I'm a former manager at Belk who is left the company to go work for another retail company. I left in early 2021. I would like acknowledge that yes, we are told to pretend that everything is fine, we are told to lie, not answer straightfoward questions, laugh things off, the whole nine yards. We are told not to address any negativity regarding the companies bleak financial situation. We are also told to squeeze as much as we can out of associates as we can, most of the time it's not for the success of the store, but to make the managers job easier, because, yes some managers are lazy, and expect the associates to do tasks, that they themselves can't, won't, or don't want to do. Someone also commented about scheduling. This is a big problem at most stores, the truth of the matter is that stores managers get a huge bonus for cutting hours, some get as much as a $20,000 bonus at top stores at the end of the year if the store is under hours, so the store managers are actually the ones who are running the store into the ground, all because they want their bonus. Store managers in general are the least "hard working" person in the building, they will sometimes work a shorter shift than hourly employees, sit in their office on the internet, play online games, I've seen it all. As far as write ups are concerned, I will tell all associates, write ups are becoming more and more common for trivial things, so if you get written up for something bogus, DO NOT SIGN THE WRITE UP. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING ON THE FORM. TELL THEM YOU FEEL YOU ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND WILL NOT SIGN IT. This tends to happen when a company is in its final stages of life, they are trying to eliminate the higher paid employees, older employees, or employees that have been on medical leave. It's an old tactic that companies have used. What do I think of upper management? Well in my over 25 years in retail, this is the worst leadership group I have ever seen...by far...I've never seen anything like this, and that why I am leaving. I wish everyone who is still at Belk, good luck and a good future. Eveyone will do fine, just put your best foot forward, move on and move up, you will be ok..there is life after Belk, that's for sure.
10 replies (most recent on top)
If I could have fired my store manager I would have in a heart beat
This is typical of a store thats about to close. I would get out of that company fast.
Well that's a scary situation right there! Just wow! WOW! Sounds like a great company to work for!
I hate to tell you but this stuff you're saying is not so secret. Sycamore and Belk executives are pretty much the worse kind of people on the planet. And management are not far behind. And the whole business plan well let's just say duh. You can not run a business on the premise that the customers and associates are stupid.
The Belk leadership team is an absolute JOKE. Get the f out of there
The pay gap between the STM'S and Store Manager is too big. Some store managers are making three times what an STM is making, this is unreasonable.
Thank you Manager Tells All!
We already knew some of this, and we do much appreciate the confirmation.
Don't forget favoritism. Alive and well at Belk.
Thank you for the reinforcement. You described perfectly the situation in our store.
I shrug when I hear "Write Up", as it is most prevalent in a retail setting. Best way to pi-ss them off is to actually sign the paper, "Puddin'". You will "obtain" their "goat" immediately and score empowerment. Promise!
Life's too short to d-ick around with that nonsense. Move on.B