I grew up in these stores. In all of the anger and hate going around, and swelling in me, I try not to lose sight of how fortunate I felt to work so long for a company that was so good to us. But it is hard. There was a time gainsharing meant something. Where our voices and uniqueness were welcome. A time when we really were appreciated verbally, economically, and through the nature of the culture. I chose to move up in the ranks of Whole Foods, well beyond that of middle management. I did so because I was allowed to treat people the way I had thought they should be treated. I felt a paternal feeling towards all of my Team Members. I gave them room to learn, room to make mistakes, offered solace in difficult times, and rewarded excellence AND attempts at excellence. I put people before profit.
To any trolls out there, that doesn't mean I didn't run a profitable business, in fact, at every level, I've brought "profit and wealth" to the company. I felt happy Team Members would make happy customers, and you know what, it worked. To those telling everyone to get over it, or saying anything along the lines of "What did you expect?", we expected more. We had reason to expect more. Whole Foods has eliminated positions in the past, but (at least in the SoPac region), has done so with compassion and tried to make sure people ended up on their feet (the closing of the Commissary was not done ethically though). This was an amazing company to work for, even through bad times for many years. It was a terrific place for many more years than it was an awful place. There were those of us in our positions who felt we could continue to make it the place it was, to offer new Team Members the experiences we had when we were just starting out. To do something like that, you have to believe.
To those of you commenting about your leadership, just know we aren't all bad, many of us are as hurt as you (and fearing for our jobs). There are awful leaders in our company, from Supervisor to Team Leaders, to coordinators, to RVPs. It seems the qualities Whole Foods (at least in the SoPac region) are looking for in their STLs and TLs continue to grow more cutthroat and detached. STILL, there are many of us who either achieved some "success" before there was such a tectonic shift in values or somehow snuck through the cracks. Many of your TLs, STLs, and coordinators have been devastated as well. We can't recognize the company we started working for. We are just waiting for the next shoe to drop and our jobs to be eliminated. We are heartbroken and devastated by what is happening, and what we are having to do. I love the people who are working for and with me. We are people too. We think this is as messed up as you do. Again I know this isn't everyone. I know there are a lot of callous awful people in leadership, but please keep in mind many of us our heartbroken and disagree with every decision this company has made in the last year.
Even if you don't care to stand by Whole Foods anymore. I know I'm looking for my exit plan, have compassion for those who you work with who haven't given you a reason to do otherwise. Was your an STL a nice guy/gal who would come by daily and ask how you were doing? Did your TL take an active interest in your life, asking about your dreams, family, goals? Did your coordinator walk your store and always remember the names of your TMs and recognize and praise your contributions? They are still those people. They may be asking you to do more work. They may be firing your friends (or you may have been fired). Please remember this is not THEM. It is what a changing corporation that is being mismanaged from the upper echelons is forcing them to do. If they choose not to do it, they can lose their home, their security, and the security of their children. If they don't do what they are being asked, they know (and let's be honest, you know), Whole Foods will remove them from their position and just put someone else there who will. Someone who will do it willingly and won't try to soften the blow with what ever little bit of power they have left.
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Do your best to discern the good guys from the bad guys. A title won't give you the real reflection of that. Let's be good to each other and then let's get out.