What changes would you like to see at Kroger? I would like to see us closed on Thanksgiving and Easter and a more sensible store closing policy due to inclement weather.
Upper management to take their heads out of their asses. And actually see first hand how things work in the real world. They have no clue how things are anymore . Either they have not actually done any real work in a real store for many many years or never have. They ask why we can't meet their stupid numbers and finish all of the idiotic paperwork but they don't want to hear the true answers
Not so much changes as they just stay the course. I'm speaking from the customer end here. 12--15 years ago Walmart had Kroger on the ropes, on the brink of destruction. WM was using an almost Napoleanic strategy in just crushing all their competition, and in such clever ways that the customers were responding and making it happen.
Then, I'm gonna say about 10 years ago, Kroger turned things around and came back like Rocky Balboa. They wised up, learned from their mistakes, watched and learned from WM's weaknesses (everybody's got em), and now, at least in the central Il. market, Kroger is back at the top of their game.
As long as they don't get too greedy and follow the same path of destruction as Walmart, they'll continue to hold the edge. That's the 'change' I hope to see.
We need some "Undercover Boss" ****. Do these ****ing people even shop for themselves? Bring them back in as though they were new hires, place them in departments, and let them see what actually happens in their own stores. Let them try to balance their own conflicting metrics.
I'd also like to see investments in training associates, a living wage, closing early on holidays, benefits that aren't shameful, that kind of stuff. A step towards Costco instead of a step towards Walmart. Yeah right.
never happen but would like kroger to NOT be open til 12noon on sunday allowing alot more of us to go to church i know we would still have people to be setup by noon but "if" stores could have STRONG closes on sat nights would be easier
I would like to see recognition for those who are there to work and those who are there just to get paid. It seems like those who are on their phones the entire time they are working and those who can't stay in their departments and won't work are more liked and honored than those who actually do their jobs.
If I said it once, I'll say it again. LEARN HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR ASSOCIATES!!! I know they live for a morning huddle all the damn time in my store over silly things that don't really quite pertain to much. But yet, within your own department, you don't quite know how or when to do something as no one(be they the DH, back up manager, or even senior employee) has ever mentioned how to do them not a once. Like this dating and rotation schedule of the case thing we have to update in the deli. I was told just yesterday by the DH, that if he doesn't do it, he expects us to do it. But out of the many times I've been down in the deli, even prior to getting full time over there, no one has ever mentioned that we had to fill that out or how to do it.
Or even with regard to cleaning out the tea cannisters in the cafe at the end of the night. I mean I've been told a few times to let the Uscan person on that end do it. And then all of a sudden the DH is like that it's deli's job to clean those out. Like which is it people? Either it's our job or Uscan. You can't keep flip flopping, because that is why it's not getting done. Most especially by the new people that barely act like they want to get out on the floor and condition that either in the first place.
I would also love to see a change in regards to managers actually getting on the folks case that do wander off from their departments or aren't doing anything. Instead of having other senior employees get on my or other peeps case, when the new folks are doing that. I wasn't hired to babysit and I definitely didn't get full-time to do that either. I mean what is the point of being a manager when you aren't managing your own people? Kind of passing the buck in my opinion.
I do agree with the comments about a weather policy(maybe not closing when schools do, but a sort of early release for those that are more local to the store location. And for those that live farther out. They shouldn't have to try and struggle to drive in and be allowed to call off and stay home. I mean heck, this winter alone the deli back up had to stay with an another associate in our department that was here in town. Cause she couldn't make it all the way home cause the roads were that bad. Thankfully they knew each other well enough and have a good rapport. But still).
I do semi like the opening at noon idea on Sundays as well. I mean would be great for those that go to church. However, I feel I would be even more forever scheduled to work Sundays if they ever did that. Cause I have the most flexibility in my schedule for one. And for two, for those that probably never even stepped one foot in front of church would suddenly change their availability to come in later because they suddenly go to church. So that would be a major pain in the ass.
At bakerchick, just at a glance, NO BODY reads these little mini novels people post. Nobody.
Bakerchick, pay no attention to the troll behind his/her curtain......I mean keyboard. I do read them, and I am sure lots of other people do to. I'll admit you can get a bit long-winded, but I understand exactly why you get so irritated by the nonsense that goes on at Kroger, especially in the deli and bakery areas. The deli dept is a disaster from top to bottom and from left to right, in EVERY SINGLE KROGER STORE IN THE US (if your store is an exception, tell us .....I'll listen, but I may not believe you )
Why? Because Kroger, at the corporate level, is a corrupt entity, unconcerned with treating their employees fairly and compassionately, and refusing to provide enough hours and decent pay for those having to work in those departments. Kroger is NOT abiding by their mantra "CUSTOMERS FIRST" in the deli/bakery areas (and other areas, of course) because the employees there CANNOT provide truly exceptional service when they are pressed for time, not given the proper training, resources, or adequate help to get their jobs done well. that's all there is to it, in a nutshell.
I'd like for the new assistant bakery manager position to be put in all stores but i guess you'd have to have enough associates to make it work. i could use an assistant though.
Appreciate that Kroger-Employee. And I can't say anything is all that organized at all around my store half the time. I mean they act like it is, but in all honesty, it's amazing if any of us can get anything done at times. And the deli at my store, I would say it's only slightly more "organized" than the bakery at times. As people are at least willing to show you how to do things a bit more down there. Bakery is more of a "I hope you got it, if not here's your scarlet letter for being a idiot".
See and that is just horrible, but not really a surprise. Given what has been said about various businesses over the years and throughout history. Doing what serves them best and forget the little guy.
Kroger-Employee wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
At bakerchick, just at a glance, NO BODY reads these little mini novels people post. Nobody.
Bakerchick, pay no attention to the troll behind his/her curtain......I mean keyboard. I do read them, and I am sure lots of other people do to. I'll admit you can get a bit long-winded, but I understand exactly why you get so irritated by the nonsense that goes on at Kroger, especially in the deli and bakery areas. The deli dept is a disaster from top to bottom and from left to right, in EVERY SINGLE KROGER STORE IN THE US (if your store is an exception, tell us .....I'll listen, but I may not believe you )
Why? Because Kroger, at the corporate level, is a corrupt entity, unconcerned with treating their employees fairly and compassionately, and refusing to provide enough hours and decent pay for those having to work in those departments. Kroger is NOT abiding by their mantra "CUSTOMERS FIRST" in the deli/bakery areas (and other areas, of course) because the employees there CANNOT provide truly exceptional service when they are pressed for time, not given the proper training, resources, or adequate help to get their jobs done well. that's all there is to it, in a nutshell.
I'd like for the new assistant bakery manager position to be put in all stores but i guess you'd have to have enough associates to make it work. i could use an assistant though.
I'm probably wrong, but I thought the co-managers were the assistant managers. Or is the new assistant job something else altogether?
Your contract for Columbus div. might be different, but in the new Cincy agreement, there is a "pilot program" for a new asst. bakery manager position, same as how the deli currently has an asst. deli manager position.
Co-managers are the assistant managers for the entire store. But in our division, there is a deli manager, an assistant deli manager, a bakery manager, and in the stores that have them, a cheesemaster and a lead coffee shop clerk. The assistant deli mgr/bakery mgr/Starbucks mgr will all be at the same pay rate. The asst. bakery manager, in the stores that have them, will make $16 an hour, about 2 dollars less than the manager.
Your contract for Columbus div. might be different, but in the new Cincy agreement, there is a "pilot program" for a new asst. bakery manager position, same as how the deli currently has an asst. deli manager position.
Co-managers are the assistant managers for the entire store. But in our division, there is a deli manager, an assistant deli manager, a bakery manager, and in the stores that have them, a cheesemaster and a lead coffee shop clerk. The assistant deli mgr/bakery mgr/Starbucks mgr will all be at the same pay rate. The asst. bakery manager, in the stores that have them, will make $16 an hour, about 2 dollars less than the manager.
Oooh, okay. Yea, I think things are rather different in my division. As I think I had mentioned before once, that everyone, including the DH and asst. managers, get two days off a week. Instead of I guess the usual one in most other areas. But in relation to your post, I think we have always had a bakery asst. manager as opposed to having a deli one. Which, I thought that was how things worked as nobody ever said any differently.
But once again, when we moved into the marketplace, we had 2 deli asst. managers and a bakery one. So things changed and again, no one has said this isn't out of the norm or anything. So I don't know. I do know that I hope you get an asst. manager of your own though. A really, REALLY, good one. As the more senior one in deli used to be the former bakery one. And that woman is amazing. She is beyond helpful, kind, considerate, and very understanding kind of person, to work with over even my DH at times.
Kroger should be closed Thanksgiving. Not our fault customers are too stupid to not finish their shopping ahead of time and instead wait until the night before/day of. I don't think it would hurt business that much to be closed that one day
Management should hold their leads/dept heads to a higher standard than normal associates. My lead in dairy will leave almost a whole 4 hour truck, and nobody bats an eye. I do the same, and next thing you know, I'm sitting in the manager's office with a co-manager asking me why I couldn't finish the truck even though I was busting my ass the entire time I was working. I do almost all the work, yet I'm the one who always gets singled out when something isn't right (truck not done, cleaning calendar not up to date, etc.). If I am going to be held to such a high standard, then I expect the LEAD or DEPARTMENT HEAD to be held to an even higher standard, especially if they've been with Kroger 20-30 years
Also would like to see more appreciation for those who actually try. There are those who just show up for a paycheck, as well as long time employees who feel as though they've put in their time and don't have to try as hard. And then there are those who give everything they can. If I'm giving all I can possibly give, and nobody notices or appreciates it, it makes me wonder why I'm even trying. That's the kind of thing that turns even the hardest working people into slackers. I feel if employees know that they are appreciated, the ones who really do work will be motivated to raise the bar even higher
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