Trader Joe's reviews

4.1

81% would recommend to a friend

(10,608 total reviews)
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Bryan Palbaum

72% approve of CEO

71% positive business outlook

Trader Joe's has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 10,608 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Trader Joe's employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

11K reviews
1.0
Sep 17, 2013

So glad to be done.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you like to keep busy, it's that kind of place. I like being busy and not having to hunt for things to do. It used to be pay raises came fairly often, so if you worked there for five years or more, you probably make better money than most comparable jobs. Benefits used to come with 21 hours a week, but it's recently been raised to 30, which is still ok.

Cons

1. Serious age bias. 2. Backstock packed so tight that doing your job safely can be an issue. 3. If you do get hurt, expect a long workers comp run, because Trader Joes doesn't support light duty. 4. In recent years, you'll never be given time to finish any task, so if you're really motivated to finish, you'll have to hurt yourself to do it. 5. Disorganized, sloppy, inconsistent training. 6. Depending on the management and store, a lot of favoritism or gossip. Sometimes it's just Good Ole Boy style. 6. Expect your managers to drink on the job. Some have tastings, others have "tastings." 7. Passive aggressive harassment to misery an undesired employee to quit rather than firing them.

2.0
Sep 17, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

1. Used to have a good history and company culture. 2. Still pays a decent hourly rate with hours available being cut to the bone. 3. Good prepared foods, but not the store for cooks. 4. Cheap prices on the products they do carry. 5. 10% discount for crew. 6. There is still some food tasting.

Cons

1. Changing from a friendly company to another corporate food chain. 2. Rapid expansion leads to supply problems and more discontinued products or items out of stock. 3. Cutting employee benefits and sending memos that employees should be happy to work there because they are getting more than at other discount places. 4. Employees now have to have open availability, which eliminates the chance for second jobs, schooling or a family life. If not available around the clock, employees do not get sufficient work hours to make a decent wage or get the remaining health benefits. 5. Newly implemented "sales per person hour" percentages cut the crew to the bone. The results are dirtier stores, haphazard rotation of products, more injuries. Customer service is beginning to suffer because there are fewer people on the floor to do the same work. 6. The new system discourages teamwork, and there is a reduced chance to make connections at work. There former "family" has broken apart. 7. Trader Joe's is fast becoming another food chain by adjusting its business practices for race to the bottom. If you want to work as a busy store clerk and cashier for $10/hr, this is the job for you. It is not a good company anymore and will lose its standing as a good employer. 8. Positive reviews on this site from late August/September are untruthful. There are very few happy employees at Trader Joe's right now. They know that it is only getting worse for them.

5.0
Sep 16, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

15% matching retirement savings for full and part-time employees fantastic medical, dental & vision coverage for part or full time employees & families generous amount of paid time off for part time or full time employees fun atmosphere financially stable company - they have no debt and are privately owned

Cons

retail hours, weekends, nights, etc. generally not a very professional work environment - lots of recreational drug use among crew members, sleeping around, foul language and the like.

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Glassdoor has 10,946 Trader Joe's reviews submitted anonymously by Trader Joe's employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Trader Joe's is right for you.