J. C. Penney – “Great Training program. Hard to get promoted.”

Pros

Because the stores are open almost 24 hours per day there is a lot of flexibility in the scheduling. JC Penney also has an excellent training program. I have worked a quite a few retailers and JC Penney has one of the best training programs in the retail industry. The staffing structure and the number of managers assures that anyone who works hard can be recognized for their hard work and has a chance to be promoted. The nationwide planograms mean that you can get your work done with a lot of autonomy without having someone look over your shoulder. I can't stress enough how much the training has paid off for me.

Cons

When it comes to being promoted into upper management, JC Penney almost never promotes from within. I worked as a department supervisor and had an excellent relationship with the assistant store manager. She asked me to apply to the MIT program. Other employees at the store said that they had never seen anyone go from department supervisor to the MIT training program--it just doesn't happen. I do think that, like all major corporations that they don't always take advantage of the wisdom of their workforce and the employees get a little stale. That being said, many people stay there for 20 or 30 years.

Advice to Senior Management

Your stores would be better if you looked at your workforce as a valuable commodity rather than as just a commodity.