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Walgreens has COMPLETELY taken advantage of the bad economy expecting more for less. Our store is completely understaffed and at least 80% of my coworkers either have a second job or are looking for another one as a way to get out! The only way the manager shows appreciation for a job well done is by ignoring you(even though it makes you feel stupid and worthless its better than getting yelled at). Managers are always playing with their phones and joking around but when you stop working to catch your breath (not being on the phone or talking to anyone) you will get yelled at and interrogated as to why YOU are not doing anything. Most managers at this store tell customers we are out of items when they don't want to go in the stock room and look for them. If there is an open position that you want, you better believe they are going to hire someone with absolutely no experience for that position instead of you. The people that enjoy working there are usually the ones that hang out with the manager outside of work, most likely have 5 children and happen to mysteriously get promoted to the head of their department.
Pros: close to where I live. not much mental energy wasted.
Cons: very stressful from customers as well as management and coworkers, low pay for the amount of work expected, unprofessional mgmt
I work in the cosmetics department. Even though we are the first 3 aisles of the store, then people head to the rest of the store to finish they're shopping, we are expected to ring up a third of the days sales at our register. This is something managment hounds us over. At the same time we have stocking, cleaning, resets, showing customers to other areas of the store and helping them with their selections there, helping at the front registers if there's more than 3 people in line, demonstrations to man, price changes to do, etc. Many of our customers are there to get perscriptions and/or photos, and they don't want to pay at 2 different registers. Walgreens also has "suggestive sales item" for each department that they demand you push. Most of the time these items aren't so easy to sell. For example sunscreen, in March, in Michigan, in a down economy. Or body wash that they've had on sale for the last 3 months. But MGT will still hound you to get those sales up. They promise you commissions on the make-up you sell, but you only get that money if you can get the customer to pay you at the cosmetics register. If they're waiting on a perscription, say good bye to that $ you just worked to earn. ALso, no matter how hard you work, how much you get done, never a thank you, or job well done. Just more pressure to get more done.
Pros-Overtime pay if you work over 10 hours in a day, but they never let that happen. 5 days vacation pay after a year, 10 after 2 years, 1 personal day, and 6 sick days, and 6 paid holidays a year for full time employees. Oh and benefits if you can afford them. If your an adult living on your own, not part of MGT, without a second income, you probably can't.
Starting wage-Minimum wage, my 20 years of previous experience meant nothing. Then look forward to a $.25 raise (if store manager approves) every 6 months. So after 2 years you could be making $1 more per hour. After another couple years you might catch up to what the kids flipping burgers are making. From what I'm told, it's not this bad all over the country. Walgreens is just taking advantage of the high unemployment rate in Michigan. Oh and don't believe when they say that they promote from within, and that you don't need a degree to be an assistant. I don't have a degree but have 20 years in the field, 5 years of it being a store manager and 7 assistant managment experience, but no degree. Last year they hired many new assistants in the area a few had no retail or customer service experience, but did have degrees. My store manager even recommended me, and I was interviewed, but passed over because I didn't have a degree. Which I was informed of at a later time.
Walgreens can be a very good company if not for the EXTREME matter of favoritism. Im sure not all situations are the same, but the drama that goes on at store level is so ridiculous. It would be great to say that had work will get you everywhere in this company, but not here...its all about who you know or who you are related to. Now that the economy is what it is, its even more pathetic. If your plans are to find a company to move up in and make a future of, then this is probably not for you unless you have connections here.
salaries to my position got cut anywhere frome 5,000 to almost 10,000 for some long termed employees, while store managers continued to get their larg bonuses created for them by lower level mgts. It's unfortunate to say, but most store managers, Not All, decide to spend most of the time in the office talking on the phone all day...while many EXAs, which are not bound to the time clock, take advantage of that to come in late, take extended lunches, and leave early at thier convenience. AGAIN NOT ALL MANAGEMENT AND STORES ARE LIKE THIS, but for the most part it is. GOOD LUCK.
If you enjoy working for an hierarchal system, in an environment full of rumors and drama, this is for you. There have been rumors spread by the STORE MANAGER, to OTHER stores about me. I started when I was 16 years old and in high school, and I would be working 30-35 hours a week. This is insane, and I believe it breaks some labor laws for minors. When I was working overnights, while in college, I worked an 11 hour shift, and on days where I was sick, the Store Manager told me that overnights do not get sick days like all other employees. Nor do they get vacation time, unless there is coverage. As an SBA I was verbally abused, and expectations were horrendous with what duties they wanted me to do.
I started at 6.75 and I got up to 9.00 after two years, but that was after a lot of influence and noticing when to put my voice in for promotions. Bonuses weren't always given like they were supposed to, and I should have been around 10 dollars, when I left.
An assistant manager is where you start off if you're a recent grad. You’ll primarily be stocking shelves, handling cash, watching over things, and following the store manager’s directions. Expect to work 45-50hrs a week and all holidays. Expect heavy lifting and being on your feet all day. This is not an easy job by any means. The long hours and hard work continue as you move up along with high stress as there is pressure to meet many store goals.