There was a significant amount of internal politics, particularly at the management and district level. Our store manager was knowingly managing two stores at once for additional compensation while being fully aware that our location was scheduled to close. Despite this, an assistant manager was brought on with the promise of becoming a store manager, without transparency about the store’s future. This created false expectations and ultimately felt misleading and unfair to the team.
The district manager appeared primarily focused on sales performance and protecting her bottom line, with little regard for employee well-being or long-term impact on the store team. Upper management overall seemed to prioritize profit and brand aesthetics over honesty, accountability, and employee investment.