Crate and Barrel reviews

Beware of certain positions because you are required to do evening (close) shifts at all times. And of course the don't tell you this during the interview process. Don't even think about confiding in a manager, because soon the whole store will know your business. Employee confidentiality is something unheard of at Crate and Barrel. The positions that require the most difficult back breaking work are paid very little and be prepared to do your job as well as everyone else's without a pay increase. People who have no knowledge of the product, who aren't even street smart with an ounce of common sense recieve outrageous promotions. Expect to know what type of protection you will be getting based on your own compextion...(yes, this isn't a typo). At Crate and barrel, the MANAGERS are always right. They are very afraid and wary of Unions, only because of the shady practices that goes down behind the curtains.

1. The growth structure is extremely flawed. You start from the bottom no matter how much outside experience you have. All that is valued is your Crate experience and it can take years to get anywhere, with many false promises alon the way. This is actually a beast with two heads because it leads to two very grave problems. First, it leads many talented people to make an early exit since it is so demoralizing to have what in many cases is years of previous experience and knowlede un-valued. Second, it means that all those that do make it into upper management develop the same mentality and ways of doing things, be it good or bad, and creativity/new ways of thinking are almost non-existant. 2. Though you'd think all those years of proving yourself to get to the managerial levels would produce great well-trained managers, this isn't the case. Upper management is often incompetent in the interpersonal skills department. Many are lacking some VERY basic communication and management skills. Because of this morale problems are rampant...people not getting the praise they deserve for a job well done, people not being constructively given feedback, not enough goal-setting and attention given to associates to assist in their growth, etc.