Going Downhill Fast - Sign Artist Trader Joe's Employee Review

1.0
Dec 1, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Trader Joe's offers decent pay compared to similar jobs in the grocery/retail industry, decent benefits, and (usually) a flexible work schedule.

Cons

I've worked at Trader Joe's for 4.5 years, and it's done a complete 180 in that time (at least in my region, anyway). At this point I'm convinced that the term "hostile work environment" was created to describe Trader Joe's. As others have said, Trader Joe's is all about the bottom line now. Once you reach a certain salary, they begin targeting you (as if my barely 20K a year is some unheard of salary that the store can't afford to pay). Trader Joe's will never fire an employee unless they are stealing or engaging in some sort of activity that could lead to the store finding itself in some hot water. They will, however, do anything they can to get you to quit. They will change your schedule, change your duties, schedule you only one day a week, and much more. If you're a full-timer, they'll demote you to part time without hesitation (causing you to lose upwards of 40K a year). You will also be written up for literally nothing at all, preventing you from receiving a raise. I know I may sound like someone who has a problem with my store, but honestly, I've seen this pattern repeated at least a dozen times over my tenure at Trader Joe's. Once I passed the $16/hr mark at my last review, I was told that my salary "costs the store too much money," and it was immediately after that that they began targeting me and playing these hostile games. Our regional manager is awful and pushes captains to treat their crews like garbage. If they don't, they'll be demoted and a new Captain who is willing to play the game will be brought in. Trader Joe's used to be the kind of place that would work very hard to make its employees happy, but it's now turned into the type of place that will drive you out and replace you with someone who is happy to work for $10/hr.

Explore other reviews about Trader Joe's

5.0
Jun 30, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

fun place to work part time

Cons

it can be very exhausting

4.0
May 27, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Great way to meet people, socialize, and learn customer service -Always tasked with different things every hour -Friendly crew who will always help you to learn and get better at your job -Get a slight pay raise every 6 months -No outside commitments and amazing benefits if you work full time (about 28 hours a week for every 6 months) -Will take time, but find your friend group, stay with them and have fun, you can't please everybody -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

Cons

-Not many, unless you are stuck in a bad store with bad management -I had some good luck of working in 3 great stores, so YMMV -Sometimes can get cliquey like you are back in high school -Getting promoted up to store management may involve buttering up and being a "yes-person" -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

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