I was just wondering if the additional layoffs that were supposed to happen this year are still in play. I believe they were supposed to layoff more long term in store management, cut GO employees, cut divisional VP's down to one, etc. I know the virus kind of got in the way but since Kroger is "getting back to normal" just wondering if layoffs will start happening again. Also, did any SM's get their bonus potential reduced for 2020?
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Andy, wish you well. There is a better life after Kroger. Just had a nice uplifting talk with our former DM that left recently on her own, doing great! As one of the original 12 let go last October, I found a rewarding job right away and have a life finally!
Don’t know much about other divisions, but Columbus has been putting Store Leaders on Performance Improvement Plans at an alarming pace. This is their way of “downsizing” its management staff. In my case, I took a store through a remodel two years ago, and had record sales/profits last year. My store was running +12% in ID sales before the pandemic and +25% after the pandemic started. I was expected to do this with anywhere between 200-300 less hours a week versus last year. My PIP “goals” were unreasonable for normal times, let alone the current climate and I was let go from the company. I even asked to be stepped down to my previous role, but multiple requests fell on deaf ears. I was in management for 21+ years and was treated like c-ap even during my “talk” with Division HR leadership when I was let go. I was told “you aren’t banned from shopping at Kroger” which is a common phrase used with those that steal from the company. Talk about a kick in the nuts.
If you believe that the VP leadership change in Michigan is for the better, you are setting yourself up for a let down. Character Issues.
All of the previous comments I've just read are so sad...being our nation's largest grocer..Kroger..it sounds like yhe CEO and board Members have no heart or compassion for their team members..Certainly, they are not using God's word, which are scriptures..to inspire decision making..causing a lot of hurt, pain and displacement with The Kroger Family..I will pray for this company's CEO and et al leadership..
VP of Ops in Michigan was not a “good man”. He was an awful leader that was despised in 3 divisions and GO.
VP on Michigan is now a DM in another division, No layoffs but divisions are downsizing again, fresh coords gone, sales managers gone, lots of operational jobs being combined, districts are getting smaller and DMs now have to do it all, no one reports to them, The new template does not work, we keep cutting, there’s ways to do this but this group in charge if redoing our org chart is clueless.
They forgot about the people piece... who will develop cake decorators, florists, new adhs and DHs, up to the DM now.
They forgot about upward mobility, unless you wanna be a store manager there is nothing else for you to do at Kroger, way to send millennials (and exennials and zoomers) away and drive talent to other companies
They forgot about cutting down GO and giving divisions the power to control their plan. The main idea behind the cuts (besides cutting overhead) was to force divisions to “follow the plan” Yet the plan s—s, divisions cant make over 20% Gross cause we have a cookie cutter blanket plan overall... Meanwhile GO rules with impunity and lack of talent in middle management levels
What we should do is go down to 1 VP per division, combine operations jobs and put the right ppl in merchandising so divisions can control their Own destiny as far as the plan, focusing on gross and getting the right items on it
Allow coords (the right coords) to focus on driving sales and ppl and have AP focus on the shrink piece. Like an well piled machine. It could have been done....
But no... we gutted the division for the 3rd time in 3 years and yet we still cant be profitable after each period EVEN with Covid sales. (Wages and gross being the main reason). And we all know that cutting wages is gonna put us in a downward spiral again so the key is gross! “The right plan” motivating folks to go above and beyond.
But we are that smart, good job to the GO group who ruined another southern divisions with this new template. Ive heard 2 millennials say they so no reason to be with kroger after the new realignment, zero upward mobility. That’s what we got from this.
Our bonuses were minimized this year... however we just received our Evaluation scores, I was told I was a three then all of sudden I’m a 2...
"What happened to VPIn Michigan. Good man"
Who was the VP in Michigan your talking about? I haven't heard any "official" Kroger announcement. What I had heard was the company was getting rid of the operational divisional VP position. They would only have a divisional President and a Merchandising VP. All the area directors will report directly to the divisional President. They also seem to be hiring a lot of Walmart people to replace outgoing Kroger people.
What happened to VPIn Michigan. Good man
As far as SM bonuses getting reduced, mine did. It was after the announcement about our "hero pay" which wasn't actually hero pay. It was just getting part of the bonus early and at a higher rate than previously. Because let's face it, corporate (even though they keep getting mega bonuses) has been changing the metrics as to how bonuses are paid out to make sure in store management gets less and less each year.
Just got a txt to check emails. Michigan will start” down sizing” now.
The ax is on it's way.