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10 Best Retailers To Work For





 

Stores are hiring droves of new employees this season to help handle the
holiday frenzy. In October alone, retailers added 141,500 jobs, according to the
employment services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. As many jobless,
underemployed, and cash-short Americans join the retail sector as fall fades to
winter, it's a good time to see which retailers get the most love from their
employees.


 


The jobs and career community Glassdoor is here to help on this front. Using
the 20,000 retail company reviews in its database, Glassdoor has compiled a list
of the 10 retailers whose work environments earned the highest marks from their
employees (on a scale of 1 to 5, very dissatisfied to very satisfied).


The Top 10 Highest-Rated
Retailers
1. REI

Employee satisfaction rating: 4.0


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $10.44 an hourInventory
specialist: $9.83 an hourCashier: $10.07

Why It's So Great To Work For

"Seriously the best retail job you could
ever find! Fun interview process and great people," says one REI customer
service specialist."Recreational Equipment Inc. is, as you may know and could
probably guess, a sporting and recreational equipment chain. Last year the
Wisconsin-based retailer made Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work
For" list, and employees can tell you why.The company offers higher pay,
benefits and better discounts than most competitors, claims one sales
representative, as well as huge discounts off of pricey equipment like bikes and
kayaks. It's a dream job for an outdoor enthusiast, although some complain that
it is difficult to climb to the top at REI when you start at the bottom.

-- Find jobs at REI






2. J. Crew

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.9


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $9 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

The salespeople at this New York-based haven
of prep rave about the pay, the perks, and the casual work culture. Something
must have shifted at J. Crew in the past year, because it has the
third-most-improved rating in Glassdoor's database, jumping up from 3.4 last
year."The employees are like family -- fun and friendly," says one sales
associate. The main complaint employees shared wasn't even about J. Crew in
particular. "Retail as a whole can be boring," said one employee from Richmond,
Va.

-- Find jobs at J. Crew






3. Wayfair (formerly CSN Stores)

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.8


What They Pay (on average)

Entry-level sale and customer service rep:
$29,549 a year

Why It's So Great To Work For

Wayfair is the second largest online-only
retailer of housewares and furnishings in the U.S., as well as one of the
country's fastest-growing private companies. It ballooned by 50 percent last
year, and also climbed by an amazing 1.4 points in employee satisfaction.
Wayfair's doing something right.Many of the employees now working under the
Wayfair banner feel well-treated by the company, and say there are many
opportunities for growth. Some admitted, however, that answering the phones as a
customer service rep can get a little draining, and that they weren't
compensated enough for their labors.

-- Find jobs at Wayfair






4. Costco Wholesale

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.8


What They Pay (on average)

Sales assistant: $11.56 an hourStocker: $12.24
an hourCashier: $15.63 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

Fortune magazine ranked Costco as
one of the "World's Most Admired Companies" in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The
recession was especially kind to Costco. As families trimmed budgets, Costco cut
prices, began accepting food stamps, and drew customers away from rival
Wal-Mart. The wholesaler's revenue has increased every year since 2009. Its
employee satisfaction has risen too, from 2.6 in 2010 to 3.8 this year.Employees
love the pay, benefits, job security and the workout. Some complain, however,
about a lack of upward mobility, weak incentives to work hard, and the workout.

-- Find jobs at Costco Wholesale






5. Lakeshore Learning Materials

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.7


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $10 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

This toys and games retailer offers
challenges to those who want it. "Just raise your hand and say 'I'd like to try
that.' You may have to earn it, but they'll give ya a shot," says one
employee."Super casual work environment ... keeps the stuffiness out of the
workplace," adds another. But it's not so super casual that you can slack off.
"Management's expectations are high," says one worker, "and they do not mess
around if someone is not meeting these expectations."

-- Find jobs at Lakeshore Learning Materials






6. Sleepy's

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.6


What They Pay (on average)

Sales representative: Between $12-$13 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

"The Mattress Professionals" are apparently
exactly that: professional. The training is supposedly excellent, and employees
rave about the camaraderie and warmth on the sales floor.But sometimes there
aren't a lot of people on that sales floor, according to a few sales reps, and
there's plenty of downtime. Also, weekends and evenings are allegedly where the
money is, which can irk employees who don't want to sacrifice that time.

-- Find jobs at Sleepy's






7. Nordstrom

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.5


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $12.60 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

This Seattle-based department store was
voted one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune magazine
last year. It offers great pay and benefits, and a job there is an excellent
opportunity "to learn how to deal with different types of customers," says one
sales associate.While some employees consider its management supportive, others
complain that it doesn't communicate well, and that it can also get a little
cutthroat at Nordstrom as employees battle it out for a sale.

-- Find jobs at Nordstrom






8. Buckle

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.4


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $7.22 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

Forbes magazine selected this
upscale fashion store as 24th among America's "Best Small Companies" this year.
Employees rave about the 40 percent discount, commission, fun work environment,
and management that's understanding of your personal schedule.Some employees are
bothered by the loss of base pay, however, and say that there are sometimes
petty arguments and dramas among their "shark-like" associates. And while the
discount is generous, most of the brands that The Buckle carries remain a
stretch to afford at this wage scale. (Those $150 jeans are still $90).

-- Find jobs at Buckle






9. Container Store

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.4


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $12.59 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

The Container Store invented a whole new
category of retail in 1978: storage and organization. And people loved it. The
store has grown by 20 percent every year since.Employees love it too. For four
years in a row, Fortune magazine has listed the retailer among its "100
Best Companies to Work For." Working there is a dress-down affair, with
competitive pay and solid foundational values. Although a few employees point
out that "what they preach and what they practice aren't always in sync."

-- Find jobs at The Container Store






10. Pottery Barn

Employee satisfaction rating: 3.4


What They Pay (on average)

Sales associate: $9.12 an hour

Why It's So Great To Work For

"Beautiful surroundings," says one employee
about this San Francisco-based home furnishings chain. There are great discounts
and, as one sales associate put it, "Everyone seems like they truly want to be
there when they come to work."Employees have a few criticisms for management,
however. Sometimes they are sent home when sales are slow, or asked to stay
longer when traffic is high. "They control your time without paying you,"
remarked one sales associate.

-- Find jobs at Pottery Barn






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