Staples Reviews in Boston, MA Area

Pros

Staples stands by good core values, and as any company, your experience will differ depending on the specific team your working with. I have worked in many stores, and most are very well managed, the management cares about its customers and associates, and hard work is absolutely recognized. If you want to, you can grow with staples very quickly.

Cons

Some of the stores that are more disconnected from the staples ideal are just awful to work for. Staples upper management invests a lot of its budget into tests and pilots, when some of that could more effectively be used in staffing stores better. Staples does not offer great starting wages, but it can increase quickly if you perform well.

Advice to Senior Management

Limit the number of tests, projects, and pilots, as to not overwhelm the field.

Pros

Flexibility, child care options, stable environment.

Cons

Not very challenging. No clear pass to promotion.

Advice to Senior Management

Try to be different, try to enhance the company compared to the competition.

Pros

People still need office supplies.

Cons

There are very few growth opportunities.

Advice to Senior Management

In order to implement change, people need to be changed out, not just shuffled around.

Pros

Good People to work with and for.
Good Benefits
Nice Work Environment
Very socially aware and seemed to care about employees.

Cons

Typical big bureaucracy that one expects in a large company.
Slow to make changes.
Overall no complaints.
I have worked in worse places

Advice to Senior Management

No advice. The leadership seems very competent and they seem to care what the employees have to say. Overall not bad

Pros

good work-life balance, too many bosses, too much reliance on building a process that no one follows. Sh*t rolls down hill.

Cons

Get into the right inner circles and you will be rewarded. If you do not, things will be difficult for you.

Advice to Senior Management

You weren't always in a leadership position. However, none of you seem to remember that. Take a hard look at yourselves and how you treat employees you like vs. don't like. This isn't High School, is it? oh wait...

Pros

Smart people. Great reputation. Not a lot of ego. Worldwide.

Cons

Compensation is not great. Tough industry in a bad economy.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your employees.

Pros

The benefits are very good. The company is in good financial health. Overtime pay for Sundays, Holidays, work over 40 hour per week.

Cons

Not enough hourly associates to get the job done. Stores are understaffed, working conditions (stress) for managers are terrible. Company is never satisfied with performance.

Advice to Senior Management

You need more part-time hourly associates in the stores if you want 'World Class" results.

Pros

Really strong leadership team, well run, lots of professional development

Cons

Low salary, internal promotions are not done fairly as someone coming in externally with less experience can negotiate salary but internal candidates cannot. Typically receive 5% salary increase for a promotion

Pros

Hard working employees
Customer loyalty
Good GM
Staples.com

Cons

MBA consultants who have never worked retail floors
Avoidance of customer interaction from headquarters
Senior leadership missing growing the SMB services space because of lack of selling and service backgrounds
Cost controls at retail level destroy new business growth
Decision making is way too long. Easier to waste money on outside consultants instead of strong leadership willing to take risks
The main bet is that online retail will win vs Amazon

Advice to Senior Management

Hire and promote senior leaders who have worked outside retail and understand technology services. Lose the headquarter avoidance of talking to business accounts and treating young talent as not worthy of growing technically.

Pros

Most of the middle managers in the area are generally good people to work with. Flexibility - much like running your own business.

Cons

Limited support from upper management. Unreasonable expectations from upper management. Programs and pricing was often not competitive within the industry.