Upon interviewing, this company promoted itself to be very big on training. However, training, particularly in use of technology required for the job, was extremely lacking.
Even when more training on specific areas was requested multiple times, training was never offered or received.
I was expected to work in several specialized areas without proper training, and when I asked co-workers in those areas if they had received training for the specific work, they all said no (even thought it required specialized safety training).
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are also talked up, but I saw no evidence that anything meaningful was being done to support and promote diverse voices.
Several people with disabilities were let go while I worked there, even though they were diligent and valuable to the company. It was not evident that the company had made any effort to retain and support these workers.
The sales floor and other work and break spaces of the store I worked at were not disability-friendly. The expectations, tasks, policies and requirements were not presented to employees in a disability-friendly way. The company culture is also not disability-friendly.
I have also been told that before 2020, The Container Store did not have an HR department. This is unfortunately still obvious.
There is very little transparency at this company.
During my time there I could find no company directory, either in hard copy or on the company intranet, so that I could find appropriate people to reach out to with specific questions.
If any question needed to be asked about HR matters, payroll, policy, it had to go directly through the general manager. No other avenue of communication was offered or made obvious.
Break areas for employees were not respected by upper management.
Two tables were provided in the break room for meals and rest breaks.
These tables were constantly covered with random work materials, and left very little space to eat a meal, and certainly no space to distance when Covid spikes were up.
Whenever a new hire group was training, both tables were taken up so that there was no space for employees to eat meals at all.
Frequently, the general manager would take over an entire table for her own workspace, instead of using her office. If there were any work materials on the second table, this left space for only 1 person to comfortably enjoy a meal or break.
The company motto is "Communication is Leadership", but communication was very bad at this company. This motto became a joke on the sales floor that the employees would say to each other when communication from the executive level was "lost in translation" on it's way to the sales floor staff.
Schedules and hours were constantly shifted so that one could never predict their workweek or if they would be able to pay their bills.
Part time workers requested more hours and were denied, while the company continued to hire brand new people.
Turnover was excessively high while I was there. Many people who left told me it was because they could not get enough hours.
Nothing was done to retain workers at all.
This company is also vehemently Anti-Union.
Every new hire is made to watch an Anti-Union video, which was a gross piece of propaganda and should not be allowed.
I also found the general manager at my location to be completely out of her depth, not able to lead a team, and not competent regarding the policies, training and interpersonal communication required to do her job effectively.
I was told by one person who had previously been in a leadership role that they left because of this manager and her inability to perform effectively in her role.
I would never recommend that anyone work for this company.
They appear to only be interested in profits, at the complete expense of their employees.
