Thread regarding Sears layoffs

I agree with the comment below, no way would I want the DM job. This micro management is horrible, we have to send text, pictures of everything, metric posts, its crazy. With all that being done why do we still have the high paid SGM in the building they do nothing but sit in the office and do what ??????

if we as ASM are sending pics of the store displays and text of metrics sears could save a boat load of money dumping that position, they don't handle customer complaints nor carry the phone.

Be careful what you wish for. Companies generally get rid of the people under the manager before getting rid of the manger himself. That said I'm sure every DM is sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for information about store closings just as you do. As someone said below, DMs and other corporate management positions are probably just as stressed as you guys are. Those unreasonable demands trickled down from the top. The DM has metrics just as you do except there's are much larger and they don't actually have direct control over them.

I can't imagine how I'd feel if my job depended on reaching metrics that I didn't even have direct control of. Yeah they get paid quite a bit but I bet the day to day stress of thinking about stuff like that is unimaginable. Nope. No thanks. Especially when i think about the type of people I used to work with before I quit? Nope nope nope...keep the money I'll pass.

This whole micromanaging thing is probably a last ditch effort before EVERYONE loses their jobs. Hopefully that doesn't happen of course, but it's obviously headed that direction unless things change drastically.

Wow cali 10 dollars a hour but at sears isn't that bad yet but we do have managers that do sit in off ice all day on there phones and eat and be on there phones all day along with manager

@qkl Thats just disgusting look at that exploitation to the max Sears/Kmart is just a sour place to work. In my store I think right now its in a situation where its so hard to hire someone else and train them well ASM's are scared of firing any veterans. In my department we got rid of our lead she was a strict lead, but good lead she got disposed I am basically in charge because I know all the procedures and know how to run the department efficiently. I am basically running the show in my department I am doing it my way and doing what I think is right with the cut of hours. Now I have delt with my manager rarely (would rarely deal with her one on one since my lead was the one that would deal with her) and I feel she kind of fears me since if I leave the store department would go to the crapper. I think some of us know we are in situations where we basically are to precious to go because no one can go to Sears and learn well since its so limited and hard to adapt hours to limited to even learn everything well.

South Carolina is still at $7.25hr

@ipck not sure what the federal minimum is but my state has a minimum wage at $8.10 per hour. Each state can set their own minimum wage as long as it is higher than the federal rate.

@qkl Strongly disagree. At my store they are always looking to cut hours and unload people. I watched a cashier get fired because she didn't ask a customer 3x if they wanted to open up a credit card. She asked the customer 1 time if they would like a credit card. The customer said NO and she rang up there order and sent them on their way. The operations manager fired her for not having metrics due to not following procedure by asking the customer 3 times.

Sears does not want to pay unemployment, they would rather push people to quit, especially leads and manager who earn more and have full time hours.

Oh, I have two jobs in case anyone cares. I work at a Big lots making $8.50hr and a Ross/DD's Discounts store making $9.25

I am a former Kmart/SHC employee I left in January 2014 when my store closed.

Have they finally raised the starting wage to $8.00hr or is still the pathetic federal minimum wage of $7.25hr.

What is the actual starting wage? $7.25 or $8.00hr?

I am just wondering.

qsh- That is just tin foil hat stuff. Now I do agree that you document everything you do on a daily basis but not for the reasons you state. Trust me, I'm in management and any warm body we can get is a good thing. It takes theft or total craziness to get fired.

Sears/Kmart pay the lowest wages in our town and the surrounding counties. We don't give hours and HR will write you up for anything. So we are taking anyone who is willing to at least show-up and try to make it work. Even with the write ups I will over ride any b.s. to fire someone just because they forgot to ask about a 5321 Credit card or a SYW sign up. Any manager who does fire someone for those things is only hurting themselves.

Word gets out in the communtiy that Sears/Kmart is a horrible place to work and no one applies. We have openings for over 30 people in our store but we pay $1.25 cents less than any other retailer within 40 miles and we only give an average of 10 hours a week work time.

On the Kmart side, aside from everything you listed, we have completely irrational DMs demanding that we have no end caps, no sidekicks, no floor displayers, no quads, and alternating between every couple weeks, fully filled overheads or no overheads at all. As you might imagine, our backroom is becoming inundated with back stock between there being nobody to put any of it out and there being literally no space to put it thanks to our effective shelf space being reduced by close to 20%.

Also, managers and DMs I realize you are under stress too (at least you have a salary) but don't take it out on your underlings who are working hard for $8 bucks an hour with no extras, not even a damned employee discount. Remember they are giving Sears what Sears is paying for, a fair days work for a fair days pay. Don't put the stress on the little guy, they don't deserve it.

These are unreasonable demands. I believe they're in place so they can fire people for under performance, or get them to quit. Undesrtand that there is no way you can accomplish what they want you to do, it is not your failure. I would recommend that you keep a journal and document how you spend your time so when its your turn to be hauled into your boss's office you can whip out a very long and detailed journal with dates and times of what you were doing. And watch his eyes bug out!

For example missed an inspection at 11:00 on Fri, Sept 1st because I was helping to ring customers due to the fact the registers were offline, AGAIN and line was long.

Freight not completely out at 2:00 on Thursday August 30th due to my 1 MCA helping a customer shop for his daughter's birthday providing him with a WOW experience. I was busy completing inspections. We will try to complete next shift.

Document hour by hour each shift, perhaps minute by minute if necessary. This documentation may become very valuable especially if there is wrongful firing and Sears not wanting to pay unemployment. An attorney will be very happy to have a detailed log book.

Same thing in our store. I'm not defending any of the Market Managers, but all these changes and metrics come from someone or some team at the corporate level. The DM's are having to file the reports you give them to their boss, who has to file the reports with their boss and on up the chain until it gets to some executive or some executive team at corporate.

Our DM is awesome and understands that most of this is b.s. but if we don't fill our metrics, push our SYW, PA's, Credit cards, Feedback and any other hairbrained idea they come up with the DM will get S**t about it. So if we are going to be mad at someone it is not the DM, Market Managers etc. It is someone or some team at corporate.

Now your DM should at least be nice and understand we all don't have the workers to do most of this stuff they want done. But as far as the changes and policies---blame corporate.

The micro managing is out of control. You are so right on. I know all the managers in my store feel the same way. The thought of going through another holiday season with all this sh-- going on makes me sick! You are right we probably spend 20 minutes of every hour gathering metrics or taking pictures and the rest of the hour badgering associates about credit. I dont know how much longer I can take this. Please one of my job interviews call me!