I work for a grocery chain in Texas and we employ many teens and I need help with motivation, focus and energy

This a first job for 98% of these kids and they all go to the same HS etc. Our focus as managers is Customer Service. Which is a broad and vague concept for them. We need help making them understand that they are there to work not play. But working should be fun (right?). There 150+/- empoyees and we need some ideas to get/keep them motivated, focused, interested, responsible, etc!
I have a team building meeting with my team of employees. There are 16+/- kids on my team and I want to get these employees up to speed and start the trend to better CS for our customers who are what keep us growing. Also, want this to help the other managers with their teams so that we can be #1 in customer service throughout our Region.

Problems are: Customer items left behind, bagging skills are poor (they get training for this), no "smile, greet, converse and thank customer", bascarts in parking lot not being picked up, uniform, shrink (not returning cold items, etc).

Can u help?

I think the guy above me makes a ton of great points. I just wanted to also recommend contests. Kids respond well to contests and prizes. There might be a way for you o encompass a monthly prize for doing something great or the most of something....good luck

Fire a few to set an example.

I worked in the grocery business for 7 1/2 yrs. in a small town in Missouri and this is from experience....one thing i have seen was the boss hire 5-10 new hires along with the ones that have been working there, tell everyone that their jobs are now under competition or a probationary period and that after one month the 5-10 people that have the worst job performance will be terminated....maybe if you are already not doing so try aisle assignments with individuals or make teams of two or three depending on the size of the store....another thing i noticed was to hand out more responsibilites this also goes along with the job competition thing....the better workers will surpass the others and the ones they like to work with they will encourage the same kind of behavior....basically just weed out the ones that don't want to work....and and always to have a good team ethics is to have everyone doing the same thing at the same time as a team...just a couple of small ideas...i've been out of the business for almost 3 yrs. and i'm sure things haven't changed much...but if high school kids continue getting these jobs there will always be revolving door with the problems you mentioned. I know as part of management in this situation you are no more than a glorified babysitter and it's frustrating....just one of the many reasons i got out of the business...good luck

Don't get me started. I worked in fast food for 6 years and was a shift manager most of the time. You are lucky if they even show up. It wasn't just my shift....it was all of them. But then again, sometimes if they did show up, it would have probably been better if they just stayed home.

That's one reason I never feel sorry for "unemployed" people....there's a great need for good help everywhere. Not just in fast food. They are just too lazy to show up to work. But that's a different topic.

Here's a tip from other jobs that were much better than the one I mentioned earlier....A happy workplace is the best kind of workplace. Keep the employees happy....and compliment them often....they want to do well (some of them) and want their work to be noticed and recognized. Those who ultimately don't want to work hard, you need to get rid of. Also, let them realize they are a part of the big picture. Let them feel like they are a part of the business. This is their first business experience and it will benefit them and you greatly if everyone is all on the same page. Their paycheck is tied to how well the business is doing. There are a couple more things to add to that idea, but I will cut it off here because I gotta run.

Here is what I would do, its worked in the past at other companies I've worked for....

Hold a contest for all the 150 employees.
Setup a point system for providing good CS and Hustle as observed by management, sr. cashiers, and customer comment cards put in the grocery bags.

Award monthly winners with things like a rented hummer (with insurance purchased) for the day or weekend, concert tickets of their choice, electronics like a video ipod, give the employee the choice of what they want don't force an IPOD on someone if they don't want it.

The above is the carrot...

Now for the stick...
Provide a clear consiquence for not performing their job functions. If they have the lowest points, write them up, if it continues doc pay, if it still continues fire them. They need the job as much as you need them. If they didn't need it they wouldn't be there to start. This type of job is much better than a fast food gig. You will probably need to make a example or two of an employee at each location.