I work in the apparel department. When I started, we had at least 10 people in our department (2 full-time and a bunch of part-timers with at least 20 or 30 hours each). Somewhere between 2015 and 2016, we "lost" a ton of hours. That's because someone decided that since they took away the home department's hours, all 3 of their full-time employees (120 hours per week) should be allowed to take all of their hours from apparel and not work IN apparel at all... This has been happening for YEARS now. We have 1 full-time employee (me, the department lead now) and 3 part-time employees and we are greatly suffering because of it and no one in this store (including management) care at all and still expect things to get done like normal...
Apparel department?Home department? I've never heard of a Kroger having those before.But if this is true then just transfer or quit if it's really bad.
Hours have been getting cut in all departments for years. As far as apparel, Kroger thought they would copy Walmart with their marketplace stores and have clothing and a bigger home goods area. So they gave those areas lots of hours because that was what they were concentrating on at the time. It hasn't caught on like they were hoping it would.
Think of Kroger corporate as a child with ADD disorder. They get on a kick about something. lose interest, and then get excited abut something else that briefly catches their attention. Right now it seems to be produce with money being spent for upgrading that area. Stores are getting brutal corporate walks rating them on standards and people are getting fired by corporate because you cannot meet the impossible standards with the labor hours given.
In other words, it's the same old corporate game being played to try and have some big news to make stockholders happy.
Non-Foods is the companies "side hustle". They but all the focus on food 24/7 and then if there is a little extra time they focus on Non-Foods. In reality, they are loosing a HUGE amount of possible sales. Why does everyone love Target? Their trendy, fashionable, in-style items, which are all "Target Brands". Marketplaces stores began fine, but then the company lost focus on the concept. Marketplaces stores now just looks like a normal large grocery stores with a few aisles of cheap towels, baskets, clothing and expensive toys. Most areas are not stocked well due to sporadic truck schedules and the system minimizing the BOH. While DIP has some trendy clothing, it was truly a flop. Unlike grocery items which is focused on unit sales volume, it seems Non-Foods/Drug-GM is only focused on earning a higher profit. Who in their right mind is going to buy a 6x pack of underwear for $38? Who is going to buy cheap bath towels for $10 a piece? The promo/season aisles has the same crap year after year that is overprices and is 25% off from day one. In reality, Non-Foods/Drug GM just needs to be blown up and started over with new high ups. Yes, your sales might be better then last year, but your department/aisles are empty of customers and loosing possible sales!
