Do Yourself a Favor and Do Not Accept Employment at Lowe's

YRMV of course. I see posts ALL the time about people just getting hired and I'd love to share my experience.

Reasons Being:

1. Poor Work-Life Balance (Open Availability, unfixed schedule for anything specialist or in management) There are only few roles have fixed schedules.

2. Poor Attendance Policy (Sick Pay covering your call out doesnt necessarily mean the absence is excused.)

3. Poor Compensation ($15/HR) despite being able to pay WAY MORE

4. VERY poor workplace conditions (unsafe and very unregulated)

5. VERY poor on the job training

6. DOCUMENTED evidence of CEO being a "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" kind of guy. Also, please consider this reddit post when it comes to compensation :

https://www.reddit.com/r/Lowes/comments/1nbvo0v/pay_is_bad_because/?share_id=dkgOfuCZ0Ra21bAshAjsf&utm_content=1&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

7.VERY difficult to qualify for bonuses as a specialist (you need to hit 200% SPH, have a minimum ticket order of $250, yadda yadda, it was never meant for you to bonus)

8.Lack of incentive for the employees. (Yes, recently for black Friday we had that we get money for every Lowe's protection plan we sold. Example: 3$ for 3 years or something like that)

9.Pushing Credit Cards- At 31.99% interest rate and very careful wording this is one of the most predatory aspects of Lowe's.

10. Short Staffed/ Skeleton Crew: Expect to be working by yourself most days or with limited staffing. If freight/ MST/ fulfillment don't complete their jobs-- that's gonna be something that falls on you to complete then or "help out with"

11. Unfairly compensated knowledge: They want you to be able to mix paint, cut glass, cut wire, etc., and will happily train you to do so-- without an increase in pay. It only gets worse the longer you are there. The less they train u and the more you sell is your labor at a very discounted price.

12. Performance Based Reviews: now, I am not opposed to this. I have just heard that during the reviews it is likely that any kind of raises WILL NOT be matching increased COL. Think like 10-20 cent raises.

13. You are a work horse: expect to be regularly lifting heavy stuff.

14. Technology is a joke at Lowe's. IT support will not help you. Also they have yet to streamline ALOT of processes related to inventory (which is turn makes your job more challenging!)

15. Major push to increase metrics such at the survey at the bottom of the receipt, driving sales with add ons, and getting the product installed.

16. If you are a specialist, you will encounter working with the Central Selling Team. You will be a liason between connecting the customer to the Central Selling Team. In theory, that should mean you no longer are tied to that customer and can move onto the next customer. In reality, the central selling team is unable/unwilling to do alot of things and will tell the customer to go into a brick and mortar store for support. Did I mention that you get 2x the "credit" when something is sold through central selling? Meaning, Lowe's is looking to get rid of specialist positions and move them to telephone sales whenever is feasible. Dont believe me? Look at the QR codes that allow customers tp schedule the appointments themselves to completely cut out speaking with an associate.

17. Lowe's Ai- I know Ai isn't going anywhere its just icky that we are giving this Ai free training on how to better serve Lowes.

18. If you are MST, I have heard that the hours are awesome but that it sucks being tracked where you are on a day to day basis. As payroll from my understanding is subsidized by companies outside of Lowe's.

19. Also say no to being forklift certified for $15 an hour. The risk is too great for such low compensation and such a VITAL skill in a warehouse setting.

20. Your breaks are not promised (depends on the state)

Ultimately, it has led me to seek employment elsewhere. I cannot recommend Lowe's as a great place to work and would be hesitant to allow my child to get a job there as a first time gig.