I spent a couple of hours in the Whole Foods coffee bar this morning after shopping and everyone from the customers to the employees looked either exhausted or angry. The Whole Foods that was once a happy and interesting place is now just another retail store that looks as if it is failing.
It’s really sad. :(
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They’re clueless as to how to make a profit. The only thing they know is now to take from employees. No gain share , no stock options , pwa is cut , insurance benefits reduced , hours cut , it all adds up to a never ending recession for employees at a time when the rest of the country is growing . They’d rather get rid of long time employees, they simply don’t care.
I worked there from '04 til '15. It was a fun job but I saw the writing on the wall. I've stopped by the ones in the area a few times since I quit and it is pretty sad but I still see a lot of people I used to work with. If they are still hanging on there must be a reason why? I don't feel it is right to ask them.
Some programs that roll out are terrible. OTS has some good points and some really counterproductive points and Kronos seems like we are just being trolled. We went from writing a schedule in an hour to it taking at least 4 hours over two shifts just so everyone's hours can be cut and no one is scheduled to do necessary things like receive and work load. Why not just tell us to cut hours? Anyway I digress, Kronos just really grinds my gears. I just wanted to point out that with most programs like OTS and Kronos, they absolutely ask for and listen to feedback. Yes they want your support to make their bad program rollouts a success but Kronos sends surveys for feedback and there are 2 calls a week you can call and join to actually talk with the people running the show and they are extremely realistic and we see immediate response and open feedback. OTS is changing all the time to make it less tedious. It still has along way to go but this is a big company. Things change slowly. We're finally getting windows 10 this month. DVO guns are about 20 years out of date by now so hopefully they are next. Our phone system as well.
“ When TMs point out the shortcomings of these new programs it falls on deaf ears.”.
OR you are labeled as negative and not a “team player”.
Regional can’t handle/doesn’t want to hear anything that deals with reality. They just like to pat themselves on the back when they roll out their endless untested programs.
Then when the programs fail? They double-down on the program.
It is absolutely amazing! And not in a good way.
In my dept. We have a tl and 3 atls. The only time they communicate with each other is when they want to vebably abuse a tm on the salesfloor in front of customers.
Fix It?? As much as Regional and Global "wants to hear from us," they still act like elitist babies whenever someone who likely has more knowledge about something...makes a useful suggestion. They see most TM's as useless and dumb.... there are those who DO have "common sense" and see just how something is "not quite right" but are helpless to fix it because, well... TMs are not supposed to have ideas...
Every new "program" that rolls out fails and is replaced with something equally stupid. When TMs point out the shortcomings of these new programs it falls on deaf ears. Anyone working in a store for a month could point out 20 things that don't make any sense. Until all the people in high positions that should not be there are flushed out the ship will continue to sink.
So fix it? Trying to fix anything at WF now is like trying to walk up an escalator going down. Fit it? Get real! For what? That’s why people are leaving. You have a better chance of liking your job if you have a job somewhere else.
So fix it. Be involved.
The last couple years we have about half the registers open that we used to have and all have long lines with grumpy customers. The lack of creative chalk signs, the trashy prime signs everywhere, and c-appy checkout process make me feel like I work at a dollar store.
We had fun working and had good benefits. Sadly, as long as healthcare is tethered to employment? We will see companies hiring mainly PT. What we see happening at wfm is part of a larger problem which will not be solved until Americans solve their healthcare crisis. In the meantime, all any of can do is vote with our wallets. Pay a little more at businesses that do treat their employees well. Invest in the health of your neighbors and your community by spending your money near your home with people you trust.
Isn’t that what many of us have been saying? The Whole Foods that we worked so hard to thrill people every time they walked into the stores with awesome displays of beautiful food is gone. People loved to come and shop and enjoy the ambiance. And we loved to work there. That wonderful company is gone. Guests and team members are sad and angry that it was shredded by incompetence at the highest level. Those are the people that drain it with their excessive salaries and bonuses. It is just another retail store. Nothing special.
At least you have a coffee bar ,lol