Pros: great co-workers, great training on federally required areas, good options on healthcare, counseling options family and personal on a wide range of issues
Cons: bad training skilled services, (graphics design, computer technical services, technology implementation), over charges for services, out of date overpriced technology, no real functional tuition program
Company has great potential, Ravi, the CEO has the right values its a shame its not shred by more people in the organization.
Retail is not a sustainable longterm career, I know I had one. Pay and Benefits continue to decrease in all companies, Office Max is no exception and their merger with Office Depot means a lot of location closings and fired
– more... staff. (they as much stated it in the merger announcement the amount of annual projected realized savings. You know these will not be just better company purchase pricing, as this increase profit level, not create realized savings.
They have continued to increasing accountability and responsibility of the hourly staff, without holding midlevel and top level management accountable for the choices they make. Instead they hold store level hourly staff accountable for their decisions and directives. I have seen this in multiple locations.
As far as the working environment in the store it depends on the store manager, and where and what you do in the store. If you want to go with out lunch, no breaks, not use the bathroom, and to do well a pay to learn design work while the company charges $66 an hour for your time and you cover the costs work in the Print Centers, of any store with a lot of competition, If you insist on lunch and breaks you are more likely to get these on the general sales floor.
If you are starting in store management expect to be paid less than your counter parts at other companies, some locations do pay better than others. The work life balance can be better than at some companies, but I would not expect this to last with the upcoming merger. ( Keep in mind the cultures of both companies will change with this event.)
Also in the long run unless the new company changes radically the way it does business from how Office Max & Office Depot go about day to day business this merger will short run improve same store performance and cash flow. Long term if the new company does not start focusing on total customer count (traffic) over only average ticket the customer base erosion will continue and market share lost to general merchandise companies, i.e. Wal-Mart to name just one.
It can be a good job to work at, while striving to attain other goals, but to start a career with long term expectations have realist pay and long term outcomes in mind. Also realize that this may still not be a stable company to work for, consider their losses as disclosed in their quarterly and annual earnings statements.
I could describe my day and the other basics but in the market I was employed it would be to easy to identify me. And when making a choice over who to work for, I think it is more important to understand the broader nature of the company and its culture. If you don't fit or are not willing to compromise your values to their cultures you will never enjoy the workplace. Better information is better decisions personal and professional.
((Bad training on knowledge to provide/perform skilled services (graphics design, computer technical services, technology implementation) (employees must provide or pay to learn knowledge company just profits off this, very inadequate company training), Over charges for services, out of date overpriced technology and expects you to sell it over the competition who sells first tier products (new) at the same price point, does not have a real functional tuition program (the strings are to much for how little they do))) – less