How many restructurings did we have in the past five years? Was anything achieved other than reducing the number of full-timers and cutting some (in many cases essential) positions? Which only led to more work for everybody else and worsening member service? Not really sure that was the goal...
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More responsibilities to a hourly associate. Usually with out proper training. Which then causes a “damned if you do and damned if you don’t “ situation.
I've been hearing about restructurings involving store management for years now, even during schemes whereby the number of team leads in each location was being reduced. One idea that was floated out there was to the effect of having store managers who are responsible for two or more stores simultaneously but only in markets where there are several stores clustered together and in close proximity. The other possibility is a reduction in assistant managers in favor of team leads handling the majority of their current tasks, with an increase in pay. Whatever way it works out, they're at a point now where there's not much left that they can reasonably cut in terms of hourly associates. That doesn't mean they won't, it just seems inconceivable that they can trim much more off and still be able to function at a base level that the company figures would be acceptable. But then that's just my thinking. I view things from the eyes of an associate on the ground, like most of the people I suspect come here to voice their displeasure with what this company does. I understand trimming payroll is a constant exercise they engage in and it's part of the business in the current age. I've been watching them make an artform out of it for the last 12+ years. The goal has never been to actually improve how the store operates. It's all about taking all the functions and spreading them across a smaller group of people and expecting the same results. The tasks that can be outsourced, will be. Whatever is left is thrown into processes that flaunt the company's, "bend don't break", style of management, which constantly increases the level of pressure placed on all of us who still draw a paycheck. Walmart is far from being alone in this pursuit.
Take this massive reset they unveiled early this year, for instance. The idea they sold us was that they were streamlining the entire process to make it easier to get the stores ready each day, knowing they had fewer people doing it with less time than they had available when there was a night crew. Fine. Now that other shoe has dropped, they're undoing that system (at least in the market I'm in) and adding back in many of the time consuming tasks that they eliminated, all while not increasing the number of people or changing the store hours to give us more time. Again, we go back to what I've been saying for years: The people dictating how the stores operate probably have little to no experience actually working in them. Their decision making indicates a complete lack of understanding in how responsibilities can be reasonably distributed among fewer and fewer people without having such staggering negative impacts on the overall operational performance across the board. It's also possible that they know but don't really care.
In the end we're expected to keep our mouths shut, do our job, and thank heaven above that this company is nice enough to continue to employ us.
Nice.
@gux+17y6g135 - You are absolutely right. If they get rid of some of the store managers, it would go a long way to improve the stores.
In spite of the rhetoric the company wants to try and dupe everyone with, restructuring in this company is all about reducing payroll, not improving store processes and performance.
Sam's Club: 599 U.S. stores run by 11 people who have never worked in one, but love finding ways to f— with the 40,000 of us who do.
Totally agree, I am a merchandise assistant that works every day I am thereto help my team get things done . Im not a manager that sits in office or walks around on my phone . I help merchandise and push items out to sell every day. I been with Sams for almost 29 years and am very dedicated. But from what I hear that don't matter . They will cut you loose like your no one. Very sad and disappointing.
Do more.
Do more.
DO MORE!!!
Oh, and by the way, we're not going to pay you any more.
Welcome to Sam's Club!
Happy to Help!
Do more with less.