Pros
Opportunity to move up within the company, meet new people all the time due to high turnover rate
Cons
I began at this company in a seasonal position and worked my way up. While I’m grateful for the initial opportunity, my experience eventually took a toll on my mental health, and I had to leave. From the start, I encountered an extremely stressful environment where I felt like I was constantly walking on eggshells around management. The atmosphere was such that it was clear that there was an expectation to “look busy” at all times—even when there was little to do—and management was openly opposed to employees forming friendships with one another. There was little to no proper onboarding, especially when transitioning into new roles. In one instance, I was told that management intentionally “stresses you out” to test how you handle it, which felt inappropriate and harmful. As I progressed within the company, I initially thought I was being compensated fairly, but after overhearing salary discussions, I realized I was significantly underpaid compared to others with similar roles and experience. When I raised this issue with management, they denied any pay discrepancies. In fact, they even called in employees they suspected had shared their salary details and reprimanded them for discussing pay, which created a toxic environment around transparency. My manager pushed our department to take on a large project, and I stepped up, contributing significantly. When I asked for fair pay based on my involvement, I was told I was "too involved." But when I pulled back, I was told they wanted me to lead and that it would help if I asked for a raise later. This inconsistency in feedback felt manipulative and frustrating. The company also showed a complete disregard for employee well-being, particularly when it came to health and safety. There was a clear anti-mask stance, and employees were often expected to come to work even when they were sick, particularly with COVID. If you took a personal day, there was pressure to justify why, with management often questioning your need for time off. I was once told I had “management potential,” and even took on management responsibilities for a new employee to practice my skills, and when presented this to management I was told that it would be years before I would even be considered for a managerial position and I was in no way a manger to this individual. When a new opportunity opened up in my department, I expressed interest and was scheduled for a meeting with my manager. However, before that meeting even took place, the team was informed of a new hire for the position—someone they already knew, and the position hadn’t even been posted. I expressed my disappointment in not being given a fair chance, and my manager didn’t even respond to me directly. The company also had an unreasonable expectation for employees to remain on call, even during holidays, responding to non-urgent matters that could easily wait until normal working hours. I was also publicly reprimanded for joking with coworkers, even though the same behavior from my manager was overlooked. One of the most frustrating aspects was the lack of support from HR. When I made a complaint about an individual’s behavior towards coworkers, my manager took it upon themselves to approach the person directly, making the situation even more uncomfortable for everyone involved. The company’s approach to employee concerns often felt dismissive, and the leadership was inconsistent with their support for personal and professional growth. All in all, my time at this company was marked by poor management practices, a lack of respect for employees’ time and well-being, and a culture that favored conformity over individual growth. I would caution anyone considering a role here to be aware of the culture and management style before committing. P.s. has anyone else noticed the terrible AI art all over the store now?
