Since February our DM and the head of AP has been to our store once a week. They have really pushing to get everything out the stockroom to the floor. Everyday the DM wants picture of the stockroom. I'm to the point where I feel like their either closing our store or really trying to push this simple store process. Odd thing is our store manager has been giving out hours like running water. Can someone help me understand ?? I feel like the band on the Titanic as the ship goes down.
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They could also be trying to get absolutely anything and everything out so the customers can see that A: you still have products and B: it's in stock and available to purchase.
Also, those DMs etc aren't stupid. They may play dumb but they aren't. It's just easier to go through the motions and get the job done than fighting the uphill battle to go against the grain and potentially lose their job because they don't get results.
Trying to go against the grain because you think it's a better solution isn't worth the probability of it not working due to reasons out of your control. And if it doesn't work you can kiss that 6 figure salary goodbye in a heartbeat. At least if you do what you're told there's a much greater chance you'll keep your job longer, especially if you can show how throughly you're following through with the plan.
Asking a manager what is going on is great but only if they have not been told to keep whats going on secret. The associates will be the last to ne told.
I have no idea what store you are in, but from an outside perspective and yet still an associate, it sounds like your DM is doing their best to keep your store open. Why not simply ask your Store Manager straight forward....what's up? It sounds like they are putting the best foot forward to try to ensure your store stays open.
Whenever there are difficult times, as you know, everyone acts differently.
If I were in the stores right now, I would ask for honest and open feedback. It is very hard when asked directly about something to not be honest. And if someone isn't being honest, trust your gut feeling as you will know.
Amen!
It really is a bit baffling. I can't imagine people relatively intelligent enough to get into a DM position can actually be as foolish as their behavior implies. There may be exceptions, of course. Given this belief, very few of them probably buy any of what the company is feeding them. Like us, they are likely in a rush to try and find an exit strategy, but as bad as the retail job market is for we low-level folk, it's probably much worse for middle managers. They know exactly the level of crap they put us through, so they'll be damned if they have to subject themselves to working at the bottom again.
No, for the moment they are just running around madly, trying to do anything to justify their own jobs for as long as possible. If they make everyone else's jobs a living nightmare in the process, so be it. Tying up busy managers/key-carriers on conference calls for an hour or more every day. Requiring them to waste time every few hours to send photos/checklists. Demanding asinine and unrealistic metrics. Whining about why things aren't getting done while simultaneously insisting on continual payroll cuts. It goes on and on.