General Manager - Anonymous employee Five Below Employee Review

1.0
Jun 16, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great Concept Some locations are awesome Some locations treat their customers better

Cons

Whoever is running the Bowie and DC stores should never be allowed to work in retail again. I remember going into the Bowie store last year and it looked clean. Now it looks so bad I go to the Crofton store instead. The DC store is even worse!!! I don't understand how some of these mid-level managers maintain their position in the company, especially with all of the VIOLATIONS of workplace regulations including but not limited too: Mandatory OT, No Breaks. I will continue to actively tell everyone I am in contact with to avoid these 2 stores specifically. I imagine it will not be long before each store is either closed due to inefficiency, or they get rid of whoever is "leading" these terrible stores. I will not stop telling people not to shop at those locations.

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5.0
Jun 24, 2026
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CEO approval
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Pros

Great people, staff, and people to work with

Cons

None I loved it all

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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