How many employees does Target have?

Last week, Target, the Minneapolis-based retailer, reported a 3.2 percent drop in sales in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Fortune reported that Target will follow the trend of other retailers and lower prices to bring back consumers. However, the story is another example of how corporations have exploited this period of economic uncertainty to raise prices beyond those necessary to offset increases in their operation costs. Though real consumer spending on goods has not begun to dip, it has plateaued, which may indicate to major retailers that prices are too high and that their profits could soon take a beating as consumer spending begins to fall.

What are the pay and benefits like at Target?

According to March SEC filings, Target employs over 415,000 people, making labor its highest operational cost.

Not all “team members” are full-time permanent staff; some are part-time contracts, and others work seasonally. The company’s website is vague on what benefits and pay look like for workers, creating uncertainty around Target’s labor practices.

Under the pay section, the company claims that “base pay ranges are aligned to levels” and that “the ranges are benchmarked with the market to ensure pay is competitive.” That means a cashier in Atlanta, Georgia, can make $15 an hour, whereas a worker in the same role in Boulder, Colorado, can make $18.75 per hour. In both locations, the hourly rate offered is lower than that of the MIT Living Wage calculator, which reports as sufficient for a single worker with no children. It highlights that the wages offered are not “competitive” for workers but for the company as it competes with other retailers to increase profits. As for benefits, the company commits to offering team members vacation and sick leave but does not indicate the number of days workers will receive a year.