Where do I start.. I worked here years ago and what went on was shocking. Managers would shame and bully some staff members regularly. The head manager grabbed and shoved another sales advisor out of her way. This manager would go around staring in the mirrors at herself and criticise others everyday. If you were on until close, they would make you work an hour or more after closing, over your schedule and contract hours, unpaid. Lots of people had to get buses home, for some it was their last bus and only way home but despite knowing this management didn't care and expected everyone to stay behind.
Management would check your bags each time you entered and left the building, even from lunch, completely disregarding our privacy. They would also do random checks and make us empty our bag and pockets and did it in a humiliating way. I saw one manager, call a sales advisor out for a random check, in the middle of a busy shop floor and asked her to empty her pockets. She didn't ask her quietly or discretely. She didn't ask her to go into the office, instead she chose to humiliate, upset and make her feel like a thief with no remorse. This girl had to do this in front of the entire staff and customers. The sales advisor was understandably very upset. It was shocking, sickening behaviour by management.
Another time a sales advisor who worked on the floor helped a customer with clothes and sold hundreds of euro worth of clothing and the customer was very happy with the sales advisor and complimented them to the manager. There was a monthly rewards system in place for the best sales person. This person made the most sales in a month by a long way but instead the manager decided to give it to one of her pals instead. They didn't even receive a thank you even though other staff members pointed it out to the managers. There was no appreciation of staff just humiliation, micromanaging, overworking, no trust, bullying, intimidation, lack of care, lack of respect and more.
Before starting this job I was given one of few contracts that had a decent amount of hours. I had a very successful interview and hit it off with the hiring manager (who unfortunately didn't work in the Athlone store) hence why I got a good contract. We were all looking for more hours and I expressed this to a manager but instead, she tried to gaslight me and convince me to give up my contract for less hours! So she could give it to her friends.
It was without a doubt the worst, most toxic place i've ever had the misfortune to work. Unfortunately, I think one of the same managers is still there. Hopefully things have changed but I hated working for them. The other sales advisors were nice and hardworking but the management were the absolute worst and in no way professional or good at their job.
In hindsight, I should've reported them for multiple things but you live and learn.
Lastly, the pay was bad.
