Pros
I like working for Lowe's. I've worked in multiple stores, and while they're different, they all seem to have the same basic attitudes. Positivity and a sense of humor are very important to succeed and move up. Hard work is noticed quickly and appreciated, but common sense makes you a vital and valued part of the store, regardless of your job title. I've witnessed discrimination from employees that was harshly and swiftly dealt with by management, as it is not tolerated. Diversity and a team atmosphere are celebrated here. Employees are empowered and encouraged to help customers as necessary without fear of reprimand. Fair, logical, and somewhat flexible policies exist to allow most employees the freedom to execute their duties and help customers however they are most comfortable. Decent pay considering the type of work, and more vacation time than I usually end up needing each year.
Cons
All stores I've worked in have had staffing issues due to turnover, largely caused by frustration with a lack of training. While posters in the training room will tell a new associate that each employee owns his or her own development, the heavily monitored orientation and new employee training teaches all new employees that HR and assistant store managers are to be constantly leaned on. There is too much on their to-do lists for that to be possible. A new training program began very recently which allows associates to spend two weeks (or more, if necessary) without a vest, and to shadow their department managers "incognito." This was meant to allow new associates to observe the proper way to assist customers, correctly answer customer questions, familiarize themselves with products and services, how to keep shelves stocked and aisles clean, and how to handle those nerve-racking difficult customers. This would be outstanding if it were realistic. First of all, the day of a department manager vastly differs from that of a customer service associate. DM's are often bogged down by reports and tasks that new hires will never see or do in the roles they were hired for, leaving them unprepared for their actual day-to-day duties. Second, new hire training ends up taking away support from other employees, who cannot discuss sensitive issues in front of the new hire who is not allowed to be left alone. What is worse, however, is that because staffing is such a problem, this program is rarely followed as intended. New associates are left to cover their departments/areas alone long before they have "earned" their Lowe's vest, because there is no one else to cover it. They are stranded out of desperation. Many associates feel overwhelmed by the sudden lack of support, and leave very shortly after the cord is cut. Unrelated to new employees, employees promoted to department manager positions receive no training in management. They become managers because of their hard work and ability to complete tasks quickly and accurately, and are expected to immediately know how to handle employee issues and address poor performance with the people they used to work alongside as customer service associates. I consider myself very lucky to have had an assistant store manager who valued training me above all else, because this is rarely the case. We got along quite well, and I imagine that our personal relationship was her motivation, as I could see that her other department managers were not trained the way I was. Many of the department managers continue to work hard to assist customers and complete assigned tasks, but fail at motivating, supporting, and helping to develop their employees. There are also no clear boundaries between what a department manager is or is not allowed to do to reprimand or help their associates out. It largely depends on the opinion and mood of the manager on duty at the time. ASM's are rarely consistent, leading to confusion and hindering a clear path to a truly successful business. Very recently, and very locally, our store manager has imposed mandatory overtime on the department managers, and strongly encourages CSA's to do the same, making having a life outside of work virtually impossible. Performance of many associates has declined.
