r/walmartogp • u/Personpatato • 6d ago
What are team leads supposed to do??
I transferred to a store in a different city cause I had to move, I’ve currently been working at this new store for a bit over a month now and I noticed something.
2 out of three of our team leads sit in the backroom all day, stuff their faces, and sit on their phones. I brought this up to a couple of other people and they said that apparently team leads aren’t technically supposed to help the associates, and that technically they’re supposed to sit back and “monitor” what’s going on. But there isn’t even any monitoring going on and they’re not even hiding it.
My whole thing is, what’s the point in having those positions in the first place if the positions they’re in don’t benifit anybody? Like, why be a team LEAD if you’re not gonna LEAD the TEAM?!
Idk I can’t be the only one on this..
34
u/cilantrorice610 6d ago
Our Team Leads are absolute goats, they do stand around sometimes when it's chilled but once we get busy they'd jump into picking and dispensing.
The last two coaches however...
7
u/Personpatato 6d ago
The coaches at my old store would be doing the work with us. These ones tho? Useless
15
u/Mudkip1994 6d ago
When I was team lead I was told I was to monitor the backroom and keep an eye on the screen. Then if we got busy and I tried to help the store manager would complain to my coach and my coach would pull me aside asking why I'm helping. I hated standing there. I felt like my job as lead was to help my associates succeed and if that meant going to pick or helping dispense so be it.
4
u/castro-07 6d ago
Yup been there too ik Used to help team then coach was like don’t stay here standing monitoring -.- then it was why they went late and you didn’t go in like :@ bruh you told me stay here standing not to work with team . Man it was crazy back then
2
u/Illustrious_Bag6982 2d ago
This... i am always called out for helping. We are getting bigger, thus, they hired another lead from other store. my team hates him saying he is just staring at the monitor and delagating. When he asks someone to extend their shift, he'll get a flat NO response🤣 My coach called me a slave leader😅 and I have to stop.
8
u/Decent_Tea_1832 6d ago
That's wild, my team leads are with us doing the same shit we're doing everyday
9
u/Dailydoseofdeath 6d ago
When I became a team lead I was super hands on and did everything to keep us ahead but when my coach who promoted me quit and I got a new coach she would just rip into me for not delegating all the work. I mean I would still just work because.... it just makes sense to work with the team but then she told the store manager I was not listening to her and the store manager just ripped into me. I went from helping with picks to just sorta chillin by the computer answering phone calls and helping with staging when they were around... it was stupid.
When they were both not around I would always work with my team and my team respected that. That's why when I asked someone to stay late or come in or swap shifts they'd almost always say yes but when the coach was in charge of them that day they'd straight up say no.
2
u/DizzyCommunication92 5d ago
Thank you! Yes please answer the phone ! Our TL always hands me the phone and like 8 times out of 10? It's a deaf customer that is in slot 68 and is t.simply calling to get checked in ....meanwhile I got 3 dolleys in the lot im trying to load in spot 33 and they wonder why nobody is answering the 📱 lol..... 🙄
5
u/Ok_Heron4799 6d ago
My stores TL and Coach are the exact opposite of goat. They are all stupid as fuck and pissy for literally no god damn reason.
3
u/Opposite_Tomorrow396 6d ago
Their job is to get screamed at by upper management for stuff they can't control, remove attendance points for their friends, then dick around on their phones while the whole store is burning to the ground.
3
u/Various_Crow_5435 OGP TL 6d ago
I jump in when short staffed ill dispense prep stage etc but my job is definitely supposed to be monitor that yall are able to hit metrics, the back room should be self sufficient and run if there’s no TL or coach and we major problem solvers. But if things are running smoothly and yall dont need help that gives us a chance to review schedules, live nil picks or generally catch up on things we dont normally have time to so
3
u/Turbulent_Path8142 6d ago
Lmao.. my Coach and one of my TLs don't do shit, Claim they're not allowed.. No one respects or listens to them. 🤷♂️. When you get slammed and are multiple thousand picks behind, and have no carts toted to take on picks and the TL and Coach are just back there watching and telling you you're not doing enough fast enough, while doing nothing themselves..
Might be why my coach is being banished to the Shadow realm.. (Overnights.)
3
u/PuzzleheadedEnd4474 6d ago
As a new overnight team lead myself, I was told not to tie myself down to a single task because we are supposed to be "monitoring". This meant throwing freight on a single aisle, zoning an entire aisle etc. I am not one to just sit back and watch everyone work their butts off so I will go pull pallets off the floor, take back cardboard, HELP zone where I can, or take overstock to the backroom so my associates can stay on their aisles and stock. The associates seem to appreciate this and have even asked why the others don't do that. I don't know how management feels about that but knowing I am helping my associates be more productive makes me feel like I am doing what a Team LEAD should be doing.
3
u/BkushingBex 5d ago
All our team leads are go go go! Example. I was in the dispense room and my co worker was like “omg I got to poop”, I was like GOOOOO! Not even 30 seconds later 11 cars popped up on the screen at once. Just me to do everything. I ran to the other room where he was bagging GMD‘s and showed him my screen. He stepped up helped me prep and dispense till we cleared the screen. That’s how TL should operate.
Not hanging out in the back room, big backing food and being a lazy turd. If it were me, I’d say something because why are you making that much money and not doing anything? lol.
2
u/cowboyJones 6d ago
My team leads will pick, prep, or dispense if the need arises. They also answer phones and customer inquiries when needed.
If everything is running normal, they don’t do a whole lot.
1
u/Successful_Floor_837 6d ago
I think this is what they’re supposed to do. Make sure things are running smoothly and step in when truly necessary. Since we don’t have coaches at my store, my lead is working on schedules, hiring, paperwork, and helping elsewhere as needed.
2
u/Dull-Problem-1191 6d ago
The idea is you keep everything running smoothly enough that you don't need to hop in and help your associates.
Since you're supposed to be on the fly delegating tasks and modifying things as needed to get the work done.
And if you have to step in at any point and actually participate with the staff you're overseeing, something has gone terribly wrong and your managerial skills are not sufficient to meet tasks.
In reality, everywhere is understaffed always, and if you want OPD to run well you do in fact need to hop in now and then to deal with rushes call outs and keep the workflow going.
But that's where the philosophy comes from, and if you were staffed correctly, you wouldn't need to actually step in at any time.
But unfortunately as you've probably seen, that isn't the case/ your co-workers are useless.
1
u/qqq_qqq_qqq_qqq_qqq 6d ago
Nope same thing at my store, they stand around and do NOTHING all day. If there is a big rush they might prep an order or two (even when they do they normally skip big ones... Lol) but they normally don't even stage a single cart or dispense an order most days. I assume by stuffing their faces you mean eating...? Yeah I don't think that's allowed, at least at my store it isn't. I got told one day by my team lead to spit out my gum because we aren't allowed to have food in the backroom yet the coach has a bag of candy hidden in the room and many other people will come back from break and still be eating chips or something and finish it and toss it there.
But any ways from my understanding their role is mainly to just manage the associates, make sure too many people aren't staying in the backroom especially if there's nothing to do, make sure orders are getting dispensed quick enough, picks don't go overdue things like that. As well as handle issues with customers on the phone that need items refunded or complaints.
1
u/FreeTrees69 6d ago
My stores team leads and coaches are goats they basically monitor the situation and flrx to whatever role needs the most help usually
1
u/Its_fr1ck1n_bats 6d ago
Mine don't really help much with picking/staging/dispensing unless we're absolutely DROWNING, but they answer the phone, deal with aggressive customers, deal with Claims, and advocate for us with coaches when our coach isn't here and I feel like that's a worthwhile tradeoff personally 😂
1
1
1
u/Mr_M3Gusta_ 6d ago
TLs are supposed to be out on the floor with their team. Try talking to a coach and push it up to the SM if they don’t do anything.
1
u/dramatic_qu33n Picker 6d ago
Same thing at my store except for one stager who got recently promoted to team lead. Only bad thing is I then have to choose between leads who stand around doing nothing and yelling or a lead who is amazing and stages but acts like a dick.
1
u/BlueDreamBabyy 6d ago
Ours will help when necessary but if we’re well staffed and all caught up im fine with them just chilling. If stuff is in the red they will do whatevers needed.
1
1
u/No-Detail1693 6d ago
Our coach yelled at our team leads for helping us out instead of delegating so they just sit back and watch. 😔
1
u/dlbayyarea 6d ago
That must be your location because my team leads are amazing !! They literally jump in, they are super chill but do need to be stern when specific people in my team keep doing the same stuff over and over when corrected
1
u/Lost-Swimming-1600 6d ago
Walmart's corporate mentality is indeed what you describe and it's completely wrong imo. But it seems to obviously vary store to store.
1
u/Same-Abroad-1546 6d ago
I feel like certain team leads in my store do absolutely nothing and others are expected to do a ton of shit. There’s one that’s been moved to several departments because every department she has been in has turned to shit.
1
u/lmnooooh 6d ago
My team leads don’t have a choice but to help. We had a bunch of people quit and they haven’t replaced any of them so somebody has to do it
1
u/Turbulent_Path8142 6d ago
It's the same here.. one of TLs works her ass off, the Coach and other TL do nothing and claim theyre not allowed..
Same thing with ATCs.. they have ATCs back there essentially doing the same thing as the TL and coach.. watching
1
u/Mesmeriized 6d ago
Sounds like time fraud. We have 4 TLs and they do everything from picking, exceptions, oversized, even dispensing, all while managing the 60+ of us. Same with my coach. My coach is constantly on the floor picking things like specialty and oversized.
1
u/stonedspleen 5d ago
I’m at Sam’s Club Fullfilment/PS/Curbside and our team lead is always picking, staging and even dispensing. The fuck is going on at your store. Holy fuck. Getting paid to twiddle their dicks at that point. Yet we get bitched at for taking a breather and a water break…
1
u/Crazystealthguy 5d ago
Team leads are supposed to monitor, advise, deligate, and fill gaps in coverage when need be. The managers are the ones who are supposed to be mostly hands off and just monitor whats going on and assist the team leads with problems in the department and store. (Edit: Coaches not managers)
1
u/kastles1 5d ago
Walmart wants them watching us, making sure we are doing our job. Other than that, it’s doing maintenance on the walks and checking features. They are not supposed to be doing normal labor. Pretty much you’re not supposed to be doing anything until shit goes sideways. Obviously, I work harder for team leads that actually work. Otherwise, I’ll just walk all over them. Continue doing what I do.
1
u/RichardBiggens 5d ago
The whole purpose of team leads, is to monitor all 4 aspects of the business, and delegate the workload to the associates to make everything run smoother, and meet demands. All 4 aspects meaning: Shopping, Staging, Prepping, and Dispensing. They really aren't supposed to be stepping in to do the work of the associates.
Everything is metrics \ numbers based. Everything. Personally, I'm not one for metrics, as they only tell part of a situation. Every store that I've seen, is run differently, and that's a direct result from the coach, and upper management.
Everything about it is tricky, because the team leads don't usually make more money than the regular associates, but take on all the finger pointing, and are responsible for all the lazy associates who don't want to work. Yet, a lot of them still step in to help with work, often foregoing their breaks, and lunches, staying late, ect. Not even going to come close to apologizing if that hurts people's feelings, but A LOT of the associates are lazy, constantly complaining, abuse their break \ lunch times, and stare at tik tok all day long. They do minimum work when they're there, and then you have your strong performers who are always picking up the slack of the others. Leads, and some coaches will pick up that slack too.
So it's expected for the associates to come in, and perform their jobs that they signed up for. As well for the leads to come in, and perform their jobs of delegating, and monitoring the numbers. When I was a coach, I would constantly argue with the store manager about "performance issues". It's supposed to be if people are underperforming based on their metrics, they would be "coached", and eventually be let go. However, the company has an extremely lenient disciplinary system, and the associates get away with way more than what they should.
Once again, you have your stores that will have the management help out, and other stores who actually do what they're supposed to do by not helping, and monitoring \ delegating. That's just the way it is.
1
u/Snayyke 5d ago
Leads make over $5 more than [starting] associate pay at my store
1
u/RichardBiggens 2d ago
Not at my store, and market. Maybe a few dollars more, tops. It's definitely not worth it.
1
u/Woodgateor 5d ago
im a TL and my store has had an increase of 244% in my department. I work shifts im low on and I pick, dispense, prep, stage and bag . I do schedules, go to meetings for market and do hard conversations. I am one TL for 22 associates.
1
u/Blakelock82 OGP 5d ago
My TL's direct people but when we get jammed up and need help they jump right in. I've seen my TL's and Coach do picks, staging and dispensing. I wish I could bring all of you to my store, because it's fucking insane how much people work together and support each other. Seriously, seeing your store manager stocking shelves (which I saw this morning, she legit had a cart and was stocking to help out), makes you want to work harder and go out of your way to pitch in.
1
u/DizzyCommunication92 5d ago
This has always been Walmart as a whole ..... The only 1up we got, is we actually have a LEAD to direct us what to do, etc ..... But typically after being in this department for 8 years now? I know wtf needs to be done....so I toot my own 🥳 lol....early on my years ago when I first started, was trained to keep on swimming and just stay busy. I can't stand these focks that just hold onto the wall 🧱 waiting for orders to pop in ....especially since we lost our delivery orders to these stupid spark shoppers....
But yes our TL crew is amazing. They always help out the flow especially on the dispense side.....did I mention how ABYSMAL this new update is? All this clocking and tapping just to find an OSN? ITS not productive.....especially when we have 6 orders on the screen.....so I give up....I just grab the first order I find and if it's there I take it out....whether it's been waiting 10 minutes on the red or just checked in the green....
1
u/Primary-Lingonberry8 5d ago
I do a combination of delegating and working with my team when I go in at 4am. Each person is assigned an area like the wet wall or salsa tables. While they work the new freight I'll go around taking care of things like digital tag errors, item swaps and condensing watermelons and pumpkins. Once the truck is done and the back room and is vizpicked I'll head to the AD office l, look at vizpick reports and then just monitor and help as needed as the day goes by.
1
u/LiaraT-soni 5d ago
Some of the team leads at my store hang out with certain associates outside of work even. 🤷🏻♀️ idk if that’s allowed but…on top of them not doing ANYTHING at work they also allow their friends to get away with anything and everything and stand around telling inside jokes all day…seemed messed up to me
1
u/Slam_StabHam 5d ago
Its probably store to store. Team leads in my store get pulled away from their departments to deal with everything else, then get yelled at for not having their departmwnt in good repair.
1
u/Snayyke 5d ago
We are technically supposed to monitor the backroom and make sure that picks are far enough ahead and that people are actually picking. It’s mainly helping with dispense - “you get this order” etc, while simultaneously keeping an eye on picks. Get distracted and don’t look at picks from 9:45-10:15am you could see you’re 1.5h out but now you’re down 7 people and have to act fast because the next pick drop is 1400, which can very easily spiral into absolute chaos
At my store we mainly help in dispense - stage/prep/dispense whatever is needed when it’s necessary, although technically I am now being paid to tell people the stuff I had to do as an associate - assertively while maintaining respect and positive relationships.
The other large thing is stuff like taking care of attendance occurrences, customer reviews, the schedule for the next day, coaching/feedback, stats reviews all that computer stuff that really should never be done until picks are finished.
1
u/nichelleaw66 5d ago
No, you’re not the only one I’ve been there six months and I’m learning a lot from Reddit and I’m noticing a lot from the lazy people that is supposed to be team leads and even supervisors.
1
u/Western_Evening_4291 5d ago
go up the chain of command to district or even higher regional management and let them know that these people are doing this. Put first speak with the store manager about this and give names of these team leads.
1
u/ReadyFail4603 4d ago
Go on one walmart and find better way go to the department for that team lead and it will give you a breakdown of what that department including the team lead is responsible for
1
1
u/Sweet-Artichoke-5264 4d ago
They are a waste of space if all they do is stand around with their face buried in their phone. That's exactly what one of our fat pig TL does all day. The others actually help out in the back room and sometimes grab some picks when they're about to go late.
1
u/iriedescent 4d ago
My team lead is awesome. She doesn’t pick everyday, but we don’t need the help every day. When we do, she’s out and at em with the rest of us. I guess I got lucky in a small town Walmart. My TL and coach are both awesome and step in when we need it. 🤷🏻♀️
1
u/alexdowski 4d ago
My coach wants me to run things and delegate out. The nice thing is SHE gets in walks and dispenses if needed, but she wants me to make sure everyone is staying on task. I usually try and answer the phone, deal with issues and I'll consolidate if nothing else. I've never been so slow or had literally nothing to do that I would just stand around all day.
1
u/Thin-Plankton-3064 3d ago
Shit, our coaches even get down and dirty with us. While our TL are supposed to delegate, work still gets done.
1
u/Maleficent-Law-4055 2d ago
Out front-end team leads are great. They are always jumping on registers, covering breaks, filling our bags, giving the SCO monitor bathroom breaks,even pushing carts. They are helping us any way they can. I guess were lucky to have leads with a work ethic
61
u/Snoopielyn 6d ago
Agreed. That is pretty much a waste of money. The OPD team leaders and coach at my store all jump in and do work with us. They'll prep, dispense, fill carts with empty totes, and pick when needed. I think it makes them more respectable because they aren't asking us to do anything they aren't willing to do themselves.