The head of our department always comes to feverishly tell us when we're first in the district or how many sales we made over the weekend or whatever. She always seems giddy with excitement when she tells us about it. And it always just makes me wonder, why should we care? It's not like we're getting a raise if we made a ton of sales. Our hours get cut regardless of how well we're doing (in spite of them telling us "more sales means more hours!") They push us hard on a skeleton crew whether we're doing well or not. It's not like she's even telling us we did a good job, one time she lined us all up and gave us a lecture that was pretty much "you're all replaceable" then at the end she tacked on "by the way this weekend we made the most sales in the district!" or whatever.
Do your managers come to you with sales reports? And do you care about them?
The ONLY reason we learn about our sales reports is if we overhear it, or if we ask why hours are being cut. Simply put, if they TELL us about sales reports then we will know what we need to focus on for next time.
As for caring? Morale has slipped waaaaay down. We RARELY EVER hear a compliment on how we did or how we are doing if we do/did well. Instead it's more tacked on our overflowing plates. If we say something about it we are "jokingly" reminded that we can be replaced.
I do get excited when my department does well on a flash sale or contest, and share it with everyone. But that's because to me, we're a team and we should be proud of it. Corporate might not care, but it makes me happy to have a small win once in a while.
I do get excited when my department does well on a flash sale or contest, and share it with everyone. But that's because to me, we're a team and we should be proud of it. Corporate might not care, but it makes me happy to have a small win once in a while.
That's a nice attitude to have. I wish I could feel that way. I just kind of feel unhappy whenever I hear about it because I know nothing will change for the better for us. We're just making money for other people, meanwhile we won't see a raise or anything positive from it. If anything it just means they'll just push us harder to get the same result every time and yell at us if we don't.
"It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now, if I work my ass off, and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime. So, where's the motivation?" -- watch?v=cgg9byUy-V4
The head of our department always comes to feverishly tell us when we're first in the district or how many sales we made over the weekend or whatever. She always seems giddy with excitement when she tells us about it. And it always just makes me wonder, why should we care? It's not like we're getting a raise if we made a ton of sales. Our hours get cut regardless of how well we're doing (in spite of them telling us "more sales means more hours!") They push us hard on a skeleton crew whether we're doing well or not. It's not like she's even telling us we did a good job, one time she lined us all up and gave us a lecture that was pretty much "you're all replaceable" then at the end she tacked on "by the way this weekend we made the most sales in the district!" or whatever.
Do your managers come to you with sales reports? And do you care about them?
It its true that you get more hours based on sales, however its not till next year when that week comes up in the budget. Each week's budget, or hours for the department, is mainly based on previous years sales for that week plus whatever increase percentage management thinks the department will be up or down. So you will not see extra hours till the next year. PLUS, if your department manager is smart and knows what they are doing, you are allowed to add hours throughout the week if you are beating your sales budget. I believe it's 2-3 hours per $1000 you are up. You can keep track of that everyday with the sales report that is supposed to be printed each day by either the AA or someone else designated to do it. The 1st think I always look at on the report is how we are doing against the forecast (budget).
Then there are other considerations, like, what if you are full time and already getting 40 hours?
What about people who only want 20 hours, but they keep making them work 40?
But no one said they were geniuses. They made us sign a sheet to see if we are a current employee. Because, the clocking in and out, and the paycheck they mail me every week wasn't a big enough hint already...
Yeah, they told me that too. Strangely though, when I wanted to switch departments, it took them a month to find a replacement.And said replacement is just a woefully inadequate placeholder. Oh well, no longer my problem.
They just need to keep your self-esteem so low that you never leave. Kind of like a battered woman. "No other man would want you!"
I have worked at least a bit in several departments at Kroger. In one, I was told that I needed to work faster if I wanted to stay there - I had only been there for one week. In another, I was 3 hours into my first shift in the department, training, and was told I needed to pick up the pace if I wanted to stay there. Meanwhile, we all know total slackers who no one ever reprimands. Even if they did, the slackers don't even care.
They know if you care, and they'll try to make you feel guilty.
They know if you're a hard worker, and they'll try to make you feel lazy.
They know if you hate to be criticized, and they'll criticize everything you do to get you to work harder, and to destroy your self-esteem.
How else could they get you to be so productive for so little incentive? Unlike monetary incentives, criticism, snide remarks, condescension, and guilt, and such are totally free. Management can dispense them at will.
Sales seemed to be associated with everybody's hours, so I would push sales to try to get above a certain level. We get too many crap initiatives and variations on cracking the whip to make this work. Your job is to be working and busy like you life were at stake. Look scared and miserable and smile all the time. Try not to help Kroger make any extra money.
Sales seemed to be associated with everybody's hours, so I would push sales to try to get above a certain level. We get too many crap initiatives and variations on cracking the whip to make this work. Your job is to be working and busy like you life were at stake. Look scared and miserable and smile all the time. Try not to help Kroger make any extra money.
Your post doesn't make sense. Your phrase "so I would push sales to try to get above a certain level" is just the opposite of your last sentence. "Try to not help Kroger make any extra money".
How can you convincingly look "scared and miserable" at the same time you "Smile all the time"?
