Well at least it seems like you care and probably gave them some useful tips to make them more comfortable for their new job. That's always good.
When I have to train people, Produce, I like to have them directly under my wing for 1 week, just working with me and learning. After a week of one on one training, I send them off to fend for themselves and see how they work. But during the one on one sessions I can usually gauge how good they will be if they are responsive and actually interested. A lot of people have no idea how a produce department works or anything about produce at all when they first start so I have to be very nice and teach them how to do very basic things. I've noticed that the longer a new hire works with a seasoned employee, granted they are at least a little competent, the more they have the chance of being successful long-term.
The worst thing is to let new hires figure out stuff themselves or become complacent due to a lack of proper training. That's when you have to start breaking old habits which is hard anywhere.
Well at least it seems like you care and probably gave them some useful tips to make them more comfortable for their new job. That's always good.
When I have to train people, Produce, I like to have them directly under my wing for 1 week, just working with me and learning. After a week of one on one training, I send them off to fend for themselves and see how they work. But during the one on one sessions I can usually gauge how good they will be if they are responsive and actually interested. A lot of people have no idea how a produce department works or anything about produce at all when they first start so I have to be very nice and teach them how to do very basic things. I've noticed that the longer a new hire works with a seasoned employee, granted they are at least a little competent, the more they have the chance of being successful long-term.
The worst thing is to let new hires figure out stuff themselves or become complacent due to a lack of proper training. That's when you have to start breaking old habits which is hard anywhere.
First off hats off to you for being willing to be open, friendly, and kind to new hires. For two, how in the world were you able to get your trainees on the same schedule as you? I swear when I first started peeps in my department, bakery, acted like that was the most foreign concept in the world after the initial day of meeting my trainer. I was lucky to even get two shifts with her on at the same time. And that was just barely for an hour or so.
And honestly if it wasn't for one of the store managers asking how my training was going. Which I was honest about, the fact it WASN'T, really going. Unless they considered just telling me to shove stuff out on the floor. I mean, I get we all have work to do and don't want to fall behind on it. But dude, I've never worked in a retail capacity at all. Least of all a grocery store. So to say the least a lot of stuff was pretty daunting at first.
So mad props to you for being willing to take your trainees under your wing like that. I wish more folks would do that. Would help the learning process a lot more I think.
I've trained a fair share of our Utility clerks that have come through and are in our department, and most of them do their jobs properly and safely as I do it, as my Store Director has said "yes I may issue you guys a lot of orders n things at once, but I expect them to be done safely first and not in a rush, even if companies here, as I don't want anyone to get hurt."
Others have balked at what we do, obviously thinking being a UC is a cake walk, and have bailed not even a week later even if they didn't train with me. One CSR we have recently even went so far as to say to a new hire, "go to UC151 if you have any questions during your shift if they are here, or come to one of us as your CSRs before you go to another UC with a question. As long as you do what they tell you, when they tell you, and just watch and observe, you'll be fine when you're on your own." This is because since I am nights during the weekday n weekends sometimes, I have a system of how I get things done and prioritize how the task list is going to be completed, with customer service being first obviously as hey if we don't help our customers, then why are we there? To stand around and look pretty? Hell no. Our FE Lead says we always get good survey responses with bagger friendliness and interaction always being highly marked, so our FE Lead wants to keep that number high as they like seeing us doing customer connections as this results in better service and customer retention. So I follow the FE leads words to help other UCs keep our scores up.
Otherwise when I train someone, I'll have them shadow me a while on shift and go over things with them and let them know that if they questions, to just ask, as I always tell others like I have been told, "there is no stupid question in the workplace, only the ones you don't ask that might get you or someone else hurt later on." Because I also want to know how I am doing as a trainer so that you are getting the info you need to do your job, and that I am not rushing anything that I would be happy to go back over again or explain further if needed.
I try to also follow the "why do I do things the way I do? Because I am selfish myself" mindset that if I fill or have lobby a certain way, for an example, that it's going to look pleasing and inviting to customers and not be a disaster area with carts n such strewn everywhere, while also being safe in the event we must get in or out quickly. As people are not going to think in panic mode, they will simply do as told or will flee, so I keep it safe so that egress or ingress is smooth and not confusing at all to where if you want to get out, you can get out without delay or any form of injury. I am selfish that way when I fill lobby, and my management team doesn't say anything but "good job, looks excellent" as they trust my judgement and are fine with my decisions made.
When I do any over 18 tasks though, like baler, compactor, or damaged liquor lockup, I always ask the persons age just to be on the safe side, and will confirm with my CSR to be sure that I don't train someone in something they are not supposed to know. But if they say to me that they feel comfortable with something I am teaching them and don't have questions, I will move on to the next area of training with them until it's done. As once they are done with me, I let them off to themselves but I always say to ask if you need help or want to know something, that that is what I am here for, so I will pass on what I know to my co workers to help them to their jobs the best they can.
-- Edited by UC151 on Wednesday 20th of December 2017 01:42:39 AM
And after you did, were you satisfied that they learned everything that you tried to teach them?
In my case, I had to train a new cashier. Not exactly sure if I gave them too much information all at once or not the right kind of information.
I'm getting this strange feeling of wanting to see how they progress over the next few days. Even though I know I shouldn't care.
I've never officially trained any one. I mean I know there was a time that I was asked to show someone that had transferred over from Starbucks to our department the ropes. But then I kept getting contradicted about this or that. So that stopped.
Now, I only bring up a few things here or there to deli new comers. But they aren't really being trained any more than I was when I started. I just fear though that they WILL actually try and ask me to train someone and just about everything I say ends up not being the right way of doing things. But not like they are uber consistent in my store in the first place anyway.
Well at least it seems like you care and probably gave them some useful tips to make them more comfortable for their new job. That's always good.
When I have to train people, Produce, I like to have them directly under my wing for 1 week, just working with me and learning. After a week of one on one training, I send them off to fend for themselves and see how they work. But during the one on one sessions I can usually gauge how good they will be if they are responsive and actually interested. A lot of people have no idea how a produce department works or anything about produce at all when they first start so I have to be very nice and teach them how to do very basic things. I've noticed that the longer a new hire works with a seasoned employee, granted they are at least a little competent, the more they have the chance of being successful long-term.
The worst thing is to let new hires figure out stuff themselves or become complacent due to a lack of proper training. That's when you have to start breaking old habits which is hard anywhere.
First off hats off to you for being willing to be open, friendly, and kind to new hires. For two, how in the world were you able to get your trainees on the same schedule as you? I swear when I first started peeps in my department, bakery, acted like that was the most foreign concept in the world after the initial day of meeting my trainer. I was lucky to even get two shifts with her on at the same time. And that was just barely for an hour or so.
And honestly if it wasn't for one of the store managers asking how my training was going. Which I was honest about, the fact it WASN'T, really going. Unless they considered just telling me to shove stuff out on the floor. I mean, I get we all have work to do and don't want to fall behind on it. But dude, I've never worked in a retail capacity at all. Least of all a grocery store. So to say the least a lot of stuff was pretty daunting at first.
So mad props to you for being willing to take your trainees under your wing like that. I wish more folks would do that. Would help the learning process a lot more I think.
It depends on their availability and the amount of hours, and if management will give the department a sufficient amount of training hours.
BUT... It is actually required that a new hire works with the department leader or backup for their first 2 weeks. So that means the same shifts. But in reality that is nearly impossible because Kroger would hire somebody who can only work one day a week for four hours. And you never have time to train somebody like that. In an ideal world though, I'd LOVE to have a new hire work directly with the department's leadership for their first two weeks. Things would be so much easier then.
I like to schedule new hires the same shifts as the department lead or backup for their first few days. Then, I will start scheduling them to work the mid shift so that they can work under half supervision of the department leads, and half under supervision of the seasoned clerks in the department. Also helps if you have a good crew of just clerks who can and will train a new hire.
My store has recently revived the whole interactive interview thing and if we don't think the potential hire would be a good fit for the department, we simply let them go at the end of the interview. Saves us time and trouble.
Well at least it seems like you care and probably gave them some useful tips to make them more comfortable for their new job. That's always good.
When I have to train people, Produce, I like to have them directly under my wing for 1 week, just working with me and learning. After a week of one on one training, I send them off to fend for themselves and see how they work. But during the one on one sessions I can usually gauge how good they will be if they are responsive and actually interested. A lot of people have no idea how a produce department works or anything about produce at all when they first start so I have to be very nice and teach them how to do very basic things. I've noticed that the longer a new hire works with a seasoned employee, granted they are at least a little competent, the more they have the chance of being successful long-term.
The worst thing is to let new hires figure out stuff themselves or become complacent due to a lack of proper training. That's when you have to start breaking old habits which is hard anywhere.
First off hats off to you for being willing to be open, friendly, and kind to new hires. For two, how in the world were you able to get your trainees on the same schedule as you? I swear when I first started peeps in my department, bakery, acted like that was the most foreign concept in the world after the initial day of meeting my trainer. I was lucky to even get two shifts with her on at the same time. And that was just barely for an hour or so.
And honestly if it wasn't for one of the store managers asking how my training was going. Which I was honest about, the fact it WASN'T, really going. Unless they considered just telling me to shove stuff out on the floor. I mean, I get we all have work to do and don't want to fall behind on it. But dude, I've never worked in a retail capacity at all. Least of all a grocery store. So to say the least a lot of stuff was pretty daunting at first.
So mad props to you for being willing to take your trainees under your wing like that. I wish more folks would do that. Would help the learning process a lot more I think.
It depends on their availability and the amount of hours, and if management will give the department a sufficient amount of training hours.
BUT... It is actually required that a new hire works with the department leader or backup for their first 2 weeks. So that means the same shifts. But in reality that is nearly impossible because Kroger would hire somebody who can only work one day a week for four hours. And you never have time to train somebody like that. In an ideal world though, I'd LOVE to have a new hire work directly with the department's leadership for their first two weeks. Things would be so much easier then.
I like to schedule new hires the same shifts as the department lead or backup for their first few days. Then, I will start scheduling them to work the mid shift so that they can work under half supervision of the department leads, and half under supervision of the seasoned clerks in the department. Also helps if you have a good crew of just clerks who can and will train a new hire.
My store has recently revived the whole interactive interview thing and if we don't think the potential hire would be a good fit for the department, we simply let them go at the end of the interview. Saves us time and trouble.
O_O I am totally struck stupid at how logical that whole interactive things sounds. I mean to actually find a Kroger that makes logical sense?!?!?! To actually have someone that is putting such a plan in place?!?! This is a miracle. And bow down to the brains of your operation all day.
Cause I swear, if I had a much more proficient approach to my training. I would not be second guessing myself so much.
