I bet they are the ones really keeping this site going. Fortunately for them, they have the ability to remain anonymous. I'm sure most people would agree that this site contains the sort of dialogue that a town hall meeting would truly consist of if people really spoke the truth. The reason why there is so much bashing of Whole Foods on this site is because deep down a lot of us were very unhappy for a long time and waiting for a solid reason to unleash the criticism. I love it! I don't work there anymore but I still read regularly just to amuse myself. For all of you CEOs, Presidents, VPs, etc. who read these posts, your store visits are always phony. The smiles and handshakes are fake. What you see is not reality and is not how the stores operate on a real daily level. You know that though, otherwise you wouldn't announce your store visits almost every time. You never wanted to see the reality because you don't know how to deal with the issues. It's like putting AstroTurf over your dying lawn temporarily and convincing yourself you have a nice lawn. How foolish are all of you really?
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Downtown Evanston must have the smallest parking lot...
Even if they did do you think they actually care? Do you know how many people apply for PT positions at my store? 70-100 for each open position. its no like we are hurting for staffing.
...sorry for grammar, my phone doesn't always type what I am saying correctly :)
Yes, it is inevitable. I have been reading a bunch of business news and other financials and their only way to steer them back and possibly in front of compition is to go with their new "365 model". Like others have said on other post, they will keep their highly profitable stores open, but like in the town I live in the one I used to work has high volume traffic nearly everyday. They are right near a dowtown hub,hospital, transit center, etc. But they are building a new store one town over, and I live in a town next to that town that has a store already, but its traffic is terrible and their customer service is problem the reason. I recently looked at google reviews, facebook comments, and yelp and almost every comment in the last three months is how they can find no help, or the items they are looking for are never in, etc. I see that store closing as soon as the bigger one in the town next to it is built, it also will be right next to a hospital, right off a freeway and will have a huge parking lot. At my old store everyone is freaking out cause we are the ones set to open a "365" store next I think at the end of September, I will be curious to see what it does to my old store, cause my old store has the smallest parking lot ever(maybe 65 parking spaces and it is at a very difficult intersection. I dunno they might just close that one down. But like I said I keep reading stories about the push of these 365 stores, and Aldis is trying to break into the westcoast and they just might be trying to head that off. They could build themselves back up if they do go with that model and only keep like 30-50 huge profitable stores open. Whats cool about those 365 stores is each one will have 3+ (Depending on size) local vendor shops(booths inside) and well at least for where I live I know it will bring in traffic for that reason alone. So if you can stick it out, and roll with what they are doing now, there should be future opportunities. But you all have to realize they do not care anymore, that team member crap is just that crap. They are a business and are going to do what is profitable to them. The old WF way is done-over!!. Just dont let them fire you over bullsh&^t and if you need the job watch your attendance that is where they will try to get you first, especially if your on the higher pay scale. ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP PLAN!!!
SW STL:
I gather from your comments below that there in fact more "house cleaning" in the works?
...ok I am back.....So shortly after they fired my supervisor, they started firing others in the store as well. All were either with the company a long time or were being payed a high wage. I was starting to get nervous, I owned a home both my husband and I worked for Walgreens, he was upper management I was a reset manager. So I had good reason to be worried. Sure enough they tried to pin something on my husband about four months after reading about them doing the exact same thing on topixs. Luckily he quit before they got the opportunity. I tried to stick it out, until they tried to fire me for using a store coupon and a manufacture coupon. They thought I was stupid, and thought I would either quit, or say I was at fault. But I am one of those people that DO read the employee handbooks and it clearly stated employees can use store coupons and manufacture coupons in a transaction. When the lp came in to try to get me, I got them and threaten to sue. That night I go on topix only to find out some other poor souls fell for the trap and let themselves get fired for the exact thing. When they were doing it to me, it must have been sent out from corporate to see how many people they could snag to fire based on couponing. I contacted the appropriate state authorities and wouldnt you know I found out about three weeks later they amended their employee handbook to reflect a NEW coupon policy. My husband I were a very select few employees that got out, and were able to successfully sue the company.
But what made me want to share this with you is beware of the company that is "all about profits over employees" In 2013 Walgreens tried to move their corporate headquarters overseas, to avoid paying tazes. I first found out on the forum on topix. People were sharing and when one of us found out and actually found the foreign news about it, we shared it on topix and told anyone and everyone that if they knew anyone in the media to let them know. This company had now stooped so low as to be unamerican and take their corporate offices overseas to save even more money. Well the forum talkers made it happen and that Sunday on MSNBC I saw a little blurb about how Walgreens was quickly denying that they were moving over seas despite the foreign press articles that told differently. So I share this with everyone, because yes there will be tolls on here, eventually store-corporate employee trolls that will tell you different but the best thing we all can do is keep everyone informed. The similarities with this company to the one i use to work for are only different in the sense that Walgreens dealt with scripts, and Whole Foods, thaought they could charge high prices for organic food forever. They cant they wont, the playing field is now level for all stores to carry healthy and organic, and the one thing that set us apart was knowledgeable employees, but as you all are starting to see with the quitting -fring-and consolidating of teams, that knowledge is gone. So there is nothing that sets us apart. The only , the only thing that will help Whole Foods survive is the new 365 stores modeled like Aldi's. Plain and simple they need to move in that direction to survive.
Sorry it would not let me type more, have to take my son to soccer practice anyways, I'll post part two in a bit :)
Do they really? I would say at this moment only a small few know. But within the next few months and if they do plan on making major changes in a few months, those at the top will be all over this. How do I know, well I used to work for a company (Walgreens) who treated their employees well and many and I do mean many stayed employed there for a long time. Every month we would get newsletters in the store that would show people from all over the United States who had reached their 10-15-25-30-50 year anniversary with the company. Around 2000 they started building lots and lots of stores, some would say one on every corner. They had the money to do so and were not in the red like say CVS or Rite-Aid. They were family owned and run. That massive growth, came back to bite them in the butt years later. Economy started tanking and couponing started effecting their bottom line, and then their stupid move to challenge Express Scripts, by telling them that they deserved a better rate and if they did not get it they would walk. Well Express Scripts called their bluff and that was the first domino that sent everything falling. Walgreens thought they were the big player on the field. They weren't, Express bumped up their contracts with CVS-Rite Aid-Target-QFC(Korger) and many many more retail/grocery stores. Yeah people still shopped at Walgreens, go their photos processed, but it is the pharmacy that brings in the dollars for the store, bottom line.
At the same time the company was still trying to make everything a team effort, they created this forum that you could talk about issues "Ask Greg Doe" they called it, like you could talk to the man himself. Well it went from people talking about how great their stores were and some of their managers and then it went ugly, people started talking about changes they were hearing and long time employees getting fired, and then someone mentioned a site called "topix" (google" topix walgreens forum) and see for yourself all the post that were on that site. People started to realize things were changing and that it was not safe to type or talk on company computers cause they had our ids, so we all went to the other site. That site was still anonymous, but they did want you to create a name for yourself. But I learned alot of things from others who worked for the company from that site. It did help me plan for the inevitable, fortunately people let the cat out of the bag on major changes and some of us were lucky enough to have the heads up. But alot were not, because they saw the site, did not believe what they were reading, and soon got fired for stupid, stupid things. My supervisor was one, that was all the proof I needed to know that they were getting rid of the long term, highly valued, higher paid workers. My supervisor had 40+ years in with the company. One night, like she did everynight, she walked outside to empty the trash that had been overflowing from garbage cans at the entrance to the store(our store had alot of traffic and those cans would be overflowing by nightfall). Well the next day, loss prevention came at the beginning of her shift, then I saw another night supervisor and the store manager, they all went in the office and she came out crying saying she was fired. When I asked why she said because it is against store policy for a supervisor at night to go outside the store. She was caught on camera walking outside the doors and therefore fired. 40 years she had with company, she had done that with the trash everynight, it was the only time she went out side, and it was like 4 feet from the door. That was the clear "writing on the wall for me" that they were about to make major changes and the first one was to push the old timer and high wage employees out. So I went back to that site and started informing everyone as to what was going on and so did others. As more and more people went to the site, eventually Walgreens corporate found out......
If our leaders would stop taking notes on jaded TMs and devote their time to increasing sales in their stores we may have a shot to save this droopy business. Honestly? That will never happen...
Wow, well said. I feel like there are a lot of people like us who put many years of dedication into the company and feel abondoned by the revelation of Whole Foods sub-par values and treatment. If people need to vent about their frustrations then let them. They all have the right to he heard.
Hey SW STL, what sort of authority do you believe you have on this sight? Your over inflated feeling of importance here is sad. Did you learn that at Whole Foods? Thought so......people don't want your sympathy. It means nothing. If you can't take anything but GOOD criticism, then stop looking at this site and "taking notes". You lived the frustrations for 6 WHOLE YEARS? Try more than double that, then people might listen to anything you have to say. Also, you have offensive opinions and seem very childish like the posts you refer to.
What makes you think you can do anything to people who violate the terms and conditions of this site? Consequences? HA! Let me guess...oh yeah, your over inflated feeling of self importance which will be all you have left when Whole Foods is done with you
I think a problem to address is that lots of TMs come here to bring up real issues, and maybe there are a few who come here and cloud the site with BS. It still doesn't detract the overwhelming majority of people with real, actual factual problems though. It echoes what's going on in the stores. For YEARS, management has been ignoring or deflecting real, actual factual problems brought to them from TMs. After awhile if your problems get ignored you will begin to feel frustrated. This is a site that takes in a lot of frustration, which I believe is WAY better than unloading it on customers or other TMs at work. Fine, if it gets petty their comments should be taken down. But it's childish and petty to 'keep notes' on who is frustrated. Doesn't management have better things to do, like run a grocery store?
For those (usually regional or STLs) who say the old worn-out phrase 'Well, you should quit WFM and find happiness elsewhere", they should be astounded at how many people do just this. These goners realize the true corruption at the core of the company and GTFO. When our own leadership sees true talent, skills, and innovative genius leave over & over & over, and can't add up what's happening right in front of them, they are the problem. For many other TMs who don't leave, it's not because they're just having so much fun bringing up problems over & over & over to management (the way management portrays them in ALL of the stores I've worked at, which will be nine this september). No, they're truly trying to make their jobs easier, the company more efficient, gainsharing higher... people can't just quit their jobs either. The team I'm on is one of the best in the company and that's exactly why I haven't left in fifteen years, I've hopped around a bit to work with the best ones left. This great group is shrinking though, and it's frightening and sad.
That's my take. I am thankful for this site, but have noticed some not-so-subtle threats posted here from leadership, and that's the worst thing. It's even more childish and petty than people coming here naming names. You know what? If someone s---s in Quarry THAT BADLY, so badly that it was blowing up this site, shouldn't that concern be taken seriously from 'management'? Instead of examining and removing this problem though, it seems like this management group is more concerned with removing posts and then commenting on how people are being 'watched' and they're 'taking notes'.
What happened to this company? I don't work in the SW region by the way, and don't know the STL from a hole in the ground, but I do know that any CEO/CFO/global leader of a normal business that takes the time to read comments on here would be gravely concerned about this one store in particular (and many other problems too) and would get off their tail and at least investigate the issue. And then, I realize that the true problem is the leaders themselves. So, full circle and nothing gets solved.
some of the comments are down right vile.
making false claims, personal attacks on looks, insinuating s--ual favors etc. They are merely an individual's character reference OPINION but considering their are very few specific FACTS posted, just anonymous digital bullying, it is hard for me to feel much sympathy for some people.
I understand the frustrations, I lived it for 6 years, but this is ridiculous.
People are venting their anger versus clearly stating their issues; emotion clouds judgement and it is obvious some people just can't handle their own sh--.
feel free to vent, but understand that your actions can have consequences, especially if you continually violate the terms of service and content of this site.
If you want real support, then grow the f-up and present the situations and supporting FACTS like an adult, not some spoiled brat who's no longer the prodigal son.
-1pvd, c'mon. The clean house only comes from getting rid of many of these STLs, and global and regional 'Leadership'. It's not disgruntled TMs that are causing the problems that are making our company fail- it's the LEADERS. Leading us right into a cesspool of failure. But go ahead and continue to 'take notes', that's so productive.
The post didn't mention STLs. That's irrelevant. STLs aren't as significant as they'd like to believe. This house can't be cleaned. It needs to be completely rebuilt. It's over
Yes, SW STLs are very aware of this site. It's very easy to figure which disgruntled TM wrote what. It's also easy to have the post removed because most TMs aren't leaving good criticism, they want to display how s--ist and gross they are. Notes are being kept and TMs who no longer appreciate their jobs are on the way out for a clean house.
to be fair, most folks at regional have tons of experience at the store level and they get it, they've been there. they know their walks are just shows... i mean they shop at wfm all the time so they know what stores really look like on a daily basis.
doesn't make it any less annoying to jump through hoops to make the place look amazing for a walk though.
what i hate is when they cancel walks at the last minute knowing full well what people go through leading up to them with the last minute schedule changes and stuff. as if our schedules and lives weren't chaos already...
Too busy drinking Apple-tinis on the deck of their 5 acre property thinking of ways to fund Johnnys college education by denying severance to people who were told it would be coming if Whole Foods ever eliminated their job. Cheers to TM Happiness!
All these idiotic regional morons with super phony titles are the ones who should be let go...They don't have any notion of how really these stores operate...Tight labor, high turnover & genral unease....they stiil have the audacity to walk around the stores "giving" feedback on things they don't even understand.....What a freaking joke this company has become....
Good post..i agree that some regional or store leaders moniter this site