Pottery Barn Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – The caliber of the products and associates is very good. The stores are beautiful.

Cons – The expectations are impossible to meet given the payroll constraints. There is more, more and even more to do but payroll is low and going even lower. There is not a connection to corporate and the field. Visual demands, stock work, and computer tasks overshadow the time that needs to be spent with customers.

Advice to Senior Management – Stop cutting back payroll! Turnover is high because of the stress and feeling like the job is impossible to do. Making payroll at any cost is hurting everyone, staff and customers.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn part-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Can't beat the discount and they are really flexible with scheduling. This is a second job for me to make some extra money so it works out well. I enjoy working with my guests and helping them in every way I can. Managers allow great flexibility to take care of guest issues. Product is constantly updated in addition to the staples our our companies line.

Cons – For a company to care about their people, they need to listen to their people. Concerns will likely not be addressed. The store manager fraternizes with employees and those employees who are the managers favorite get what they want, including promotions. It's kind of a shame when everyone knows the store manger's best friend is one of the other leaders and complaints to upper management about their inappropriate relationship go unaddressed, including fraudulent time card punches. Or when it takes three complaints of sexual harassment before a manager is removed from their position. Don't expect any confidentiality. Everyone knows everyone else's business even if you ask for confidentiality. Usually you can trace it back to the store manager who you trusted in the first place. If someone would look into why so many employees have left our store maybe they would realize who needs to be replaced. We had a leader at our store who wasn't afraid to call out what he saw as inappropriate but from what I understand he has left the company, even after going to another store and contacting upper management and HR. It doesn't surprise me that he's gone. The truly good ones don't stick around, they don't like working in an unprofessional environment.

Advice to Senior Management – Listen to your people. Sometimes as a company changes you have to let go of employees who have been with the company and aren't adapting. Even if it means replacing store management.

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn part-time for more than a year

Pros – Great customers and great product

Cons – Department store setting with no privacy

Advice to Senior Management – Make area to work more like a design studio

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – The team is very supportive in providing associates with proper information and support on customer issues. The discount is very fair and constantly being extended.

Cons – The merchandise database is very outdated. It is very difficult to help customers who are determined to return very old merchandise.

Advice to Senior Management – Try to have enough money in payroll for training classes. It is often difficult for part time associates to learn all the product on their own time.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Pottery Barn

Pros – Pay was good, sales associates very friendly, customers were easy to sell to, lot's of incentives for selling, they stand behind their products.

Cons – Manager roles are a salaried position so be prepared to work long hours, especially if the same GM is in place. GM was always late, took lots of time off, she was always in her office, on facebook, or talking to her husband, definitely has other priorities other than the store and her team. Luckily for her that store runs itself, customers are very generous in their purchasing habits. Also, its the only company that I have heard of that they can just stop scheduling you because the manager has a personality conflict with you, an abuse of power by GM. If you didn't agree with her, you knew you were the next to be "worked out". DM came to town and pulled sales reports on an associate that was let go and by all records she pulled, there was no way associate should have been let go. Good luck getting days off, even if you have a planned vacation if a "jet trip" gets scheduled during those days it is expected you to forgo any time off even if pre-approved (always buy insuranceon any airline tickets you purchase). GM would deny time off requests for no apparent reasons only to make your life difficult, But in all fairness, if she liked you your job was gravy! Sales tracking is complicated there, computer systems and programs are not intergrated, difficult to learn how to use them. Company still does most of business by fax, no email systems for stores.

Advice to Senior Management – The GM currently in place has you all fooled! Invest in a more up to date computer system. The Jet trips are a joke, if you say you are going to be there, give the team some courtesy and show up! Know that they worked hard prepping for you, give them the recognition they deserve.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – Beautiful merchandise, great tips on how to decorate your home and the people I work with on an associate level are great.

Cons – I have been with the Pottery Barn for years and it used to be a place I enjoyed working. I have seen the company change for the worse over the past 4 or 5 years. Every day we hear as associates we need to do more, it is never good enough. Stores in my Distict have started posting the worst associates and just how bad there numbers are. They are constanly cutting pay roll and still everything is required to get done while keeping your numbers up.

It is almost comical to watch when we have a corporate visit. The higher ups walk the store as if it's the first time they've been in a Pottery Barn everyone ignoring the customer and falling all over themselves to please these corporate visitors. We pump at least 2 weeks of payroll to get the store ready for a one hour visit and then it's cut everyones hours for the rest of the quarter. You would think someone would notice the payroll spike before each visit.

There is no chance for advancement and the raises are so small it is encomfortable when they are handed out because you almost want to laugh at the GM.

Advice to Senior Management – Stop the metrics, we are not Nordstroms. Remember the people on the front line and stop taking our hours and give us a raise that says good job. Try working at the store level instead of always having your endless conference calls

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – Fun, fast paced, flexible schedules, employee discount, family atmosphere, great co-workers!

Cons – schedules only out for the current week and next week making it difficult to find someone to work for you if something comes up and you need to be off. Have to give 3-4 wks notice to ask for time off but schedules are only done for the current week and the next week?

Advice to Senior Management – More interaction with district/regional managers. Talking to "corporate" seems to be Taboo. "0pen door" policy? Concerns taken as negative by management no matter how positive/proactive you are. The employees just want a better/happier work place. Employees dont feel that you can really go to management with your concerns for fear of retribution of some sort. Some employees are treated like second class citizens. There shouldnt be favortism. Your employees just want to be recognized for a good job, working hard and for being the great employees that they are. A little kindness and respect goes A LONG WAY! Management at the Kenwood store is pretty decent. It could always be worse but it could also be better.

Former Employee – worked at Pottery Barn

Pros – This company is really a people first company. They always take time to listen to what you have to say and really work with your to reach your goals.

Cons – You work like a slave for very little pay. The expectation is very high for the amount of work you are required to get done in a forty hour work week.

Advice to Senior Management – Tell your team how much you appreciate all of their hard work.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – Very flexible with life/work balance. It is a fun place to work and it is great to be given the "power" to make the right decision for the customer...that there is trust from management.

Cons – My hours get cut before others because I have been there so long and therefore have a higher pay than others. I understand this helps their payroll but doesn't feel fair.

Advice to Senior Management – I wish they'd give more payroll to the stores. I think they'd have more sales if stores were able to keep more staff on.

Current Employee – been working at Pottery Barn

Pros – Great customers, a little demanding but expect quality...which I loved.

Cons – On-calls. They control your time without paying you. Oftentimes, sent home early when sales are slow. One CANNOT count on hours. Expected to sell high priced furniture at almost minimum wage. Wish customers would know that salespeople do NOT receive commissions for their hard work.

Advice to Senior Management – As a former employee my advice is more professionalism and less snarkiness. Treat your employees with respect and don't mock them and make faces when things are crazy. At my previous job was awarded for exemplary customer service and professionalism. At Pottery Barn I was mocked by male GM when trying to explain why I was in stock room and not on sales floor. There is a "mean culture" within. I was regularly stunned by "smart-aleck" attitudes of the ASM's as well.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend