Is the shift leader role in a superstore worth it? Job coming up in mine and I'm slightly tempted but would just like some thoughts and opinions. Not going to lie with the cost of everything going up the pay rise is appealing but not if it would mean stress and no work life balance.
If you are going to go for it, try and go for it in a quiet express store, there is quite frankly a massively unjustified difference in workload for no additional compensation between a busy express store and a quiet one, to add, recent reports I've heard tell me that they've regressed back to not paying their shift leaders for not being able to take their break. So with that in consideration, they're actually paid less in busier stores as you can easily take your full break in a quiet neighbourhood 1.
Talking as a shift leader myself I would say its totally dependent on the situation they will place you in.
Shift leader is tescos way of hiring a manager without paying you a manager salary or giving you a bonus or pay rise when you meet targets.
You will have all the responsibility as a manager but without the payment. If you are working on a department without a manager or with a cardboard cutout as one you will be the one running everything.
You will have the screws put to you to hit target with no incentive /bonus.
You will be expected to work OT where staff don't have the correct hours contracted to cover your department.
You will do recruitment. Let's talks. E.c.t.
You will have the p**s taken out off completely. IF you have a manager that is doing the job correctly ubove you it's a bit easier.
Go into the job thinking they making me a manager but not paying me for it....if you cool with that you will be alright.
Today was my last day as shift leader and I'm telling you now, it is absolutely not worth a penny of the £1.86 difference.
Never felt so liberated than walking around the shop today.
A stepping stone? Of course. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth I suppose. If you are likely to be hired, it won't harm your CV. Just prepare to dedicate your life and soul to the job. 7 day flexibility, 5am to midnight in my shop. Have an out.
Quote from: Sjm23 on 01-08-22, 02:54PMIs the shift leader role in a superstore worth it? Job coming up in mine and I'm slightly tempted but would just like some thoughts and opinions. Not going to lie with the cost of everything going up the pay rise is appealing but not if it would mean stress and no work life balance.
don't even consider it. tosco must be laughing at mugs doing a managers job for slightly above g.a rate. f*** em mate. you'll regret it if you take it. let another mug have it
I'm a superstore shift lead with twilight fill. It IS a hard role, and it's not for the faint hearted. It is underpaid, as you are literally doing a a managers job for less. However do I enjoy my job, yes. It is a difficult job and actually it is very good experience if you can hack it, and puts you in good stead to progress.
However be prepared to stand your ground as if something isn't done you'll be the first to be questioned. Not everyone will like you, I'm glad I moved store to go into the role, as I'm not massively well liked but I get my job done.
In regards to pay, I do think it's wrong it's the same grade as Team Support, Fullfillment shift lead etc. The role is so much heavier, I've done team support before in a busy extra and this makes that job look p**s easy. I wouldn't be surprised if that changes somehow soon as they do struggle to recruit/retain SL's and I think pay is a problem.
For me it is a stepping stone job, if I can progress within Tesco in the next few months I will, if I can't I'll leave and progress somewhere else as the amount of responsibility the role puts you in is great to put you in good stead to become a manager.
Its a great job - provided you're a brain washed Tesco numpty with no life. If the job was any good they wouldn't have trouble finding people to do it. Its the only step up I've ever come across where they have to look for volunteers to fill it. As for the pay increase.....a p**s take by anyone's standards.
In my experience as an ex-shift leader in over 10 Express Stores, It is 100x easier and less stressful in a low density/neighbourhood shop. Don't know what it's like in Superstore, but in Express you'd want to take the job in a low density low sales store if possible if you want an easier life.
No, no a million times NO. As for progressing, well very few will progress within Tosco. Shift leaders are taking over from managers, much less money and absolutely no life outside Tosco. On call at all times, called on to do whatever shifts have not been covered, holidays cancelled, promises broken, blamed for everything, shall I go on?
Quote from: Sjm23 on 01-08-22, 02:54PMIs the shift leader role in a superstore worth it? Job coming up in mine and I'm slightly tempted but would just like some thoughts and opinions. Not going to lie with the cost of everything going up the pay rise is appealing but not if it would mean stress and no work life balance.
If the replies haven't put you off already, you need to also consider the extra tax and NI contributions!
Having worked in a superstore, and seen how the hierarchy works, don't touch it with a barge pole!
It's also getting close to silly season, so forget any sort of planned family festivities, you WILL be expected to cover at the drop of a hat, do all the worst shifts, get little help, but all the blame when it all goes pear shaped!!
Someone I know of in another store was asked to "step up" as a shift leader because TMs came and went like there was no tomorrow.
They were fine with it at first but as time went on... the novelty soon wore off. They've been asking for the past two months now to step back down and despite being promised, several times, that it would be sorted ASAP, it hasn't.
I was a shift leader a few years ago and my experience was I did all the work while the managers walked around the store in a big group collecting cardboard and talking about their weekend, plus I never got paid for any extra hours and if anything went wrong it would be my fault, so it didn't last long. Not a roll I would recommend, but the choice is yours.
I've done shift leader in every format and it's only as good as the team around you. If you're in a store where other shift leaders refuse to work as a team and think they always know best then good luck
our 3 do all the work of a manager for non of the pay, 5am starts 12pm finishes a week of each with a 9 - 6 in the middle.
responsible for the shop and a key holder to boot.
bewgar that
Not heard back from original poster Sjm23. Wonder if they went for the shiftleader job and how they're finding it if they did :question:
I decided not to go for it, no one else in the store wants it either must really say something about the role, plus for an extra £1.86 I don't think it's worth it.
in my opinion you've made the right decision mate :)
I don't think you'll regret not taking the role.
Shift leaders in my store are seriously unhappy at having to fill shifts as there are no CAs to do them. They do late closes and then early opening as managers won't come in before 8am. They've had holidays cancelled and then been called in when they are on holiday because there's no-one to work produce in the morning. No-one on checkouts after 7? just get the SL to do it as there's only 2 CAs on the shop floor. SM leaves a list he expects done by the morning and doesn't like excuses. Work 16 hour shifts? no problem, a SL will do it.
You made the right decision in my opinion.
Oh and don't forget the working 6 days a week because all the temps have left and there's no hours for new starts, that's if anyone actually applies for the jobs. SL were told at the start 25% of the time they would be the DM, SM has just told them it's 80%.
I'm at a loss to understand why anyone would have their 'phone on or even answer it whilst not on duty ???
Is there a specific term in the SL contract that states they must be contactable at all times ??? Do they not have contracted hours, which must be opted out of if they wish to work extra ???
A lot of these SL's start off with the can do attitude, which quickly drops to don't want to do it anymore, when the discover the only people who can be called in at last minute, whilst on holiday, day off. Made to cover sick leave, staff shortage etc..is them!! CA's have more protection, and rules to protect them and most aren't afraid to work to their contracts, and if the SL tries the bullying tactics, they take the flak from any grievance!
I would love to see SMs call me in whilst on holiday or day off. lol
Shift Leader. Always has been and always will be, the biggest p**s take out there.
In terms of getting called in or having to change my shifts last minute it does happen from time to time, but we all share it around so it's fair. Never had a holiday cancelled, never been told to come in on my days off. I've been asked before and sometimes I'll come in and do a few hours to fill a dept, but won't take duty or do any management stuff. But most of the time there's enough Shift Lead work to do.
The role isn't for everyone, it is stressful but you do learn a lot doing it.
We have shift leads in my store. We never ring them to fill shifts. They have never been forced to work during a holiday. Due to sick we talk between us to cover last min changes to cover a duty shift, we never do close down into early. Managers and shift leads do early and late sh**s. We have a rota and we all follow rota and adapt when needed. Sundays are overtime for duty cover for us. Most prefer the extra money and do work six days but this only happens once a month. A couple prefer t/l and get an extra day off.
There will always be some that try it on. How far they go with this will be down to individuals but it's not how it should be.
Sorry I can't seem to see how to create a new topic. As service team support are you expected to get your holidays covered or is it up to the manager to make sure there is cover so someone can cover my job whilst off?
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keef...keef...keef...it's not your problemo...you book your holidays, get them authorised, if no one else booked, then they're yours... :thumbup:
You DO NOT have to ensure that there is cover whilst your off! Why would you?? Do other CA's have to ensure this? NO!! it's not for you to get cover, it's for your manager to do this!
For the record...when you book holidays, if they don't authorise immediately, then they have 7 days to respond to a yay or nay...no response in this timescale then the holiday is assumed as passed. Always have copy of request, date, time and manager HANDED to!
Quote from: keef1894 on 15-10-22, 06:38PMSorry I can't seem to see how to create a new topic. As service team support are you expected to get your holidays covered or is it up to the manager to make sure there is cover so someone can cover my job whilst off?
Ref: starting new topics. Please read VLH Supporter Benefits (http://www.verylittlehelps.com/index.php?page=17)
Managers do rotas, part of that is to work around people being on leave, it's Rotas that are a management responsibility so therefore it falls on them to get it covered.
Myself and couple others on nights are being mentioned to put forward for this, my own history with the company, I've had opportunity before, messed around in the past and taken the p**s our of.
It's a massive grey area ahead as nights going in alot more stores in the new year with plenty of changes. By doing this save my job?
The equal pay claim decision in February. There is alot going on and I'm not sure what to do. The money itself doesn't seem worth it. But it depends on the nights and redundancy offers as I feel this is an opportunity to keep those they feel are worth keeping on work ethic and age. As alot of people on our night crews are either injured or old now.
There's a protocol and procedures to follow regarding redundancies instore. It is not decided by the store, as to who to keep, but by different elements.
Dept to start with. Everyone will be looked at, then it's hours/shifts on offer. Each member has a criteria scoring, if applying for same role/hours etc...length of service, attendance, extra responsibilities for being a rep or first aider get extra points.
If involved in a redundancy situation, NEVER go into a meeting without a witness, NEVER believe what the store manager says, NEVER listen to what other colleagues think or say, or any doom and gloom gossip and rumours!
A designated redundancy manager will be there to talk you through, answer questions and give written records of every meeting!
With personal experience I have witnessed numerous colleagues being told a load of c**p, by senior managers and SM, to scare colleagues into accepting a drop of hours/shifts to save on the wage and redundancy budget!
Good advice! Well I don't want the shift leader role, if I'm all honest. Redundancy offered, I'll take it. But there is talks flying round about many changes happening next year between Feb and April. Tesco have already said nights will be going. For many reasons, first the new contract now has taken away the old contract of going off one shift and getting paid. Getting rid of nights will get rid of nights premium. Or at least most of it if twilight hours come into place till 2am.
It's inevitable it will happen, and afraid for a lot of people it's going to hit quick and hard.
I've found this on Colleague Help:
There is no change to sickness entitlement because of the new contract, but as part time flexible contracts are being removed, the absence percentage calculation will change for these colleagues, and will be aligned to the current calculation used for all other colleagues.
Pay for absence will continue to be in line with the policy. When colleagues are paid contractual pay, they will be paid based on what they would have earned had they been at work (the same as before).
So, to me, that would imply those colleagues who've been with the company long enough to be paid from day one will continue to do so?
Wouldn't be at all surprised if Nights goes in our store next year. Delivery volumes are much less than they used to be, say, six months ago. Even on the nights it feels as if we're short staffed it somehow, on the whole, seemingly gets done. I know several of us would take the redundancy and run!
Quote from: Nightproduceworker on 20-10-22, 10:30PMMyself and couple others on nights are being mentioned to put forward for this, my own history with the company, I've had opportunity before, messed around in the past and taken the p**s our of.
It's a massive grey area ahead as nights going in alot more stores in the new year with plenty of changes. By doing this save my job?
The equal pay claim decision in February. There is alot going on and I'm not sure what to do. The money itself doesn't seem worth it. But it depends on the nights and redundancy offers as I feel this is an opportunity to keep those they feel are worth keeping on work ethic and age. As alot of people on our night crews are either injured or old now.
Who said they will remove night in the new year is that your stores all store of some stores? In my store which is ex metro more than half the staff left and barely anyone left they keep hiring more evening and morning staff no night staff. Also what store is your store is in metro superstore extra etc.Is it the same as mine where they don't hire any night but only evening and mornings?
Quote from: lucgeo on 21-10-22, 04:46PMThere's a protocol and procedures to follow regarding redundancies instore. It is not decided by the store, as to who to keep, but by different elements.
Dept to start with. Everyone will be looked at, then it's hours/shifts on offer. Each member has a criteria scoring, if applying for same role/hours etc...length of service, attendance, extra responsibilities for being a rep or first aider get extra points.
If involved in a redundancy situation, NEVER go into a meeting without a witness, NEVER believe what the store manager says, NEVER listen to what other colleagues think or say, or any doom and gloom gossip and rumours!
A designated redundancy manager will be there to talk you through, answer questions and give written records of every meeting!
With personal experience I have witnessed numerous colleagues being told a load of c**p, by senior managers and SM, to scare colleagues into accepting a drop of hours/shifts to save on the wage and redundancy budget!
I would take the redundancy and not accept anything else.
Quote from: whatajoke2019 on 22-10-22, 10:15AMI've found this on Colleague Help:
There is no change to sickness entitlement because of the new contract, but as part time flexible contracts are being removed, the absence percentage calculation will change for these colleagues, and will be aligned to the current calculation used for all other colleagues.
Pay for absence will continue to be in line with the policy. When colleagues are paid contractual pay, they will be paid based on what they would have earned had they been at work (the same as before).
So, to me, that would imply those colleagues who've been with the company long enough to be paid from day one will continue to do so?
Wouldn't be at all surprised if Nights goes in our store next year. Delivery volumes are much less than they used to be, say, six months ago. Even on the nights it feels as if we're short staffed it somehow, on the whole, seemingly gets done. I know several of us would take the redundancy and run!
One sign they will remove nights from your store is that they dont hire people to replace the staff that left. Also I agree that one day they will remove nights I want to know where did people get this from they will remove night year from manager from tesco ceo etc.
I stepped up as a shift leader last year, but was only paid the extra money when one of the managers was off and I "stepped up". Soon found that I was doing it all the time and not being paid all the time. As others have said, I barely saw the raise as it went in tax and national insurance. I dropped back down after six months and felt so much better for it.