Non existent work life balance for salaried managers.
Pros
The money was the best in sector for assistant manager, however all bonuses have been taken away and starting wage for the work load is pretty poor. 5 year pay very good but good luck getting there. Always kept busy and the staff are sometimes good to work with.
Cons
Had some area managers that were very good but unfortunately for the most part they’re grads with no work experience and don’t have the first clue about retail, some of them having irrelevant degrees and only a years worth of on the job training with retail. As such they can be incredibly demotivating, rude and disrespectful. Personally I was denied funeral leave by my area manager ( a contractual right) based on lack of staff, yet they claim to be all about their people. Occasionally show a good attitude towards work life balance but you’re expected to work a MINIMUM of 48 hours a week with no real upper limit. Some of my colleagues regularly work 60-70 hours a week and many experienced salaried managers have either left or been pushed out due to this. By and large the ones who never say no and sacrifice everything for the business get the promotions and the good will. Genuinely loved it when I started out but there is a culture of fear and punishment from area managers nowadays that does little to motivate its staff. All they care about is the business and their own progression, very sad to see.