At first I thought this was an okay job because I got hired quickly and the work seemed easy, even though I was only earning minimum wage. My department managers and co-workers were all nice people willing to work with me on my schedule when I started taking college classes.
After a while I became annoyed with the hierarchy of management in my store. A few of the store managers (one in particular) are condescending and disrespectful toward employees. They stress maximizing profit to an extent that really puts me off, and stresses out overworked department managers who have never been and never will be able to bring in the numbers demanded of them. The emphasis placed upon outstanding customer service is fanatical. Multiple times I've been criticized for failing to act as though time spent at Hy-Vee fills me with the rhapsodical glow of heaven, even though I've always been polite and attentive to customers. They literally want a smile pasted on your face every second that you're there.
Hard work goes unacknowledged. Employees are forced to pay $20+ for their own work uniforms. They aren't allowed to have a beverage with them unless they're on break, and then they're made to pay 10 cents for a cup of water. The discount they give employees who want to eat dinner while they're on break is so negligible that I wonder why it's even offered. Managers get upset when an employee clocks out two minutes late, because then they have to pay the employee an extra 25 cents for the day. Employees aren't even allowed to leave the building during break.
I know people who've been employed with a competitor grocery chain in my area. The other store pays slightly better and doesn't demand as much out of its workers. Prices are comparable.
The bottom line: Hy-Vee wants everything from you but doesn't want to give anything in return. I can find an easier, better-paying job and I don't recommend working here, except maybe to a teen who needs first-time job experience.
