Census was below the appropriate match to the manpower required to operate efficiently . For example, the payroll budgeted was insufficient to cover both the sales floor and BOH initiatives, and therefore resulting in one or the other suffering. Reaction to the Global Pandemic led to the dismissal and turnover of great talent, temporary and inconsistent lay offs; target goals did not align or adjust to realistic S.M.A.R.T plans admist COVID Corporate HR is more reactive than proactive. For example, they were quicker to react to matters relating to disciplinary actions than to deploying HR initiatives that would recognize and reward talent to proactively enhance growth and development; or provide coaching tools to assist leaders/associates to course correct their respective and specific opportunities that puts them back on track, while still nurturing their talent and celebrating successes. You are only good, when your good. Meaning the moment you show any decline in performance or motivation, Corporate Talent will find the time and energy to devise your exit plan rather than use it to understand the decline and attempt to reslove/retain employment. Store visits with corporate leaders were also structured in a way that it was more informational and one-way communication than empowering; it did not welcome or inspire an open dialogue for respective leaders of different rank to discuss and share varying perspectives. It was more of a scripted formula that you had to pre-fill and present to corporate leaders during a store tour. While it is good to have a structured visit with a planned agenda; there should be a circle of trust, where corporate empowers the leaders they chose to run the store to relay relevent information within their respective DOR in their own way. In fairness, this does not apply to all corporate leaders. One Regional Director who was responsible for both Full Line and Outlet store was extremely personable; while she had a higher rank than the DM, she was more approachable and relatable. You can speak with her and not experience condescension or judgement. While strict and business driven, she found a way to communicate effectively that projected empathy. As oppose to the DM who was more interested in Titles than her people; she walked around the store with false confidence, relying on her title/authority than actual knowledge of the product/business. That DM was incredibly fake and the total opposite of what Tory Burch represents IMO. Like I said, this may not apply to all corporate leaders/DMs or all stores.
