in the store with nothing to do. For instance last time I was in Target, there were three guys stocking some stuff in electronics. The odd thing, was they only had a medium sized box, but all three were moving at a snail's pace and spending more time joking around.

The Man with the Golden Doujinshi

Yesterday at 7-11, while getting a Slurpee I noticed some lady going through their wine selection. She ended up behind me in line and after I paid and started walking out, I heard her asking the clerk about red wines and if the one she picked was any good.

Yeah, I had to stop to take a look back before I left.

resinrats

I've been in Target wearing my coat and people ask if I work there. Yes, I work at Target wearing my heavy winter coat inside. There are some stupid ass people that shop at Target. Maybe there should be a 'People of Target' web site like there is for Walmart.

DvDDan

most people ask you that because finding an employee in a target that will look up to help you is impossible. I've had people ask me the same question, but since im not a dick i just say no and ask them what they are looking for.

I'm sure you've been in there enough to know certain things. Help someone out next time.

(then go to customer service and collect your paycheck )

Damfino

I didn't even realize that Target was struggling. I hope they don't go CC, because that would force me to shop at Wal-Mart.

d2cheer

So are the team leads the ones with the clip board watching everyone else work? Everytime I am at Target there is some person with a clip board and hand held walkie, watching all of the cashiers struggle with the lines. GET BEHIND a tellor and help!!

If that is them good riddance. They are useless.

adrenaline78

chances are that its the stores front end/cashier TL.. and i'm not sure they are allowed to jump on a lane and help because it would cause more problems if someone had an issue that that person wasn't available.