Pros
Excellent day to day working environment, with like minded people who care about the business and are all working towards the same goal. Offers excellent training opportunities from 'Specialist' training to operational courses. As a Partner you are given the opportunity to put as much in should you wish as you are a co-owner. Annual bonus and great discount, 15% in Waitrose 12/25% in John Lewis.
Cons
Very hard to progress from a Customer Assistant role up to Management roles, expecting you to deliver a Managers role without any training, progression, for a long period of time 12 months+ Managers can be very poor, lack procedural knowledge (personnel) at store level and do not work with the team. Company increasingly trying to compete with the big 4 putting more pressure on staff and expecting more as a 'Partner' whilst paying the least amount at CA level out of all the Supermarket chains. Branch Managers can be a law unto themselves with no union to protect staff who are largely unaware of their rights.