Longtime Target Worker Leaves, Cites Staffing, Scheduling and Burnout

On December 12, 2025 a self identified team member posted on the r/Target subreddit saying it was their last day at Target after ten years on the job. The post cataloged changes the worker said they watched unfold over a decade, and framed the decision to leave as the result of accumulated staffing, scheduling and personal costs.

The poster pointed to frequent leadership turnover at the store and district levels, naming executive team leads, store directors and district managers as roles that have cycled regularly. They also highlighted technology and process changes, offering the example that Telxons were replaced by Zebra handheld devices, and noted that such shifts were layered onto expectations that drastically smaller teams deliver the same results as before.

A recurring theme in the post was schedule rigidity and contested time off. The employee wrote that stores pushed out reliable workers who called out for family reasons while retaining lower performing staff who consistently showed up. They described missing birthdays, weddings, funerals and other family events because they could not secure time off, and said mounting frustration with scheduling denials produced burnout and disillusionment that ultimately led to resignation.

The Reddit thread drew many comments from current and former Target employees who offered solidarity, shared similar experiences and circulated advice about next steps and resources. The volume of responses speaks to how scheduling, staffing and leadership stability can ripple through morale, retention and day to day operations at stores.

For Target workers the account raises practical concerns about work life balance, the fairness of attendance and time off policies, and whether smaller teams can sustain increased workloads without additional pay or staffing. For managers and corporate leaders the post is a reminder that turnover in leadership and rapid process changes can have human costs that affect service, training and institutional knowledge.

The episode may also influence conversations among workers about accountability and alternatives when store level issues persist. Whether through internal feedback channels, human resources escalation or outside forums, employees are signaling that scheduling and staffing problems remain key reasons people leave.