After working at multiple stores, I was able to see differing management styles, and get a deeper feel for the company. It led me to notice a lot of flaws.
Firstly: If you're looking to this company to be a standard for christianity - don't. They claim to be christian, but there were many things I found to be shady (the way sales are structured, the wording of their signage is often misleading, store brand items that used to go on sale now no longer do but the prices are remaining at the higher end, etc). Also, for a supposedly "christian" company, they show very little grace, considering that christianity is founded upon the concept of grace. Three of my associates were fired, all in different stores, and all for very petty reasons that did not justify being fired, merely being warned. It is easier to get rid of the minor irritation than to take into account their true natures and the hard work that the individuals poured into the company for 3, 4, and 10 years.
Secondly (and more minor, but it still deters a lot of employees): Everything is manual at this company. If you're used to scanning items at the checkout, get ready for lots of buttons. They scan only receipts (for returns), coupons, and sewing patterns. Everything else is done by typing. There is a lot to remember. If you remember things easily, it's not difficult, but for the majority of people, it is tricky and time consuming to learn, and you don't get much training - two days if you're lucky - before they start throwing you into new situations and expecting you to perform perfectly. Others may try to help you, but if they take time from their jobs, they get in trouble. So you're kind of on your own.
Thirdly - you're never going to get any kind of recognition for the super hard work you do. The only times I ever received compliments was when other coworkers talked to me, and when I was leaving my first store (they were sad to lose me).
Other:
They don't really give you an opportunity to move up in the company, and there are NEVER raises.
The benefits are fine, but no better than you'd expect.
It's hard to balance life and work because most managers will not give you your weekly schedule until the week of, or a couple days before.
The Greens do not want their employees to have their own ideas for making work better or easier. To paraphrase their own words: 'We do not want you to have ideas. We want you to follow the way we say to do things.'
Senior management will be friendly and nice to you, but the second they decide you were wrong, things are bad. Even if it turns out you weren't in the wrong. They are fickle. Also, everything you learn is subjective. One manager might want you to do things one way, and then you get yelled at the next day by another manager. You often aren't sure where you stand.
When big-wigs come to town, there is a sudden scramble to get everything perfect, when it should have been up to standard all along.
If you're considering working for this company, know that it can be fun, but it is daily a very fine line even for those with the best of personalities and the strictest of rule-followers.
