Overworked, underpaid team - staff in the shop often work 50-60+ hours for minimum wage with little or no breaks
Lack of imagination from senior management
Ludicrous divide between the shop floor and head office (head office look after themselves whilst constantly shafting the shop floor staff by withholding pay rises and bonuses)
Pathetic culture of back-scratching and gossip - no one can be trusted because they're after someone else's job
Stifling, forced corporate culture of "recognition" designed to brainwash staff into not demanding more pay. Furthermore if you don't buy into the culture then you're punished.
Shops are constantly understaffed and this lack of investment in labour is constantly justified as "we can't afford it, it's our biggest liability" - this is a lie, the biggest liability is shareholder dividends
Limited career progression beyond store manager level. You will constantly be lied to about how you have a career plan and that your next promotion is just around the corner. Complete rubbish.
Constantly forced to move stores in order to further your training. Worked in 5 stores in 9 months! At one point I was commuting 1hr30 mins (one way) every day and back then having to do 9 hour shifts, or even longer. Ended up spending £100 a week on petrol but this was never compensated for. No consultation was sought from management. Would be told 2-3 days prior to the move that I was being moved.
