For almost half a year now, I've been telling myself I can't stand it here anymore. It wasn't pleasant to work here before, but it was bearable. For the past few months I have had the feeling that the days are so long that I will never stop working. Every day I hope to get some equivalent or better job, but so far I haven't had much luck. When did you make the decision that it was unbearable and that you had to leave?
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Was just let go for supposedly using profanity in a private conversation- no warning. Asked why I was being let go, they couldn’t give an answer. Is it because I’m 70 and been there for 3 years because all new hires are under 25. Never was presented with papers to sign, been a month now was told Lowe’s Corp would send me the reason, stilling xaiting
They don’t care if you leave. If you get 3-4 weeks vacation a year, make anywhere close to $20 an hour, they want you gone. It’s what their strategy has been. Systematically eliminate jobs that the long timers stayed in, or up the misery factor and job demands on the rest. Oh, how could I forget? The Customer Centric schedule, which is a complete joke, but they know this. Why give you the same four week rotation so that you can actually plan this thing called “A Life” ??
I know several employees that are absolutely miserable but they won't leave–and it has affected them mentally and physically. In most such cases they just seem to be so overly concerned about money to the point THAT is the most important thing in their life and so they are afraid to lose any amount of income by leaving. I think when it gets to that point, you have a more serious problem. Life is too short to stay at a job where the environment is just sucking the life out of you. Even among retailers, Lowe's is an extremely high-stress, abusive environment that, at least for employees that work in the stores, offers no work/life balance and where advancement is mostly based on WHO you know instead of WHAT you know. I don't see how anybody works there now.
For those out there that are looking find another job instead of staying miserable. They are out there. Online shopping is only going to make retail get worse. If nothing else the govt. will pay you to go back to school and get a degree. Life too short to have your job keep you all tore up all the time. I was looking for a job when I got hired there 15yrs ago.
About 15 Years.
Toooooooooooo Long
Those Who can brown nose the best might make it! Proven fact!
Used to bleed blue and gray until about 6-7 years ago when the company began to take positions out of the stores and seemingly at the same time do everything to add more work and tasks to the remaining store level employees . That' s really when I began to put an exit strategy together. It just wasn't fun anymore and I was dreading going into the store every day. The company no longer offered, in my view, a sufficient work/life balance. Then to top it all off we lost what was a very good, mature, caring store manager and got a 'young gun' store manager with ice water in his veins. NO feelings or empathy whatsoever, strictly bottom-line oriented and began to use 'safety violations' and other ticky tack things to put targets on the backs of long-termers and push them out. I saw the writing on the wall, turned in my resignation letter, and left the company. I went to work for a small, well-established business in town where it TRULY is a family type atmosphere and no crazy hours. They welcomed me with open arms and made me feel immediately like I was part of the 'family'. After three years there I'm making more money there than I ever did at Lowe's and my quality of life has gone up exponentially. Moral to the story–there's a whole world out there outside of Lowe's, and for those of you who are absolutely miserable working there, the cost of staying in that kind of environment is going to be more in the long run than leaving it.
One day I was at work, managers dumping work on me and chi chatting with their favorites. I thought I can do better than this. Then a customer from a different field started talking to me. Said I was a good worker and gave me his card. I set up an interview for my day off and my manager got wind of it and changed my hours so I’d have to work. I realized I couldn’t trust anyone, gave my 2 weeks and found a job in mortgage lending. Best decision ever.
I’m in the process as well. My girlfriend is a preschool teacher and her job is looking for custodial help in the evenings when I’m available after school. Pays a dollar more than what I’m making at Lowe’s. And no bs from management or customers. Second interview early next week.
In the process. Two interviews with one to go next week. Don't want leave, but it's getting too ridiculous. My job is so far behind with little to no help. Hope to get a pay boost. My age is the only negative for an employer.