Newbie here..5 weeks in and have had several associates tell me to "run" now! Nope, I'm a hard ass and won't budge. However, I am beginning to understand the politics. What I do not understand is how can a manager not be able to spell "manager?" LOL. I have come across so many unhappy people. Find it funnier still, that there are so many chiefs and too many Indians. I am beginning to wonder if managers even speak to each other. They all have their own separate rules. WTF?
Next: Are there any Kroger holidays? Store closed? Now that the mininum wage has changed in many states, will it affect us low life's? Also, to all veterans, try not to be so condescending, it looks bad on you! I may be relatively new, but I'm not stupid. I can read.
They can't spell "Attendant" either....drives me insane. Most haven't even been to community college, so don't expect any Einsteins running the store. You're right - entirely too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
They're probably telling you to run cuz otherwise you'll be there for the rest of your life, and as you've observed, most people who have Gone Career at Kroger, as it were, are not very happy in general. Do you want to have bosses the rest of your life, most of whom can't spell simple words in English?
The only day of the year that the store is closed is Christmas.
Enjoy that while it lasts, i'm sure there's a lot of customers who complain that we aren't open then.
I can see it happening at some point. I always close on Christmas Eve and often have the responsibility of standing at the entrance/exit when we're approaching closing time (same thing on Thanksgiving/New Year's Eve). One of the most common questions I'm asked by customers that are leaving as well as those that want to come in but I have to turn away once closing time hits is, "what time are you opening tomorrow?" and some customers actually get visibly annoyed when I tell them, "we're closed, tomorrow," just as I get some customers who express anger when I tell them that the store is closed when they try and show up like two minutes before closing. I only do what I'm told to do by management and once management tells me, "that's it... no more customers," then sorry, the store is officially closed.
Now there are customers that will say, "it's good you're closed on Christmas," and others that are understanding when I tell them that I'm sorry, but the store is closed if they try and come in right at or a little before/after closing time on Christmas Eve, Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. However, I do believe corporate has and will continue to study the numbers in order to determine whether it's profitable to open on Christmas Day/continue to close early on the aforementioned three days, because if corporate feels there's enough money to be made to justify the costs, I can see Kroger being open regular hours all days out of the year in the future. Part of it is due to people wanting to shop regardless of whether it's a holiday or not. Look at the trend: more and more businesses are opening on holidays and staying open later on holidays now, especially in the restaurant and retail industries. These businesses know there's money to be made.
I think a lot of people understand, too, that holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't quite what they used to be in America. Not as many families spend the holidays together, the original meaning of these holidays has slipped the minds of a growing percentage of people and people are looking for things to do on these holidays since they're off, like go to the movies, out to eat, shop... and companies like Kroger watch these types of trends very carefully in order to capitalize on them.
-- Edited by GenesisOne on Tuesday 2nd of September 2014 01:29:14 PM
Also, to all veterans, try not to be so condescending, it looks bad on you! I may be relatively new, but I'm not stupid. I can read.
I don't think it is all condescending. They have to start out as if you do not know anything. Some people come in there knowing less than anything! I think it is some OCD. I do my tasks a certain way every night. When someone does a half assed job one night, it makes more work for me to fix it later. The job goes so much smoother when everyone is working similar.
They see so many new people come and go that they don't want to waste too much time training them. And, they have seen the eye rolls and "I don't need anyone telling me what or how to do anything" or "for minimum wage, I ain't going to work too hard".
We had two people quit and another just got hired. He's in for a shock next week. Except, I am not going to correct anything he does. I might twitch and I might have tremors:) They have someone on days training him for a week, then he is going to get sent to nights. They trainor on days has no idea what he is doing! Should be good....
The various managers are not all on the same page and it's endlessly frustrating. Sometimes the same manager is on different pages for different days. First day: I want the go backs done! No excuses! Next day, while go backs are being done: I need them to stand around and wait for customers who aren't in the store but still look busy. WTF??
In my area Kroger has been open on Christmas for the past few years. Last year Cosco made a big deal about being closed on Christmas and got a huge positive response in the media so Kroger followed suit. Thankfully. Don't know what will happen this year.
The only day that Kroger is closed is Christmas Day.
But with halloween decorations being up as early as the last week of august, then it won't be long until the store opens 365 days/year.
The stores close early on: New Years' Eve, day before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve.
You know what we just put out today? Christmas themed western union signage. I did a double take.
I haven't seen it from ours yet, but I know we have had a Halloween display up since Saturday. Lots of candy for sale, zombie make-up, a couple of cheap costumes for kids and adults. That sort of thing.
In my area Kroger has been open on Christmas for the past few years. Last year Cosco made a big deal about being closed on Christmas and got a huge positive response in the media so Kroger followed suit. Thankfully. Don't know what will happen this year.
Most, if not all major stores in my area have been closed during Christmas ever since I moved here back in '04. Even freakin' Walmart is closed.
I was hoping my degree would help me climb the corporate ladder..in 20+ years or so..anyway I will keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open, I have a kid that likes to eat. I work with mainly single moms and widows. So far the only people that speak well of the place seems to be the new "managers." Young, entitled, corporate elitists that still live at home with mom.
Hey, if they show me the respect I deserve, whatever their background or age, I'm good with it, otherwise they can meet me in the parking lot after hours. You do not poke an old bear too many times..very dangerous indeed.
In my area Kroger has been open on Christmas for the past few years. Last year Cosco made a big deal about being closed on Christmas and got a huge positive response in the media so Kroger followed suit. Thankfully. Don't know what will happen this year.
Most, if not all major stores in my area have been closed during Christmas ever since I moved here back in '04. Even freakin' Walmart is closed.
Walmart is closed on Christmas here too (their only redeeming quality) but Kroger is so desperate to beat Walmart that they figured being open on Christmas would help them line their pockets. Thank goodness for public shaming.
