Rolling non-stop downhill and gaining speed. - Anonymous employee Five Below Employee Review

1.0
Oct 26, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Discount of 20% on all items. Doesn't seem like much but it's better than some places. Cool things to purchase. Casual uniform (t-shirt and jeans) Fairly relaxed interactions between associates and managers. Time-Off: Fairly supportive about other jobs or functions and within reasoned followed all requested time off.

Cons

Scheduling: Supposedly the schedule is supposed to come out every Monday but usually Wednesday or even Friday is when we got our schedules. Changed without warning, and sometimes it was never communicated that it had changed until you missed a shift or were late. Pay: For what employees have to deal with they get back squat. Heard of one employee having to clean up an accident in the bathroom for more than 2 hours when there wasn't an adequate amount of sanitation supplies. Overworked/Little Hours: It's one of the other. If one of the Big Heads was coming expected to work our tails off and then go back to no hours. Customers: 50/50. half were inconsiderate pains that treated you as if you were lower than a speck of worm poo. Disorganized: There was way too much stuff that seemed disorganized. Rules not followed by most management, yet if you followed your example you got in trouble. Upper Management: District manager was two faced and a liar with lots of things. Changed rules and what he wanted and then played off as if he never said anything and chewed out everyone else. Not owning up to mistakes. Training: LMFAO! As if this existed!! Freight Manager/Assistant: P.I.T.A. Didn't feel like he had to adhere to the store rules and was a bossy know it all. Treated everyone as if they just started and he had been working for the company for years. Freight: Heard there was no freight differential even though apparently there was supposed to be. (Freight working overnight was paid 7.25. Associates during day were paid 7.25) False Promises: No room for advancement unless you're a manager pet.

Explore other reviews about Five Below

5.0
Jun 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fun environment Fun coworkers Always something new to discover

Cons

Low pay Not enough hours

1.0
Jul 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Salary and bonus opportunities, and talented colleagues.

Cons

I rarely write reviews, but I hope this helps others understand the culture I experienced. I joined the company excited about the opportunity and dedicated myself to delivering results, building strong cross-functional partnerships, and supporting the business. Throughout my time there, I consistently received positive feedback from stakeholders and colleagues and was never made aware of any performance concerns or gaps. I was a top-performing team member and delivered consistent business results. My employment ended without warning. The explanation I received was simply that the company had “decided to move in a different direction." There had been no prior coaching, performance improvement plan, or conversations indicating my role or performance was at risk. It was a complete shock—not only to me, but also to many of my peers who reached out expressing surprise and frustration. The most disappointing part wasn’t just the decision itself, but how it was handled. Transparency, honest communication, and respect seemed to be missing from the process. Employees deserve timely, candid feedback and the opportunity to address concerns before life-changing decisions are made. Instead, I was left trying to make sense of a decision that didn’t align with the feedback I had consistently received. No workplace is perfect, and difficult business decisions sometimes have to be made. However, if you’re considering joining this organization, I encourage you to ask thoughtful questions about leadership communication, performance management, and how employees are supported when priorities shift. Your experience may depend heavily on the team and leadership you work under. Cons: Lack of transparency, inconsistent communication, limited psychological safety, and an environment where employees may not receive honest feedback until it’s too late.

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