Thread regarding Belk layoffs

“Retail is dead.”

Brick and Mortor, maybe, yet Amazon is opening their 4 Star now in malls. Just like they destroyed most B&M book stores and then years later, saw the need to open Amazon B&M book stores. B&M is not dead, but for those posting grief, YES, for those of us fortunately asked back there is definitely a new focus. Especially for department stores! Accept STH. It is the lifeline to keep us employed and hopefully bring more back. Same is true for specialty stores.

In the meantime, “self check” daily before arriving to work to do whatever management deems the overall priority. Accept they are prioritizing based on need and give your 110%. You are appreciated.

While hours are reduced, take advantage and promote yourself. I’ve posted before, explore your community colleges. Depending on your age and; 40 or less, 2 yr Supply Chain and Management? Phlebotomists; 4-8 month program. If you’re not adverse to blood, mostly Mon-Fri job opportunities. Some of these educational opportunities will set you up with paid internships.

And, explore financial scholarships! They are available through most community colleges. Also, Federal Grants. Grants are not loans, meaning they afford YOU an opportunity to move forward and hopefully repay your community in return. Depending on your situation, some grants will allow enough for your housing.

I would hope with COVID-19 impact, your store team, including your peers, would support. New world and “One Belk!”

I am not questioning you as a good person or not. It sounds you were good to your team. And the empathy comment was directed more towards other comments and I understand what your reality sounds like but how can you be ready for anything when in our county the pays starts at 9 an hour and most apts start !000. a month. Leaves little to put in your savings for big changes. I worked my whole life very hard but had a couple things happen medically that ate up my savings. I could not do the same work anymore yet I am not eligible for disability. Just saying things are not always cut and dried. Also with all due respect things are not same as when we were in college. Yes we survived in a very different world where people actually cared about people and not just money. And I do vote. Also saying to find something you enjoy on the job. I enjoy the customer interaction and the challenge of the job but things are falling apart so fast in our store that the customers are very unhappy. I wish you well but human nature dictates most people only see what happening to them. But thanks for letting me speak without insulting me because my post was not meant to insult anybody.

"This country is broken and the sad part is nobody really cares"

To my fellow senior, posting as annon, yes you are right in many respects.
But since you say you're in your 60's then you've been thru the war years, the bankruptcy of our nation, states and cities, raging inflation of 20%, oil embargoes,
civil unrest that makes today's seem silly ...etc...and that's all just for starters.

We all survived, didn't we.? For most of us...it was not easy was it? But we worked thru things, adapted, changed, and as with previous generations came out ok.

I've already explained my love for my teams and their respect for me...which I earned. Plenty of empathy. Won't revisit that again.

Your son, as sooo many workers today need to do, must be flexible, prepare to move, and find a career that will support him and if he's luckily satisfy him too.
Restaurants are another form of retail.
Career change time?
No one wants to move anymore. After college I moved three times in 4 years.
The last decade and half of my career, with family including school age kids, I moved 3 times as well. Yes those were internal transfers but they were transfers others just would not take...and they paid a price for refusing ...while I enjoyed each move making more each time I took on another "challenged store" , did the right things, engaged the team and community and made my bonuses. To the chagrin of superiors busy preening themselves. Many of them not earning theirs and wondering why!

You want change? Vote! It's well past time for a change. The current experiment has been a disaster. Don't emote...VOTE!

Beyond that...retail as once known is dead.. has been. The big boxes and on-line sites are survivors for good reasons.

One last...toxic workplace? I've addressed that several times. Find something at work that makes you happy, gives pleasure and take your satisfaction from that. Do no more than asked. And as you can, while you can look for new opportunities and yes...challenges. If it's real bad...quit. You can quit..it may be tough...but you will survive and hopefully find something better.

Stay safe, be well.

Hey people, Your not the only one that goes on the financial and retail sites. But by the sound of things some of you haven't been working for a while. Just because that's the reality of our country and retail does not mean its easy to deal with on a daily basis. And as for complaining maybe it could be looked at as having a little empathy for other human beings by listening. Which is sorely lacking in this country. I happen to be in my 60's and I have always been a workhorse but I connect with my coworkers because a lot of them in their 20's don't know how to handle how bad its gotten. Sometimes just knowing somebody is going through the same thing helps. We know it is our choice to stay or go but it not always as simple as that. Most people live paycheck to paycheck and need another job before they can quit. In our small town with so many store, restaurant and small business closures the jobs are just not there. My son was let after go after the restaurant he worked in secured a small business loan from the gov. paid them 3 weeks then let go 12 people. That was in June And he has not heard a word back from unemployment. The things that are happening when private equity companies buy retail are horrendous and they get away with it. This country is broken and the sad part is nobody really cares. And not everybody is getting call back from these companies that are hiring and not everybody can do everything. So tell me how do you stay well and be safe when your choices are work in a severely toxic workplace or have no money to pay your bills.

Old belk bear and retail vet...also fan of the financial sites and world of business too...did I mention politics also?
Maybe should just let it go and say just old!

Stay safe, be well.

BelkieBear, whoever you are...well said. And point well taken.