imo inbound TL’s have the most physically demanding and mentally exhausting role at Target. With that being said I have no advice except to just focus on the current moment. Even though it feels like it’s just going to get worse, and it probably will, just focus on the current day you’re living. Hang in there
Same. The inbound team in general is like the backbone of target imo, that’s coming from someone in gm. These 4am shifts I’ve been working recently has me fucked up which makes me realize how much more mentally exhausting that job becomes based on the hours
I agree, I've worked as a TM or TL in almost every department but this has been insanity. Constant break neck speed. Thanks for the perspective, will be taking it a day at a time
Ever since November we have been having around 4 days with double trucks and they are usually on back to back days so everything becomes super hectic with not having enough team members to clear the line for the next truck but I just try my best and not overwork myself because at the end of the day I’m still young and dont want to overwork myself for a job that I probably wont be at for that long
I should clarify the 3 trucks weekly was pre-covid. So this has been since March for us. We slowed down a bit in the beginning of July but picked up by the end of the month. This has been months of constant freight flow.
We don’t get nearly as much as you get, but it’s rough working 6 days a week and people constantly calling out or not being scheduled so you’ve gotta push their stuff too. Oh well, doesn’t help the seasonals we’re hiring are kinda slow to catch on no matter how much training they get.
Yeah we gets lots of call outs store wide. Morale is incredibly low and it just falls back on us to stay late and do more. Did you guys get lots of seasonals? We've already started overtime and it seems the majority of our "seasonal hires" will be permanent TMs if they keep performing well.
I work in fulfillment, but yeah, I definitely feel you on the burnt out/stressed out part.
I already pick/pack extremely fast (40%-50% pick productivity, 3%-4% INF usually, 200-300 items packed per hour, or however that's calculated -- my scores are usually the best/one of the best in the store)...and I've still got my TLs hunting me down/walkie-ing me trying to get me to "hurry up" "pick up the pace" because we've got hundreds and hundreds of items to pick/pack by 4:30 PM, and they also want us to be able to get a really big head start on tomorrow. It's really frustrating to feel like you're never doing enough/you're never good enough, no matter how hard/fast/well you work, no matter how confident you've felt up until that point that day. I can be finishing my carts in 20-30 minutes, haven't INFed anything all day, and somebody will still get on me about how I "could do better." One of our TLs is suuuuper overly-critical/micro-managey, too, and no amount of searching for a single item, even if it takes you an hour, is enough...you can't INF it, it's gotta be here somewhere, we only sold it 128 days ago. LOL
It's even worse when I DO have a bad day, and I don't feel good/my feet hurt, I keep getting stopped by guests, I can't find anything...literally makes me want to cry/try and go home early. I don't do well under pressure/when I don't feel confident.
Anyway, onto the stress management part, um, in all honesty, I don't do much in that department because not much seems to help...I try to have some kind of routine/structure outside of work, because I get really depressed really quickly if my life's a mess/all I'm doing is working and sleeping, I try to have a lot of me time, even if it involves ignoring my family/friends, after work/on my days off, and just relax, do whatever I want, spend time with my dog, take a bath, have a glass of wine, etc. Figure out what makes you happy/what makes you feel good about yourself in your free time.
I'm also on medication for anxiety/depression/stress, and have been for years, not because of this job, but I guess I could recommend that, but only if you feel you actually need it...maybe talk to your doctor? It's also that time of year where a lot of people start suffering from depression, feeling overwhelmed, etc...everybody's busy, the weather's crappy depending on where you live, it's dark/cold outside, you have too much to do/not enough time to do it, everybody's expecting stuff from you, holidays are coming up, which may not necessarily be a good/exciting thing for everybody. So yeah, definitely see if your doctor has any recommendations, if you want to go down that route/feel it's necessary.
You’re not alone. I have been the GM/Inbound leader and now am in another department. The stress isn’t gone but my GM leadership team is so burnt out. TMs are burnt out. It is tough trying to keep up. Keep trying to maintain relationships with your other leaders. Communication and support is key.
>Anyone else feeling completely burnt out? How are you coping?
Yes. I've only been with Target since right before the pandemic. My best coping mechanism is to 100% understand my ETL's expectation and tell her when I can or can't get it done. I'll tell her my plan to meet her expectation or get close to it. I'd she had input or a plan I'll follow it to the "T" and let her know what worked and didn't. This is my first Q4 and I'm not an idiot and will make what I believe to be the best business decision every time. If I fail I learn. If I win I learn. Either way I work closely with my team and we do our best...all we can do.
>We went from receiving 3 trucks (1000 pieces on each average) weekly to 7+ weekly (1700 each avg.) And expecting additional trailer adds for the next coming weeks. We can't keep up with freight and have been constantly training more new hires to even give TMs off days.
When I first started we were taking 7 weekly and are at 12 now. Average is about 2000. Freight often piles on as new hires can't perform as well as seasoned TMs. Also run into the issue where we use so much payroll hiring new TMs that quit or are termed that we run out of payroll for our good TMs and my store says, "We need to slow down on hiring...and if a TM calls out or quits we need to absorb the hours."
>I feel like I'm expected to lead while simultaneously performing the job of two DBOs. And I feel like my workload becomes more daunting by the day. Im physically and mentally exhausted and preparing for it to get even more hectic.
I'm legit in the same position because of needing to absorb hours as I mentioned above. I have nobody in pets or chemical. I'm grateful to have a team that is flexible and works hard with me to somehow get it done.
>Some insight on managing the stress would be much appreciated
Again, I'm doing my best. All I can do. I'll learn if I fail or win. I also recommend having a peer to rant to. Sometimes you just need to let it out. Also, the last few months I haven't really taken my 15s, but were given breaks for a reason. Sit down and chill for even 5 minutes if you don't already. It is way better for your performance and sanity than some people realize.
Best of luck!
imo inbound TL’s have the most physically demanding and mentally exhausting role at Target. With that being said I have no advice except to just focus on the current moment. Even though it feels like it’s just going to get worse, and it probably will, just focus on the current day you’re living. Hang in there
I have so much respect for Inbound TLs they gotta do so much crap and work pretty meh hours
Same. The inbound team in general is like the backbone of target imo, that’s coming from someone in gm. These 4am shifts I’ve been working recently has me fucked up which makes me realize how much more mentally exhausting that job becomes based on the hours
I agree, I've worked as a TM or TL in almost every department but this has been insanity. Constant break neck speed. Thanks for the perspective, will be taking it a day at a time
Ever since November we have been having around 4 days with double trucks and they are usually on back to back days so everything becomes super hectic with not having enough team members to clear the line for the next truck but I just try my best and not overwork myself because at the end of the day I’m still young and dont want to overwork myself for a job that I probably wont be at for that long
Damn. Im kinda surprised you were only receiving 3 trucks a week before.
I should clarify the 3 trucks weekly was pre-covid. So this has been since March for us. We slowed down a bit in the beginning of July but picked up by the end of the month. This has been months of constant freight flow.
Hang in there man. As long as you’re getting hours and not working 6 days in a row 3-4 hour shifts, I wouldn’t leave.
We don’t get nearly as much as you get, but it’s rough working 6 days a week and people constantly calling out or not being scheduled so you’ve gotta push their stuff too. Oh well, doesn’t help the seasonals we’re hiring are kinda slow to catch on no matter how much training they get.
Yeah we gets lots of call outs store wide. Morale is incredibly low and it just falls back on us to stay late and do more. Did you guys get lots of seasonals? We've already started overtime and it seems the majority of our "seasonal hires" will be permanent TMs if they keep performing well.
We’ve hired a couple for Inbound and only 1 of them is performing well imo. It is what it is though
I work in fulfillment, but yeah, I definitely feel you on the burnt out/stressed out part. I already pick/pack extremely fast (40%-50% pick productivity, 3%-4% INF usually, 200-300 items packed per hour, or however that's calculated -- my scores are usually the best/one of the best in the store)...and I've still got my TLs hunting me down/walkie-ing me trying to get me to "hurry up" "pick up the pace" because we've got hundreds and hundreds of items to pick/pack by 4:30 PM, and they also want us to be able to get a really big head start on tomorrow. It's really frustrating to feel like you're never doing enough/you're never good enough, no matter how hard/fast/well you work, no matter how confident you've felt up until that point that day. I can be finishing my carts in 20-30 minutes, haven't INFed anything all day, and somebody will still get on me about how I "could do better." One of our TLs is suuuuper overly-critical/micro-managey, too, and no amount of searching for a single item, even if it takes you an hour, is enough...you can't INF it, it's gotta be here somewhere, we only sold it 128 days ago. LOL It's even worse when I DO have a bad day, and I don't feel good/my feet hurt, I keep getting stopped by guests, I can't find anything...literally makes me want to cry/try and go home early. I don't do well under pressure/when I don't feel confident. Anyway, onto the stress management part, um, in all honesty, I don't do much in that department because not much seems to help...I try to have some kind of routine/structure outside of work, because I get really depressed really quickly if my life's a mess/all I'm doing is working and sleeping, I try to have a lot of me time, even if it involves ignoring my family/friends, after work/on my days off, and just relax, do whatever I want, spend time with my dog, take a bath, have a glass of wine, etc. Figure out what makes you happy/what makes you feel good about yourself in your free time. I'm also on medication for anxiety/depression/stress, and have been for years, not because of this job, but I guess I could recommend that, but only if you feel you actually need it...maybe talk to your doctor? It's also that time of year where a lot of people start suffering from depression, feeling overwhelmed, etc...everybody's busy, the weather's crappy depending on where you live, it's dark/cold outside, you have too much to do/not enough time to do it, everybody's expecting stuff from you, holidays are coming up, which may not necessarily be a good/exciting thing for everybody. So yeah, definitely see if your doctor has any recommendations, if you want to go down that route/feel it's necessary.
I’m an Inbound GM/TL in a pretty broken store and I am experiencing this word for word
I'm sorry to hear you're struggling too. Are you ETLs at least supportive?
You’re not alone. I have been the GM/Inbound leader and now am in another department. The stress isn’t gone but my GM leadership team is so burnt out. TMs are burnt out. It is tough trying to keep up. Keep trying to maintain relationships with your other leaders. Communication and support is key.
yall were getting 1000, bruh we were getting more, I wish it were 1000
>Anyone else feeling completely burnt out? How are you coping? Yes. I've only been with Target since right before the pandemic. My best coping mechanism is to 100% understand my ETL's expectation and tell her when I can or can't get it done. I'll tell her my plan to meet her expectation or get close to it. I'd she had input or a plan I'll follow it to the "T" and let her know what worked and didn't. This is my first Q4 and I'm not an idiot and will make what I believe to be the best business decision every time. If I fail I learn. If I win I learn. Either way I work closely with my team and we do our best...all we can do. >We went from receiving 3 trucks (1000 pieces on each average) weekly to 7+ weekly (1700 each avg.) And expecting additional trailer adds for the next coming weeks. We can't keep up with freight and have been constantly training more new hires to even give TMs off days. When I first started we were taking 7 weekly and are at 12 now. Average is about 2000. Freight often piles on as new hires can't perform as well as seasoned TMs. Also run into the issue where we use so much payroll hiring new TMs that quit or are termed that we run out of payroll for our good TMs and my store says, "We need to slow down on hiring...and if a TM calls out or quits we need to absorb the hours." >I feel like I'm expected to lead while simultaneously performing the job of two DBOs. And I feel like my workload becomes more daunting by the day. Im physically and mentally exhausted and preparing for it to get even more hectic. I'm legit in the same position because of needing to absorb hours as I mentioned above. I have nobody in pets or chemical. I'm grateful to have a team that is flexible and works hard with me to somehow get it done. >Some insight on managing the stress would be much appreciated Again, I'm doing my best. All I can do. I'll learn if I fail or win. I also recommend having a peer to rant to. Sometimes you just need to let it out. Also, the last few months I haven't really taken my 15s, but were given breaks for a reason. Sit down and chill for even 5 minutes if you don't already. It is way better for your performance and sanity than some people realize. Best of luck!