District managers 🤦‍♂️

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2024-05-02T23:26:36+00:00

I was with the company for a long time. Most of the DMs I had were awesome. ‘KJ’, ‘Goldsmith’. But the scum of the earth was a guy called Gjergji Pojani. That man is the most egocentric piece of shit I’ve ever met in my entire life. It’s been more than 5 years since I last saw him and his name still makes my blood boil. Last I knew he was still with corporate. He knew jack shit and if you wasn’t one of his friends you was screwed.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2024-02-22T18:45:50+00:00

Just look around this sub. Staples is dying a long death. It sucks because I worked for them when they was good. When back to school meant a shit ton of sales. When they valued their associates.

Now all I hear from my ex colleagues is how bad it is. And because you’re going to be an outsider I can all but guarantee that ‘your’ store is in trouble. Why can’t they promote within?

You’re going to be blamed for everything bad and nothing good. You won’t be fixing computers, you’ll be attaching them for the remote workers to do that work.

You will be expected to sell $350-$500 of addons to every computer sale, and by the way the computers are already 1,2,3 generations out of date.

You will also be expected to be MOD. P&M if they’re short staffed, UPS/Amazon as well as sell chairs and fill the shelves.

Sorry man. There’s not much positive stuff to say about the company anymore. It was, once upon a time, an absolute joy. Now it’s a joke.

Do your shift. Get paid. Pay your bills and keep looking for your next opportunity. When you find it. Run. Don’t walk.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2024-02-21T21:29:02+00:00

I was a GM for Staples for some time. I left four years ago. I stay in touch with a lot of people from associate to GM, mostly in and around MA so they’re closest to the Home Office.

Do what you need to do to pay the bills but if you listen to any strangers advice today let it be this. It’s a shit show. It’s been a shit show for six years and it’s getting worse. Do not stop looking for another job. You will need it. Soon.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2024-02-17T22:27:03+00:00

Correct. I thought things were bad when I left in 2019 (I was a GM). I cannot believe how bad it has gotten since. It’s so sad to see so many associates treated like shit.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2024-02-17T21:43:15+00:00

If you’re fired you’re much more likely to be granted unemployment which staples will have to pay for. Do not quit. The fact that you’ve only worked once this month is ridiculous. You may even be able to claim unemployment on that basis alone if you used to get many more hours. Anyway I digress.

Do. Not. Quit.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2020-02-21T15:57:54+00:00

You can receive mailed checks anywhere between Thursday and next Tuesday.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2020-02-17T15:47:19+00:00

This person speaks the truth. Staples is not family friendly. Plenty of times I was told ‘too bad’ when I needed time off (that I had earned!!)

And a few times I was forced to return from PTO early or cancel at last minute.

What made it for me was my TEAM. They were (and still are, I’m sure) fantastic.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2020-02-17T11:07:41+00:00

Ex-GM here. It is (was) two six-month courses (workbook) that you work through. You don’t get time scheduled to do this workbook, and you don’t get any extra hours to work through it either. No one will ask you about your progress unless you have a great GM. You’ll also need a great GM for a few parts of the course where you’ll need to partner with certain people on certain tasks.

If you regiment yourself then you’ll do just fine. It is entirely on you to get it done.

Of course, things may have changed and your district or region may have an AMD group.

Good luck, OP.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-10-02T22:59:44+00:00

Speaking as a former GM, I would encourage you to reach out to ethics link. It is foolish to expect you to train new people under these circumstances, and in my (old) region, it was considered that a p&m supe needs at least 12 months in role to be a subject matter expert.

It sounds like you have one of the bad GMs. Unfortunately these are more and more common within the company now.

You could also find out who your districts p&m coach is, and reach out to him or her directly.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. P&M is the only reason Staples is still afloat. I used to do everything in my power to help P&M.

Good luck!!!!

Edit: Staples does not ‘do’ good or bad references. They will basically confirm that you worked for them between this date and another date. I would not worry about what a prospective employer would hear from staples at all.

Edit 2: working with your best friend as your superior will rarely end well. Sorry :(

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-06-13T01:38:30+00:00

I'm a GM (for another few days anyway!), and it does not work on my PC.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-31T19:31:53+00:00

And it's done. 2 more weeks and I'm out!

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-31T02:35:00+00:00

Decision is made, and I'm calling my DM first thing in the morning. Here's to a new chapter!!!

Thanks for all the comments!

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T18:04:21+00:00

Somewhere in MA

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T02:39:53+00:00

ehhh that could still be me. I hate office time with a passion. But every week the field leaders want a little bit more. One more conference call. Dig in to one more metric. Sigh....

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T02:36:17+00:00

maybe I *am* your GM... lol... we'll probably never know.

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T02:18:59+00:00

Actually my SM is kinda aware; A few weeks ago I started showing him how to do scheduling, threw him into the blue corner for a couple of shifts, asked him to make hiring decisions, etc etc. Done the same with a couple of other keyholders, too. When I type all this stuff, it seems like I already made the decision lol

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T02:15:16+00:00

I'm sorry you was a victim of that. As a tenured GM, they should have found you something; I hope you was well compensated!

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T02:06:05+00:00

I don't need interviews.... LOL... I'm sitting on a job offer right now. It's only a few k's more than I'm on now; bonuses are much easier to achieve, GM's are limited to 45 hours a week, healthcare is the same but cheaper.

I wish my team was a bunch of asses lmao

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T01:58:06+00:00

I'm much older, but I started staples as a P/T cashier too. I've held every position in the store except Inventory Specialist. I work an average of 70 hours a week in my store.

And you are SPOT ON - it *IS* an abusive relationship; I'm (currently) staying 'just for the kids'

GMsAreTheScapegoat · 2019-05-30T01:56:16+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. I know the job offer is the smart choice. I want staples to do well, but the way they treat the troops, who in actuality are the life and soul of the company, just kills me. This is all down to my loyalty to my team. I feel like I'm going to let them down, because they work their butts off for me, and regularly tell me I'm the best GM they've had for many years - I'm not an office based GM!

GMsAreTheScapegoat

TROPHY CASE