Pluspunten
Stock options and profit sharing
Minpunten
I want to address the claim that Graybar is an employee-oriented company. Based on my experience, that claim does not reflect reality. On October 1, 2025, I collapsed unconscious in the office due to a stroke. I was out of work for approximately six weeks recovering. During that entire time, not a single person from Graybar reached out to check on my condition or my recovery. In contrast, I received more calls, cards, and well-wishes from my wife’s employer and her coworkers than from my own. This lack of concern followed several serious health issues I endured while employed at Graybar. I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis (AVN), a condition in which bone tissue dies due to lack of blood supply—specifically in my hips. The condition was extremely painful and ultimately required four surgeries, the last two being complete hip replacements. Each surgery required a recovery period of four to six weeks, resulting in significant time away from work. In the spring of 2025, I also sustained a serious concussion in an accident at home, followed later that year by the stroke mentioned above. Despite these circumstances, Graybar refused to prorate or adjust my sales quotas to account for the medically necessary time I missed. Upon returning from my stroke, I was told I had just two weeks to get caught up on my sales goals. During this time, I received no sales support. I was responsible for both inside and outside sales duties in what Graybar refers to as a “hybrid” role—effectively two jobs for the pay of one. While I was out, my customers were not adequately serviced. No one stepped in to maintain relationships or provide continuity, and as a result, customers turned to competitors. I was then held accountable for the consequences of that lack of support. This environment reflects the broader culture established by leadership, particularly under CEO Kathy Mazzarella. In my nine years at the company, I never met her in person. Although she was frequently invited to visit our office, she consistently declined. In company-wide meetings, she often spoke at length about personal experiences—such as attending the Super Bowl—while remaining disconnected from the realities employees face daily. One story stands out: during a company meeting, she described paying for a newspaper for an elderly man who could not afford both a newspaper and his prescription. She repeatedly highlighted this act as an example of compassion. While charitable gestures are commendable, the story underscored a disconnect—true empathy would have been demonstrated by ensuring employees facing serious health challenges were treated with understanding and fairness. Graybar’s business strategy appears to be singularly focused on breaking sales records year after year, with little regard for sustainability or employee well-being. The pressure placed on employees is relentless, with no meaningful plan beyond pushing people harder each year. The internal bureaucracy is excessive. In my office, there were more managers overseeing the office than frontline employees. Decision-making was slow, oversight was heavy, and efficiency suffered. The most difficult position in the company is Customer Service Representative (CSR), commonly referred to elsewhere as inside sales. Responsibilities continually flow downhill to this role—constant follow-ups, tax certificate collection, research into underpayments, and administrative demands—while still being expected to provide quality customer service. As a result, customers are often lost in the shuffle. Management seems more focused on making processes easier for themselves than on making it easier for customers to do business with Graybar. This has been my lived experience. It is not consistent with the image Graybar promotes, and it deserves to be acknowledged.
