Williams-Sonoma, Inc. FAQ

Pros

Good Coworkers at same level

Cons

Only 2 weeks PTO, no holiday time off except for day of, very low pay, very small bonus eligibility, bad bosses in place that HR does nothing to fix even though they should be fired for repeated HR complaints, higher turnover than anything I have seen as people come in & realize they need to leave, constantly being moved departments when you have no say in the matter, no flexibility in working from home, when someone leaves they just re-allocate that persons responsibilities to the plates of other already stressed out people, culture is unsupportive from management/president with no change insight. Company shut down was planned for week of 4th of July was canceled yet no additional PTO was given to cover for this change.

Advice to Management

Get with the times, companies are investing more into their people than ever & the new workforce (milenials & younger) will accept nothing less. People deserve better than this, especially in the SF bay area. Make your employees feel like their time there is worth something other than "helping out" while barely being compensated or taken care of. More perks, don't take away PTO while barely paying your best employees way less than their job title. People deserve raises when they take on more responsibility or bigger departments. Remove people who are bad managers, this will help immensely to change the culture as their outlook is "this is just how it is"

Pros

The work is often quite fun. Most of the people are great. Sometimes the perks are pretty great (special discounts, free food, etc). Glad that we have hybrid WFH flexibility if our managers allow it.

Cons

Promoting from within will happen if you're part of the "in" crowd. It's a bit clique-y. Getting a helpful answer from a cross-functional partner is like pulling teeth sometimes. If someone actually helps you when it's not "their job", treat them well and show appreciation. Everyone's overworked and tired. The least we can do is show each other a little love.

Advice to Management

Stop being fake nice and start putting your money where your mouth is. You say your care about your employees? How about everyone gets a laptop that isn't over 6 years old and constantly breaking? Or you know, a laptop at all? How about bonuses for all the extra hours we put in? How about some updated, non-molding, non-stained cabinetry and toilet seats in the breakrooms and restrooms? How about coffee makers that arent broken? We're a home and kitchen supply company for goodness sakes. Our facilities are just ...embarrassing.

Pros

Open door policy is fantastic. Regular interaction between supervisors and management Since Covid, starting wage moved from $12/ hour to $15/hour. Great benefits package. More focus on customer satisfaction than calls per hour. Great opportunities for advancement in a customer service career.

Cons

It is mostly a work from home environment that requires some computer knowledge and ability to work independently. Company does focus on supervisor to employee relationships to ensure a sense of belonging.

Advice to Management

Keep things fun!

Pros

Lots of PTO, VTO and flex schedules. Medical coverage immediately. Great employee discount. Have power to give discounts and resolve issues with management support.

Cons

Constantly being monitored, only scheduled breaks, calls are back to back with about 5 seconds between. Long 10 hour days with constant calls. Calls are almost all the same. Very repetitive and internet issues are your fault and you will be penalized for them. No direct contact with vendors means a lot of dead ends on calls and relying on an email or alert to process without resolution.

Advice to Management

Allow for space between calls without getting penalized. Sign-on percentage is very high and you can’t even find time to check emails or Teams within a shift. Also, vendor contact would be helpful.

Pros

Mentoring cross brand, benefits (medical, bonus, stock opportunity and maternity specifically), leadership, great cross functional partners, kind culture and entrepreneurial opportunities. Great ideas and growth mentality are encouraged.

Cons

Retail environment, not specific to WSI. You either love it or hate it and many of us are still around because we love running this type of business. Honestly though, not strong cons for this company.

Advice to Management

Proud to work for a company that has gone the distance on improving company culture, values and benefits in addition to running a business. Recently, WSI increased their maternity benefits, and as a mom of 2 I was lucky enough to benefit from this new initiative.