7 Things Working at Target Taught Me About Being a Better Human Being

They say "how you do anything is how you do everything."

The principle that your approach to small tasks reflects your overall character, work ethic, and attitude toward life is actually pretty sound in my book.

My time working in retail at Target gave me a closer, in-field look at a wide range of human behaviors that say a lot about a person's character.

You can't exactly extrapolate the entirety of who someone is just based on one, simple thing they did, but it can nonetheless spell you a picture of part of who they are.

Maybe you do some of these things too.

And maybe you don't know what you're telling people when you do these things.

I'm going to give you 7 things I've witnessed while working at Target with some "morals of the story" mixed in.

And by absorbing the following truths of life, you might find yourself a better human being.

#1. Put your cart back

Have you ever heard of The Shopping Cart Theory?

It's a bit extreme towards the end there. Not putting your cart away doesn't make you a savage or a villain.

But I will say that not putting your shopping cart away is a litmus test of your character.

Unless you're:

• disabled, like on crutches or in a wheelchair
• are heavily preoccupied with something else, like on the phone for something urgent or you're late for work
• caught in an emergency

there really isn't any reason why you can't put your cart away.

And it's not just a single person who doesn't put their cart away, either.

Have a look at a picture I personally captured:

The pileup people leave behind is messy, ugly, and inconsiderate.

In this particular scene, folks not putting their carts away essentially indicates that they:

• are content to leave their mess for someone else to pick up.
• aren't really concerned that they're blocking the exit, which, mind you, is a safety hazard.
• are lazy, because the properly stationed carts are not even mere feet or meters away.

You're essentially prioritizing preserving minuscule amounts of extra effort over inconveniencing others.

Conversely, putting your cart back properly shows:

• you're willing to do what's correct, even if you don't get a pat on the back for it.
• you're considerate of others.
• you clean up after yourself.

I should write a separate article about that honestly. Let's not immediately and solely credit someone's parents when someone does something right.

But yeah, long story short: put your cart back when you're done using it.

Doing the right thing doesn't always mean you're getting rewarded for it.

Do it anyway.

#2. Don't wait for someone else to be inviting.

I've seen a bunch of new faces get hired.

They're not hard to spot.

• They look and act out of place.
• They seem uncertain of where to go.
• They're generally quiet and hesitant to speak to someone first.

Most people, including managers that I've worked with, look at them, and then look the other way.

I've seen hoards of cliques gossiping and talking in the employee center while the new face walks awkwardly around them. No one in the clique acknowledges them.

They don't help or address the newcomer.

But you?

You have the opportunity to be better than that.

Here's how I approach a new face:

1. You can start with a simple "Hey, are you a new hire?" / "Hey, do you need help?"
2. Then, introduce yourself. "I'm Lucas, what's your name?"
3. Then, figure out what their agenda is. "Were you given a point of contact? Do you know who you're supposed to be meeting? What time were you scheduled to start? What department do you work in?"
4. If applicable, help them clock in. If they don't know how, teach them. They're there to get paid, just like you.
5. Help them get the equipment they need for the day, then point them in the right direction.

You don't have to be some cheery, social butterfly to do this. You just have to be decent.

Exercise some empathy.

Put yourself in their shoes. Think back to a time when you were the new face.

Did you relish not knowing anybody? Feeling out of place? Not knowing where you're supposed to go or who to talk to?

Probably not.

You don't have to become best friends with them or anything.

But you lose nothing by helping them get started.

#3. If you're going to be a leader, do a good job at it.

You probably already know this, but the world is twisted in a variety of ways.

Some people become managers and they don't deserve it.

They don't know what it means to be a leader.

They just know what it means to be a boss.

There IS a difference.

So if you're looking to be promoted and move up, take down some notes.

• A boss demands. They bark orders. A leader asks. They're level with you and talk about what needs to be addressed.
• A boss is unreasonable. They have unrealistic expectations and make you feel bad when they're inevitably not met. A leader is reasonable. They keep their expectations high, and they push you to help you achieve them.
• A boss is apathetic. They don't put themselves in your shoes. To them, you're just a pair of hands. A leader is empathetic. They see your situation and they care.

If you're a boss, you just might be the reason people hate coming in to work.

If you're a leader, you just might be the reason people show up happy.

I've dealt with bad management before. My boss barked orders, had unrealistic expectations, and demanded way too much while chilling for 30 mins. at Starbucks.

She had phony kindness and exhibited favoritism. If you weren't in her good graces, she didn't acknowledge your hard work. She didn't even greet you.

It made work more taxing than it already was.

I've heard the locker room gossip. I've seen people quit over bad management.

When you're a terrible boss, you become the subject of silent resentment.

You think you have employees, but what you really have is a crowd of people who have no loyalty to you.

If you want people to respect you and do what you ask of them, be a leader.

And being a leader or a manager is more than just a title. It's a way of being.

So do it properly.

#4. Treat your word like it actually means something.

On the subject of bad management, we have someone who didn't keep her word.

I worked in the front of the store, and it was a stressful and chaotic place. I had much favored a different department that I had experience in and wanted to transition to.

My boss asked me to stay on in her department for the busy season and once it passed, we could discuss the details of my transition.

I was led to believe that the transition would be happening once I finished helping her through the busy season.

Then, over halfway through the season, I revisited the topic with her, and she completely changed her tune.

• She gave me this annoyed tone, like it was a crime to ask her about the transition once the season was over.
• She told me she would not be approving my transition at all because apparently, she didn't think any of us were doing a good job.
• And she left me with no transition in sight, essentially a TBD on if I'd ever get what I was promised.

Her tone alone was completely uncalled for, but to go back on her word was a separate sin entirely.

If you want to be a good human being, say what you mean and mean what you say.

Making false promises is one of the fastest ways to get people to resent you, lose respect for you, and to never trust you.

Conversely, making and keeping promises gets people to like you, respect you, and trust you.

Keeping promises shows good character and reliability. Anyone who values healthy relationships values those qualities.

In a world of people who lie, cheat, deceive, and break promises, be the breath of fresh air who doesn't.

#5. Do your job well, because your coworkers depend on it.

Part of my job was to retrieve guest orders for order pickups and drive-ups.

We'd locate their orders by going to specific Waco ("Without A Case Organizer") boxes, marked with distinct locations. That's how we'd know where to get their orders.

It's like being told that their order is in Box A, so you go to Box A to get it.

But in my case, sometimes, the order was not in Box A.

Or, the order was in Box A, but the bag was ripped, so when I took the order out of the Waco, it spilled all over the floor.

Or, the order was in Box A, but some items were crushed, ripped, or damaged.

These mishaps were generally the fault of another department whose responsibility was to prep and retrieve the items from the sales floor or the backroom.

But us at the front of the store had to suffer the consequences.

It was us at the end of the day who had to explain to the guest that their order was missing or damaged, so now we need extra time to find replacements.

And guess what?

We were the ones who took the heat. Not the other department.

So, when you're working in an environment with other people, which is basically most jobs, do your part and do it properly.

You not pulling your weight means extra strain on your coworkers.

Which, in turn, builds friction, resentment, and unpleasant guest and client experiences.

Prevention is better than cure. Don't create the problem and then leave it to someone else to fix it.

Just, don't create it.

#6. Be patient and understanding. It's not the end of the world.

On a few rare occasions, I had the "pleasure" of witnessing guests blow up at our Starbucks baristas.

On one such occasion, a barista was working by herself. The other barista went on break.

But she got backed up by a large order by a big family, and the guest who ordered after them blew up.

The guest was upset that the barista was taking so long, without taking into account that she was by herself working on a giant order.

As I walked by the area, the guest pulled me aside and demanded that she get her drink for free as compensation.

It wasn't my call to make, but sadly, management gave her the free drink.

Here's the news flash about being human: we get breaks at work.

Naturally, there are going to be times where we get backed up because of that, especially if we're working solo at a Starbucks.

And if you see someone working by themselves and they get backed up, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together and be understanding of that situation.

Don't get me wrong: if you genuinely think service at an establishment is bad, I'm all for voicing that criticism. I've done it before myself.

But you don't lose anything by taking a deep breath and by being a little more patient for your coffee order.

The customer isn't always right. Your barista might be on the clock, but that doesn't mean you can scream at them. You're not "immune" because you're a customer.

Just be patient and understanding.

#7. Take your time off work. Live a little.

I'm about to throw a little shade, but I'm speaking from my lived experience and from the experiences of many others. This may vary by store and management, but this was consistent in our experiences.

Target demonizes calling out of work.

In my personal experience, more so than any other company I've ever worked for.

It almost feels like you calling out sick is the same to them as hitting someone with your car.

And the only time you can call out sick is when you're dying and on your deathbed, but even then, they might have a problem with that.

With any other reasonable employer I've worked for, if I had to call out sick, they'd tell me to get better and ask when I'd be ready to come back in.

With Target, if I called out sick, I was guilt-tripped, interrogated, and "talked to."

It might not be a company-specific kind of culture, but it's been my experience, and many others from many other stores have said the same thing.

Just look at the Target subreddit.

And yet, any company I've looked upon favorably has always to some degree championed the idea of time off.

Obviously, you have a job so you're gonna work, but they don't expect you to be their slave.

And if and when you take time off work, they won't make you feel bad about it.

My advice to you?

Take the time off work when you need it.

This isn't an excuse to neglect your duties, to be lazy, or to lose your work ethic,.

But work is a mere slice of life.

Things happen. You get sick. You need a day off. You need time to yourself. You wanna go see the world.

You have a right to do that, as a human being.

You only have one life to live, and you shouldn't feel forced to spend all of your time at work.

If you love your job and you love working, then more power to you.

But just remember, there's more to you than just that.

After all, you're a human being.