Jo-Ann Stores Reviews

Pros

Creative atmosphere, learning new techniques, fabrics etc

Cons

Store open many hours - normal retail schedule for a mall

Pros

Tons of room for advancment of the team members that show they have what it takes. District Management is always keeping an eye out while in stores so even if you have a Store Manager that has overlooked you, your DM might snag you up or suggest you. There are always opportunities for those who are driven. Management can be very good. This varies by the size and income of your store. I go out of my way to thank and reward my team members, but the company does nothing. I go out of pocket $100 or so each month buying rewards because I feel it helps to have the incentive there. The company should consider random reinforcement....it helps moral and productivity. Managers shouldn't have to go out of pocket to do things for their team members, but someone has to! We work them hard.

Cons

New hire pay is too low to get very many qualified individuals. Min. wage is the only thing they can hire in at if you are just a team member. You cannot ask for merrit raises for people who deserve it or as a competitive job offer to keep someone from leaving for a better offer or to bring them over...what does this say? Someone else will always steal your best employees because others are willing to pay more to keep good people. We as managers have to push VERY hard to get the productivity we need to make the tasking meet payroll....we're stuck in the middle. We don't like it either, but cannot fix it. I give very realistic feedback to my DM and RVP, but I do not feel enough managers do to keep them understanding the pinch they are causing. I am seeing fairly good managers sweep things under the rug to keep from being fired because they just cannot keep up. Thank GOD I am not there yet....But I heard it is going to get worse and I dont know how bad is bad, but I push pretty hard and my people are near their breaking point!
I get the feeling the company thinks they have a great training program in place for new hires, but they don't give the payroll to support it, so what happens is the newbe get thrown onto the register or cut counter after only about 4 hours of training and is told to call for help if they have a question. We know it isn't right but truthfully the 4 hours of training is hurting us and the additional coverage needed cuz you know they are going to have a MILLION questions is killing us and on the other end we are being yelled at cuz we're spending too much payroll and Christmas is nearing and we have 30 more to hire and figure out how to get trained.
Finally I am all about needing rules and regulations, but this company is HIGH on policy compliance, like out of control, out of their mind, what are you thinking! They have tracking logs for everything, charts for everything......you document the heck oout of everything and everyone and even as an "at will" emplyer we still get taken to court for unreasonable discharge.

Advice to Senior Management

For coorporate: I don't think the intentions of the programs set in place get carried out in the store, because of the budgeting half needs to work with you to see your vision get rolled out. They have great intentions, you can see that, but they don't come to life in the store due to lack of payroll. It is very sad. When customers complain, they want someone high up to hear what is happening in the store. Instead what happens is it is given to the Manager to "handle". This isn't right. The guest often just wants to make sure someone high up knows what is going on, most of the time they think they are helping by sending in a complaint there wasn't enough help on the sales floor and the lines were too long. This doesn't help it just gets the Manager in trouble and still doesn't help their payroll situation. We can't squeeze blood from a stone. Coorporate you need to read these complaints and call the guests back and explain why the lines are so long and help is so thin!

Pros

I have learned so much from this company and know I will use what I have learned for the rest of my life.

Cons

High turn over in HR

Pros

The work is not hard if you are organized, I rarely ever saw my DM. They allow you to carry over vacation time

Cons

The company has become audit crazy. the audit is paramount, and at times it seems merchandising and customer service take a back seat. The stores are micro managed, spending 30- 60 mins a day to fill out a daily planner, this is retail 101, that most people learn very early in their retail career.

Advice to Senior Management

Give soom freedom to the STL, The audit should be streamlined, no correlation between audit score and shrinkage, The register system still does not work after 3 years!!!!

Pros

Decent hours and reasonable pay. Its fun to work with fabric and you can meet interesting people. I've really expanded my knowledge of fabric and crafting, which is a plus.

Cons

The customers are crazy and needy. Constant criticism over things we have no control over. This is a very high stress environment that can really wear you down after awhile.

Pros

Exchange of creative ideas with knowledgeable and experienced customers and co-workers. The store support center team is very available, very knowledgeable and helpful when needed by store personnel. The benefits for full-time employees are very good. The 15% discount is good, but the 30% discount that is offered several times a year is excellent.

Cons

The company is ever evolving, and the direction from upper management is often ambiguoous. The expectations of the company are unrealistic, given the payroll restraints. Some of the buildings are very old and worn, making it difficult to execute the merchandising directives from the corporate level.

Advice to Senior Management

Decide on a plan at the corporate level and follow it. Give the team members in the store the credit they deserve. They are, after all, the part of the organization that are out in field giving their best to the any company's most valuable asset, their customers.

Pros

management pay and benefits are great.

Cons

Managers can loose their jobs very easily. The managers hands seemed tied. It will take forever to get other managers hired to help run the store. I have seen 2 managers left to run large volume stores for months on their own and then let go for not keeping up with policy audits.

Pros

I enjoy working with such passion for design as art. The older ladies are bitter, yet kind. I enjoy it overall

Cons

The company is very AUDIT driven and it sends the cruel message you fail their audit you fail yourself and fail the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Do NOT change the audit every week and you will see a higher success rate of the scores. I swear to it!!!!!

Pros

Relatively Lax Dress Code
Decent employee discount (though not a great one)
Some Nice Coworkers
Mostly nice customers
Good place for creative people

Cons

Low Pay
Disrespectful management
Poor Treatment of employees (I've been threatened more than once with losing my job)
Just an unpleasant environment

Advice to Senior Management

If you treat your employees with respect, they'll want to work harder for you. Paying a living wage wouldn't be the worst thing either.

Pros

benefits, and the experience of management

Cons

Poor performace store that stayed around 5 years longer than should

Advice to Senior Management

Make a decision and stick to it