We like many of the things the new CEO over there at Target, Michael Fiddelke, is doing to try to wake up this sleepy retailer from the self-imposed stupor it’s been in for the past few years. But the company veered backwards this week when it announced a new system of what are essentially a dozen demerits for employees who show up late—or not at all—that leads to getting fired for the worst offenders. We have to wonder about this second-rate, second-grade stunt from Target. If you’ve hired the right people to begin with you don’t need a system like this to keep track of their work. God knows what this does to employee morale and how much time will be spent by managers and HR staffers monitoring all of this. Target has so many things it needs to fix but treating its employees (excuse me, team members) like this isn’t going to help. Makes you wonder if they’re imposing a new level of workplace surveillance. Really, 12 strikes and you’re out? What a way to celebrate our 250th birthday. Not a team I’d want to be on, how about you?
