So... yeah, it seems the store I'm at fails at Key Retailing and corporate isn't very happy even though I've heard from certain people in management that our store is the second busiest in the district with numbers that are getting better year after year. Management and the department heads got torn into today and guess who they took it out on? The employees, of course. You know, the ones that are already doing twice and sometimes times three times the amount of work supposedly required because management is too stingy with the hours. Naturally, it's our fault for not working hard enough. If only each one of us had done the work of four for (in most cases) less than eight dollars an hour, the store would have passed with flying colors.
I know of one hard-working guy in produce that was always friendly to the customers and helped out in the other departments when asked by management that was written up for something silly today and then was yelled at by the store manager - which apparently turned out to be the final straw because he told the store manager something I can't repeat here before quitting on the spot.
Others I know of got written up not because they're lazy, but because they most of the time don't have the time to do their jobs because they're always being told to do something else (help here, do that, then do this...) by a supervisor or a manager and because stuff wasn't up to the rock-solid standards of Key Retailing, they got written up. Management blames them when management created the situation in the first place and they get written up because they were only doing what they were told to do. That makes... so much sense. It makes even more sense to use write ups on people that work while those that slack off get no write ups. That's Kroger corporate logic for you. It's such a sophisticated way of thinking that you'd have to be a fat cat corporate big-wig to comprehend.
My CSM did me a "favor" by not writing me up - or so it was implied. Fine. The next time I'm asked to do something that's not part of my job, don't expect me to stop and help - I'll just go about the work I'm responsible for so that the next time we're checked for Key Retailing, I will have returned the favor because stuff will be done. The customers will be unhappy with the long wait time because I and others aren't checking and the customers will be unhappy because they'll have to bag their own groceries because I and others won't be bagging and the customers will be unhappy because there aren't any shopping carts available because I and others won't be getting carts off the lot and the customer receipt tracker can go lower than the 50% it's sitting at now, but by golly, we'll pass the next Key Retailing check with flying colors because we will have been doing our jobs and clearly Key Retailing is more important than customer satisfaction.
Right?
Right. I think we all got it now, corporate. Thanks for enlightening us all today. Too bad it was all wasted on a bunch of us that will be quitting in the next few months.
You're not in District 10 are you? My store manager got written up for Key Retailing today because produce failed. We're suffering real bad because of Key Retailing.
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My Views and Opinions do not reflect that of the Kroger company. I'm an indivdual expressing my 1st amendment right.
You're not in District 10 are you? My store manager got written up for Key Retailing today because produce failed. We're suffering real bad because of Key Retailing.
Not sure of the district number off the top of my head. I know we're part of the Southwest Division.
As for who cares if a store fails Key Retailing... well, those in corporate do. To say Key Retailing is a top priority would be a vast understatement.
I'll tell u who cares... the upper mgmt of ur division and their bosses at G.O. This Key Retailing, Elms, etc. are not just suggested guidelines- they are strict mandates to be accomplished on a daily basis! And if several higher paid store managers get axed for non-compliance then all the better for store costs/company profit because the entry level mgrs make about half what a long term high bonus mgr does. This Key Retailing wasn't just some seat of the pants overnight scheme it was a brainchild of several years planning as the company strives to be more and more efficient, have lower wage cost, and fewer full-time top-rate employees that require the expensive full-time benefits.
So in response to ur statement on good store profit increase- that is just one of many top priorities that the General Office demands nowadays. A store can be super clean, well- stocked, great on Elms, great on hours and overtime, and get high marks on customer service but fail on Key Retailing and before long u'll see mgmt demoted or fired along with any stubborn employees that won't follow the plan. I'm sure u've heard the ol" saying "**** runs Downhill!" - well u'll never see a better example of this than the harsh side effects from poor Key retailing scores. Kind of ironic since over the past few years the company has been so big on No Red!_ OnlyGreen mgmt and good associate surveys, cultural council, etc.- all designed to make kinder, gentler managers and dept. heads and now this evil Key Retailing comes along and turns what used to be even tempered, friendly, and caring bosses into short tempered, stressed out, hateful people that are constantly badgered and probably alsoactually threatened on losing their job on a regular basis. My advice: stay in the union, stay as a clerk, and put ur head down and do the best u can and refuse to become part of this corporate greed-driven drama. If you lose your job so your boss can keep theirs then so be it- mediocre paying retail jobs with little to no insurance benefits are a dime a dozen- u'll find another one easily.
The key retail people in our district have it made.They are either too old or fat to stand on their feet and be a real employee anymore so they took these jobs. If you question anything or how it has been tested..you get corporate bs answer..nice job security..we set everything up to look like we are doing all their stuff..then the minute they leave, back to the ways that work. 100% every time.
Saying you want to be efficient, and ACTUALLY being efficient are two different things. Seriously, how many stores are REALLY that efficient? More like an "efficiency deficiency"! It seems like everyone is dealing with the same issues here.
When in doubt, I always go back to one of the smartest people who ever lived...Albert Einstein...who said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". If that ain't the truth, I don't know what is...
