ALDI Assistant Store Manager reviews

My training experience was terrible and incomplete. The store manager had no plan in place, and due to the heavy workload, my training was often postponed so I could focus on store tasks. This significantly impacted my knowledge and readiness for the role. After training, I was transferred to Stains, where the store manager fostered a toxic environment. There was clear favoritism, no guidance, and extremely high expectations despite no proper training or knowledge checks. The favoritism was particularly frustrating—morning shifts received all the support, often with 2-3 deputy managers assisting the morning manager. Meanwhile, I primarily worked closing shifts with no support to complete tasks. The atmosphere was dictated by the mood of the store manager; if they were in a good mood, the shift would go smoothly. If not, I would face harsh "performance development plan" conversations. As an Assistant Store Manager, I was constantly under threat of demotion, and no matter how hard I worked, my performance was never deemed good enough. Work-life balance was nonexistent, as I was expected to work extra hours as an ASM and cover for absences. If I couldn’t, guilt-tripping was always used. Leadership expectations resembled bullying, and in two years, I never once heard my area manager acknowledge good performance—only criticism. For shifts lasting 10-11 hours, the break was limited to just 30 minutes. The area manager had no understanding of how the store operated, was quick to assign blame, and showed no consideration for circumstances affecting performance or standards. Throughout my time with the company, I never had a career conversation. I’m not seeking promises or attention—what I need is a genuine discussion to set expectations, create a plan, or provide motivation for career progression. Ultimately, I resigned without even having another job lined up—I just needed to escape.

work life balance not enough workers per shift store is small