Target—recognized as one of the best designer-discount stores—has a rather poor and ineffective employee communications program. After browsing the website I noticed Target provides extensive research on its community relations efforts involving education, feeding children and recycling. However, there exists a lack of discussion in terms of employee forums, programs, and/or panels. In contrast to Wal-Mart, who is always in the news for its poor communications policies and efforts, Target is normally under-the-radar when it relates to this negative press coverage. But, to it’s disadvantage, this has not prevented nor discouraged employees from visiting other social media outlets such as blogs and employee-related websites to anonymously post their negative comments.
A majority of Target employees across many stores in the U.S. have taken matters into their own hands primarily because an open discussion forum and/or any other type of communications effort does not exist among managers, team leaders, cashiers and etc. As a result, employees have reached out to websites including Indeed, True Insider, and blogs, such as Target Sucks (http://targetfiling.blogspot.com/) secretly badmouth the lack of employee recognition programs, benefits, salaries and opportunities of growth available. The majority of posts and comments are negative, particularly discouraging others to work for Target.
This serves as a perfect example of the effects of social media, and what happens when companies, such as Target, do not incorporate an effective communications policy to the company’s overall strategies and goals. If Target seeks to improve employee outreach, they need to open the board for discussion between all types of employees, especially upper management.
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