Attractive Target employee benefits you should know about

Target Corp. is a retail giant. It’s one of the largest department store chains in the U.S., with around 1,948 stores as of the end of 2022. 75% of people live within 10 miles of a Target.

Target is always hiring new team members. If you get the job, you’ll gain valuable skills. It’s a team environment, and Target is an equal-opportunity employer.

Working here also comes with a list of perks. The list includes comprehensive healthcare benefits, retirement plans, and an employee assistance program. Plus, you can save when you shop at the store.

Want to know more? This article will cover the top Target benefits and pay to help you decide if the company would be a good fit for your career goals.

What is Target?

The first Target stores opened in Minnesota in 1962. They were marketed as discount stores with a difference — quality products, good service, and low prices make Target stand out.

In 1966, Target expanded to Denver, Colorado. This was the start of bigger things as Target stores began to pop up across the US.

These days, Target sells just about everything from food, clothing, household goods, electronics, pet supplies, small appliances, and sporting goods to cosmetics. In addition to the in-store shopping experience, customers can now shop online.

Its biggest competitors include Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and Dollar Tree.

Target offers a wide variety of different positions for job searchers. For example, you can apply to work in a Target store, at one of the distribution centers, or in a corporate role.

Target employees can work full-time or part-time. Sometimes seasonal positions are available during busy holiday periods.

The Target logo has changed slightly over the years, but the company is known for its red and white bullseye.

How much can you make at Target?

Before we dive into the most common Target benefits, you may be wondering about salary.

Your pay can vary depending on location, job title, and experience. Here are some salary examples.

The average salary for a cashier or sales associate is $14 per hour. If you are a people person and enjoy helping and sharing knowledge with others, then this might be the right job for you.

Merchandisers at Target earn around $18 per hour. This job is all about ensuring that the right products are displayed in the right places and at the right times. Working as a merchandiser requires some physical fitness and an eye for detail.

As a warehouse worker, you can expect to earn $19 per hour, on average. This is a physically demanding job but perhaps less stressful for some than spending all day behind a cash register.

Working as a security guard is a viable alternative for those who want to work in retail but dislike carrying heavy boxes or dealing with cash. Target pays its security guards around $15 per hour.

Are you aiming for a corporate job? As a human resources (HR) specialist, you can earn $20 per hour, on average. If you enjoy communication, problem-solving, and people management, give this career path some thought.

The top Target employee benefits

Depending on your position, average hours, and time spent working at Target, you can get great employee benefits. We’ll delve into some of them below.

Medical and pharmacy benefits

Target employees can take advantage of healthcare insurance. Depending on your eligibility, you may get access to medical insurance. This comes with all the basics and critical illness, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance.

There’s also dental and vision insurance with coverage options for your whole family. Target covers both domestic partners and married couples. Your policy will even come with prescription drug coverage, with access to low-cost medications.

You may be eligible for an employee assistance program through Team Member LifeResources. Plus, a 20% wellness discount can be used on different health services.

Here are some other perks you can potentially get as a Target employee:

• Programs that support workers with rare or chronic conditions, diabetes, or cancer

• Access to a free, on-demand fitness and well-being platform

• Discounted rate to participate in Weight Watchers Reimagined

• Quit smoking medications and guidance

• Flu shots

• Free telemedicine platform

• Supplemental medical coverage

In addition, pregnant Target employees can access the Early Steps maternity support program and may be eligible for incentives.

Financial benefits

You’ll get access to a 401(k) retirement plan so you can set money aside for your future. When you save part of your pre-tax income, Target will match some of your contributions.

You’ll get peace of mind when you have life insurance and short-term and long-term disability insurance. There’s also an identity theft protection program to keep your personal details secure.

Salaried and hourly Target team members with 20+ average weekly hours can also take advantage of the following financial programs and offerings:

• Up to 15% off their home and car insurance

• Budget-friendly pet insurance

• Tax-free grants for workers facing personal or financial hardships

• Supplemental medical coverage

• Access to legal representation at a reasonable price

• Savings account for qualifying daycare and/or eldercare expenses

Target workers and their family members also have an opportunity to join the Target Credit Union and save more money by using it instead of a national bank.

Education benefits

Recently, Target partnered with Guild Education and launched the Dream to Be program, which provides tuition-free schooling options for its employees. Both full- and part-time Target team members have the right to earn a spot in the program and build a meaningful career while staying debt-free.

The program enables access to more than 250 business-aligned programs from over 40 schools, colleges, and universities. Dream to Be covers undergraduate and advanced degrees, certificates, boot camp programs, learning materials, and even course fees.

If you want to enroll in an accredited technical school, college, or university outside of the Dream to Be benefit network, you can also apply for Target-sponsored tuition reimbursement.

Furthermore, the corporation has partnerships with several institutions, which means you can enroll in different programs at a discounted rate.

Time off and family benefits

Target encourages a healthy work-life balance and strives to accommodate employees’ family obligations. For instance, employees receive paid time off for Target-observed national holidays and qualified bereavement. Your vacation time will also grow if you become a long-term employee.

The company offers paid sick time following local regulations. You can also expect paid time off after one year of service in case of birth, adoption, surrogacy, or caring for an immediate family member with a serious health condition.

Mental health benefits include five free, confidential counseling sessions per year, support resources, and access to the virtual care platform CirrusMD.

Unique Target benefits

This retailer has a variety of short- and long-term incentives for its employees to reward both individual contributions and corporate performance. For instance, you and your family can get a discount of 10% on merchandise and 20% on wellness items, such as fresh produce or tobacco cessation products.

Target employees also receive access to affordable childcare and an employee-only resource where Target publishes exclusive deals and special offers just for its team members. Finally, the company’s Commuter Benefit program can help you save money on daily commutes.

Target employee benefits eligibility timeline

Target is actively working on enabling access to healthcare benefits and reducing enrollment waiting periods. Now, to be eligible to enroll in a Target medical plan, you’ll need to be an hourly store team member working at least 25 hours a week.

Salaried and hourly Target employees with 20+ average weekly hours can also get attractive time-off plans.

Once you’re hired, you’ll be able to track your average hours online. Benefits eligibility is reviewed each year for hourly team members, so you have a real chance to positively influence your profile over the year.

Tips for landing a new job at Target

Let’s now focus on the most important skills that can help you land — and succeed in — a job at Target.

1. Customer service

Your main goal will be to serve your customers, making their shopping journeys easy, exciting, and even inspirational. So you’ll need to be able to understand your customers’ needs, respond to their concerns, demonstrate compassion, and maintain a friendly attitude toward them.

2. Communication skills

Active listening and clear and empathetic communication are non-negotiable skills when it comes to working in retail. You’ll also benefit from having teamwork and conflict-resolution skills, especially in customer-facing roles.

3. Patience

Working in retail can be chaotic, loud, physically demanding, and stressful at times. Nevertheless, you should be able to keep a cool head, stay positive, and follow the rules even when things are seemingly out of control.

4. Attention to detail

There’s a lot going on behind the scenes of any supermarket.

Restocking shelves, sorting new arrivals, checking expiration dates, mopping up spills, and removing damaged goods — these and many other processes have to run smoothly to ensure that customers are satisfied and sales targets are hit.

As a Target team member, you’ll need to stay on top of things at all times and be present, as even a minor mistake can negatively affect a customer’s experience.

Do you think Target is the place for you? Your local store could be hiring. You can see what’s available by visiting our job board. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, sign up for email updates.

Alternatively, you can visit the Target careers page. You can browse hourly team member jobs in Target stores and distribution centers.

To improve your chances of getting hired, take a look at our Target application guide.

Start a career at Target today

Before you apply for a job at Target, you should know about the potential employee benefits.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get a range of health benefits. For example, there’s medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and pharmacy benefits.

Target also offers financial benefits, including a 401(k) retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, and life insurance. There are options for time off and assistance for families.

The company will also support you with on-the-job training and mentoring. And, when you shop at Target, you’ll get an employee discount.

Are you looking for a new opportunity? Our job board is updated regularly, and you can browse by job type and location.

To help you get hired, we have interview and application tips in our resource center.