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November 21, 2025
Should Target Associates Be Mandated To Smile?
Target is instituting a new program requiring employees who are within 10 feet of customers to smile, make eye contact, wave, and use friendly, approachable, and welcoming body language.
If staff members are within 4 feet of customers, they must personally greet the guests, smile, and initiate a warm, helpful interaction, Target told USA Today.
The program — called “10-4” — is designed to elevate the shopping experience for patrons, making them feel appreciated.
“We know when our guests are greeted, feel welcomed and get the help they need that translates to guest love and loyalty,” Adrienne Costanzo, Target’s EVP and chief stores officer, said in a statement to USA Today. “Heading into the holiday, we’re making adjustments and implementing new ways to increase connection during the most important time of the year powered by our team.”
The move comes as Target has been struggling with weak traffic for several quarters. On Wednesday, Target lowered its earnings guidance for the year as same-store sales fell for the third consecutive quarter.
Target did not specify when the new policy will be implemented, or what would happen if an employee does not comply.
Target Associates, Management Staff Seemingly Weigh in on Social Media
However, one Reddit user who claims to be a Target employee shared that their team leader indicated they’re “supposed to have conversations with you if you’re not doing it [the protocol]. Also there has been an increase in secret shoppers to see if you’re actually doing it.”
Several other alleged Target employees on the same Reddit post agreed that the new policy would likely backfire.
One said, “Who the heck waves? I’ve never waved at a guest and would feel so uncomfortable doing so!”
Another said, “I feel like this is a more aggressive way of letting customers know that you’re watching them. Just say hi or good morning to guests who pass you, what’s the big deal in that?”
One customer in the Reddit thread stated, “Introverted customer here, I do not want to be acknowledged, waved to, smiled at, unless I approach an employee! Let me shop in peace!”
Still, several alleged Target employees felt the request was a basic expectation of a store associate. One said: “Y’all are thinking too hard about it. It’s as simple as ‘need anything?,’ ‘You doing alright,’ ‘How’s it going?,’ ‘Finding everything?’”
One alleged manager said, “To be fair at my store it was explained as 10 feet away is any kind of non-verbal acknowledgement (smile, nod, whatever), and 4 feet is a verbal acknowledgement (just a hey, hi, hello) then the team is supposed to gauge their reaction to decide if the guest needs more or not. If they just want to be left alone, leave them to it.
“That being said I told my team what’s expected of them, and off the record told them there’s no way for me to enforce it, but they will be called out by other leaders, that they might be asked what it is, and that our DSD was in the store earlier this week checking if we were doing it,” the post continued.
Discussion Questions
What do you think of Target’s 10-4 policy basically directing associates to acknowledge customers within 10 feet and greet them within four feet?
Should store associates be irked at any parts of the policy, including possibly being reprimanded?
Poll
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Tom Ryan
Managing Editor, RetailWire
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Rather than mandating smiles, Target’s senior management should give associates reasons to be naturally cheerful. Unfortunately, they have completely failed at this task over recent years by overwhelming associates with work, not listening to them, and not making proper investments in stores and processes. All that said, I have found almost every associate in Target to be helpful and polite. Ultimately, Target’s woes are not down to the people in the stores – they’re down to the people in the boardroom.
No need for me to add anything. “Mandating employees to smile is insane
The Boardroom is one thing…but there are certain departments at Target that need a lot of help – toys, electronics and home goods in particular. At one point in time fast fashion was all the rage at Target and it had a cache about it. Today, it serves as a convenient place to shop and a decent price : value profile.
I think you’re right (if I interpreted you correctly): if they really want to
put this to the acid test, it’s the Board members who should be forced
to smile (tho one suspects any smiling they’ve done lately has been
either coerced…or clueless)
What if you are really lousy with spatial skills and don’t know the difference between 10 and 4 feet? Honestly, this should never have made the light of day. Every employee on the floor of a store whether big box or intimate specialty retail should be friendly to the extent of offering help or assistance. For this Christmas holiday season do shop at Target the store needs all the help it can get!
When Target operated in Canada, store teams stood out precisely because of their consistent cheerfulness. So wild how, a decade later, smiles are being mandated.
This new policy reflects traditional retail coaching for hospitality for a new generation of workers. It also suggests the employee experience and morale have changed.
OK, everything needs to be viewed in context.
When it comes to front line staff, I always say, ‘unless someone has told you otherwise, the customer is your first priority’. “Mandating” to smile isn’t the right approach … but from the time you’re hired, the expectation is that you provide the service your customers want, need and deserve. A smile? Darn right. Saying ‘hi’? It’s just a human thing to do.
Too many retailers have lost the plot … chasing every new shiny ball that comes along. The increased sales they need are already in there store. Seems silly to me that suggesting we do what is purely common sense is an actual story.
The concept is fine. The specifics – perhaps not surprisingly (since we now expect Target to do everything wrong) – seem overly rigid.
Every associate on the sales floor, in any store, should acknowledge customers in a friendly way (although avoid the dreaded “May I help you?” which triggers “No thanks, just looking”). But mandating a wave and a smile feels forced, bordering on robotic.