Container Store Reviews

Pros

Great starting pay. Positive attitude stressed. Good Training. Employee discount.

Cons

Cult-like environment. Do not give breaks consistently. No time off. High stress job. Managers were hard to relate to. Too many mandatory meetings.

Advice to Senior Management

Need to run stores better, less of the cult-like brainwashing.

Pros

good atmosphere, flexible schedules, advancement opportunities

Cons

strict rules for taking time off

Advice to Senior Management

be more flexible with allowing time off and employees to choose areas they perfer to work in

Pros

It's a job that hasn't had lay offs. But what they don't tell people is that they'll cut your hours or schedule you when you're unable to work if they want you to leave.

Cons

TCS has decided to offer Bonuses to it's Managers based on Sales and Payroll.
So if the store remains busy, and the goal is surpassed then the Managers can expect to
see something extra in their paycheck. Meanwhile, there are employees that haven't had a pay
raise in 3 years.
It would be more fair if the Bonus went to the Store, rather then the Managers, seeing how they are
rarely on the floor to help with the business. This business decision really is unfair to everyone.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop spending so much time off of the floor. Your employees are running around shorthanded because you are spending time in your office on the computer. Not even in a meeting.

Pros

Working with professional, cheerful people in a positive atmosphere.
Pay is above industry average, I think (at least for store positions).

Cons

You can't always expect straight answers to your questions and concerns.
Expectations are sometimes unclear or unrealistic, but this probably varies depending on the person you report to.

Advice to Senior Management

Take questions and concerns more seriously, i.e. don't be dismissive.
Communicate clear expectations.
Don't freeze pay while increasing workload and raising expectations.

Pros

only 45 hours a week
great group of people work inj the stores

Cons

very little opportunity to advance and learn more
management under utilizes employees experience and skills
upper management has been in place too long - they need fresh ideas
upper management consistent thinks they know what is going on and fail to ask simple questions that can clarify issues. This causes them to work under false assumptions about their team.
Focus on individual weaknesses instead of how to leverage unique talents.
The way they pay for overtime among many employees is wrong - even if it is legal. When you work overtime the more you work the less you make - doesn't sound like a great company does it. Now there are positions in the company where they are mandating 6 days and overtime hours and pay you less every minute over 40...very disrespectful of their employees.
Many employees are made to stand while they work, the company feels if they had chairs they would waste time and sit too long - that doesn't sound like they really believe they hire 1=3 people.

Advice to Senior Management

Show more integrity in pay. If you mandate overtime pay AT LEAST the employees regular hourly salary.
Ask more questions - too many GAD's and VP's make assumptions without asking the person or people involved enough questions to really understand what is going on.
Recognize that the culture is fading away. Your people are not telling you what they really think. Need proof? What % of people returned the Fortune survey? Much lower than you thought? They don't trust that it is really anonymous and they are afraid of telling the truth and having their manager find out.
People don't want to complain, they want to find solutions.

Pros

The co workers are great. From all walks of life and life experience is valued as much as formal education.

Cons

The upper management sucks. A few ego driven bad apples ruin it.

Advice to Senior Management

I think the corporate office needs to reevaluate the store managers and see if the employees really like them. I bet not. There is constant ass-kissing and taking credit for others hard work from Dallas store managers. I'ts going down hill. Too cliquish.

Pros

The Container Store trusts and encourages it's employees. The ability to make decisions and do what is best for our customer's makes you want to take ownership. I like the fact that if you take the initiative then you will get the training or information you need because you earned it. There is investment in all of the staff, but giving more to those that are willing to do more. Opportunities are given to those that can see more globally and not just what is infront of them at that moment.

Cons

There are not any cons. I do think people misunderstand the foundation priciples and try to twist them to fit what they want and not what they really mean. Those who have left or not unhappy are usually tenured employees that could not evolve, part time that wanted full time, but didn't do anymore than asked or just don't get the culture. You have to be selfless and not selfish. The Container store is about customers first, then employees, then any shareholders.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't be afraid to sit down and talk to PT employees about never becoming full time. Don't let them hang on with hopes of one day. Do them the favor or courtesy and let them know it wil not happen! Put the ball in their court. If they leave, the store will end up being less stressful and they may end up finding that perfect job. Do the same for full time and let them know they need to step it up and for every year that you are here you need to be better and do more than the last year.

Pros

Opportunity, and working alongside some of the best of the best. Negative attitudes are weeded out quickly here keeping the work environment upbeat and inspiring. If you have the maturity to speak up about concerns, managers and executives really listen and act, those without that maturity usually end up working for someone else.

Cons

It is hard to turn work off, lots of communication means you either keep up with it on your time off or risk being way behind when you get back.

Advice to Senior Management

Work on providing work life balance for employees and invest in better health benefits

Pros

They are very flexible with our work schedules...although recently they have been asking for more from some employees. For part-time benefits, they are pretty good. I didnt like that there was limited time for me to enroll...but that may be true for other companies as well.

Cons

They are selling out to corporate profits. The company used to encourage people to sell stuff because they liked the stuff The Container Store sells, but its turning into a company that is there to only sell stuff because it makes a profit. They are taking the joy out of the company.

Advice to Senior Management

You should put your focus back on selling quality products rather than making a profit. I understand a company needs to make profit to survive, but lets not get greedy!

Pros

Foundation Principles, Corporate seems to understand store needs and has same goal, vision and principles as stores. Hiring and training is very thorough.

Cons

Very high expectations; management has too many administrative duties; out side talent brought in when inside talent is more than capable.

Advice to Senior Management

When doing reviews we look to other team members for input, why do they not look for the same input when reviewing general managers. Some GMs are insecure and not able to take what they dish out.