Corporate Stockholm Syndrome
Pros
Every now and then, a customer will listen to and appreciate your advice, forming a connection and making you feel valued. The pets.
Cons
PetSmart will lure you in with their cultivated illusion of caring, and because you love pets. They’ll tell you that “You Belong” and that you are part of a supported community. They’ll tell you that your career has a future in the company, and you’ll end up working harder with less support to keep things running for your team. In May, 2025, PetSmart “restructured” its stores’ management, eliminating roles to create new ones. They forced seasoned managers in the old roles to apply for the new ones, and then didn’t rehire many of them— no severance, nothing. The whole time touting the “New Model” while withholding details from the staff. Many managers were laid off on Sunday, May 18, 2025. After closing that evening, having just laid off managers, stores were supposed to throw a little party in the break room—to celebrate the new roles. (Info publicly available.) This is what this company thinks of its associates. It’s all an illusion— don’t fall for the smoke, mirrors, and fake smiles— it’s all about the profits.