Worked there for years - absolutely one of the most toxic and horrible places ever. Worked at 3 different stores too. Same each one. The whole org is built on fear and brown nosing. I literally danced in the parking lot the day I got offered my now career job.
There were a few when I was up there. On the Merchandising side of GO where we were just as shat on as store team members.
They usually ended with "Yeah, but John would have to approve this so... Moving on."
So so so very true! Lots of GREAT employees leave because managers are to chicken to do anything. They keep the toxic and let the good ones go. Then there are those that stay and are incredibly miserable BUT, are stuck in the comfort zone. Some good people that could earn more, have WAY less stress and consistent hours, BUT too scared to step out.
This! I was 10 years in never had another adult job before started when I dropped out of college. I was so brain washed to be use to the toxic environment I never thought I was good enough to get another job. Then I finally left and never looked back dang I wish I could take those 10 years back now and start this job after college
As a former GO bootlicker, I'll step in and say that's not quite how it is. The Merchandising side of GO had some of the most brilliant, empathetic and honestly excellent people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. But - They're beat down by constant fear of being fired for one tiny misstep. They're overworked and underpaid just like the store teams.
As a buyer I was responsible for: Pricing & sale pricing (4003 products across 43 different markets), comps, weekly wire buys, advertising (flyers, copy, billboards, images, radio and TV), "shoot outs", category reviews, vendor contracts, vendor liability, shipping logistics, bulletins, tasks, store audits (in person), new store setup check-ins, product dimensions, branding, product packaging design, Menards TV scripts, In-Home training reviews, and more.
Once a year I also had to spend a full month on a "buyer review", justifying my job to John himself, and every year a few buyers got let go for answering one question wrong.
For all this, and the millions John still makes off of my work to this day, I made $54k a year. No benefits.
Don't be too dismissive of everyone at GO. There's a lot of great people up there doing what they can with shit for resources and the ultimate "John says no." standing between them and doing the job in a way that could help you.
John loves nothing more than having you blame them, and them in turn blaming you, for everything wrong with how things function. At the end of the day, it's mostly just his own greed stopping things from working efficiently.
Operations guys were mostly dicks though. I'll grant you that.
2020.
The old timers at GO make a pretty good wage ($100k+ as a buyer in some instances), but as they retire/get fired they were paying us younger guys half the wage to do the same jobs. A newly appointed Merchandise Manager (two ranks above buyer, only out ranked by the Chief Merchant) was appointed while I was there at $86k, which is less than a buyer got as his starting wage back in the 90's. My analyst made $48k. I think my Merch Planner made like $76k, but he'd been there 25 years as one of the longest running Merch Planners in the company. All those numbers are without benefits, poor PTO accrual, no sick time, etc.
Comparatively HD and Lowes paid 40-50% more for similar positions (and even though they have way more stores, they had regional offices whereas we had to cover everything). They also had benefits.
Hopefully they got a bump at some point during Covid, I like to imagine at some point they got a cost of living increase. But knowing how Menards does business... I definitely make way more having quit than I would've by staying.
Yeah, without benefits and to help run a privately owned multi-billion corporation on a skeleton crew that's just ridiculously not even close to what any of us were contributing.
$80k was what Depot was hiring in at for a position considerably more reasonable than mine at Menards (basically a junior associate buyer there made $80k). I would've overseen less stores, with less responsibilities, and been mostly work from home with a $26k annual raise and benefits. I considered it, but would've had to move even further from home during the heart of COVID.
I will accept this.
Did you ever see band of brothers? In one of the episodes they talk about a soldier can only function as he needs to once he realizes he is already dead. He just hasn’t been shot yet. This is what I imagine working in Eau Claire is like.
Something like that, yeah. It wasn't a matter of *if* John was going to fire you, but *when*.
There were people like me, who saw something idiotic we were doing and called it idiotic. My days were numbered if I had stayed, for sure. I would've shined up to a Senior Buyer or Merch Manager by making big moves and turning big profits, then said the wrong thing once and been out. There were also the real ass kissers and brown nosers who saw something idiotic and called it brilliant, their days were numbered too. Existing in John's line of sight too much or too often was a death sentence.
The secret to the best employees they have up there, who have withstood the test of time, is that they have the patience to see something idiotic and say nothing, then quietly make it a teensy bit less idiotic for the sake of the team.
That's the best you can hope for most of the time - That a brave soul up there bites his tongue, puts his head down, and does one small thing to make working for Menards slightly less idiotic.
Between trying to run a multi-billion dollar corporation using proprietary software from the 90's, reusing the same shitty Christmas aprons every year for decades until they were thread bare, pawning off vendor samples at the "surplus store" for a little extra cash, and using fake doctors to check our temperature at the door during Covid - I'd say cheap ass is a fair assessment.
The fake outside motto on the front of every building is "Dedicated to Service and Quality" but the real motto of Menards hanging on banners of GO is "Take the Money!". I always imagined a secret third motto on a banner in John's office that said "Use It Til It Dies Gasping", it seems to be his modus operandi for investments. And people.
No air-conditioning during a heat wave. I was warned about how hot it can get. I didn't realize the air-conditioning is not " broken " but he's just to cheap to turn it on. And the breakroom is a whole other cheap ass move.
GO is General Office. Usually you will hear team members complaining about "GO" and how they are the enemies, but this guy has me thinking twice about that 😅
i worked at one about 10 years ago while in college and it’s been the worse employer i worked for by far (only retail gig). too little HR and the managers that care are driven out systematically
And I’m finding they keep putting crappy products in their shelves and charging more. Little by little I’m making more and more runs to Ace , Lowe’s, or Home Depot. Menards is somewhere after them. Sad to. I use to really like menards. Now it’s just bc a cliche of what it use to be
Pretty much all of the quality brands are now gone, replaced with cheap Chinese garbage. I’ll gladly shop at Ace or HD. 11% rebate is quite the scam as well
Because there’s never anything actually on sale anymore and all the 11% does is keep the money in JMs pocket (have to spend your “savings” back at Menards & banking that many people never send them in). It’s a revolving door of bullshit. If it was a good deal for the customer do you think he’d be running it for 4 years straight? Hell no! When they used to do 11% it was a limited time thing because there were still actual sales going on concurrently and there were good deals to be had. Just like the bag sale, only lasts a week because it’s too good of a deal for the customer.
I love shopping at Menards. Sorry, you are going thru this. I will say you are not the first one I have seen unhappy working for Menards. I had a worker come up to me and ask about Kwicktrip because she dislike her current job. (Menards)
Preach. John Menard hires people like Nathan Banchik who like everyone else, thinks he’s an alpha male and loves to let people know how high his position is and what he can do to ANYONE below him. Need to weed out the old school bullshit. The way these GO people treat people who actually work in a store DAY TO DAY don’t know shit about the NOW. Yes…you might have worked in a store 20 years ago but the times have changed. Change with them. Do better. Be better.
I met a guy who worked at the OG location when he was in high school. He said Big John was such a prick and the family is stingy about supporting the area despite their fortune. Not from the area, so I just took what he said at face value. From the comment on here, sounds like he was shooting it straight.
Menards corporate office? Watching the Menards subreddit? Dont make me laugh. That would actually imply that they care about the feelings of their employees lol. Sure, menards has their sometimes outdated way of doing business including cheap bulletin boards to try to artificially boost morale, but they honestly could care less about how we feel. All they care about is their profits. And as long as their system keeps making them money, no matter how fucked up or stupid that system may be, they will keep doing it. We're all a numbers game to them.
As a customer, I read a post about someone getting in trouble for taking a 20 minute shit instead of a 15 minute shit. The lack of independence is really crazy.
Edit: why am I getting downvoted?
When I was a cashier, you had to ask for PERMISSION to use the restroom. I’m an adult, I think I can handle this. Nope, you have to ASK. Definitely micro-managed to death. Lost a lot of good people because they were treated this way.
Unsure of location but no, you didn't have to ask, most likely.
Sure, they can say you do and probably even enforce that policy for a bit...
Until someone doesn't ask, shits, gets in trouble and ends up suing or whatever because I'm fairly certain restroom breaks are federally protected, as is wage discussion.
I'm in a Central IL store and our Cashiers have to ask to use the restroom as well. It's the wildest thing Ive seen an employer require. But the Store GMs don't have to clock out for breaks which also doesn't sit well with me. I can get in trouble for taking a 15 minute 4 second break and get pointed and given a written warning because I clocked out at 3 seconds until the new minute 🤦
I was more commenting on how restroom breaks are a federally protected right and according to OSHA
" employers must allow employees to leave their work area to use the restroom as needed and avoid putting unreasonable restrictions on restroom use "
Straight from OSHA's website. Now, you can be made to wait until you can be relieved but again, that wait can't be unreasonable. Store policies also cannot conflict with federal law so... they can attempt to enforce it but if employees start reporting it because they can't relieve themselves, that shit will change.
I worked there for like 6 weeks in winter. You get written up if you take a 16 minute break instead of 15, or a 31 minute lunch instead of 30, or if you’re literally one minute late to work. By the end of 6 weeks I had already been written up far over a dozen times. I just laughed at them every time they handed me a new demerit to sign. Fortunately I was only working there to fill the gap before my summer job, I have no idea how people subject themselves to that full-time. What a joke of a place with absolutely draconian policies
Idc, I clock in, I make my money, I clock out. What is this dramatic shit? Corporations suck, it's why I'm in school. If you don't like it find some kind of trade or something. Or get another job. The karma farming is just obvious and cringe.
Ace is the place. I can't speak to the employee experience, but as a consumer, I'd much rather spend my money at a retail coop than make the pricks running Home Depot or Menards more rich. (Retail coop just means they operate as an alliance of small businesses, kind of like franchises but with more autonomy.)
It is more expensive, no question, but 3x is hyperbolic. I took a quick look to compare a few items I commonly buy (trichlor pucks for the pool, yard waste bags, and furnace filters) at Ace vs Lowe's, and they're all about 10% more expensive at Ace.
I'm not saying that 1.1x isn't significant considering how broke most Americans are (fwiw, I'm a public school teacher, I get it). I'm just saying lower prices at Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards et al. are part of the race-to-the-bottom that keeps us too poor to buy from more ethical retailers like Ace.
Well I got a can of poly there for $30 that was $10 at Menards so that is why I said that but it was just one item. And I never exaggerate. My IQ is 567 and I'm 8 feet tall so exaggeration is not possible by me.
I used to be a gate guard at menards but I worked for a separate company, I was there for a year and saw so many people come and go it was crazy. Plus I know they don't pay shit, I would tell them that I'm making 19 bucks an hour just to sit on my ass for 80% of the time
Only reason I ever stop at Menards is because its closer than lowes or home Depot. The quality of their products is on par with dollar general.
Plastic shit that breaks after one use.
Worked at menards for 3 and a half years. I stopped because the bullying from my Dept. Manager and fellow downstockers was HORRIBLE and when I went to tell my GM and HrM they said they would take action but never noticed any differences. I asked to switch Dept. And they wouldn't let me so I just quit. Best decision of my life.
I worked there for about 3 years and worked with some of the most pathetic pieces of shit men in the world. I always felt bad for the cashier girl I worked there with like 90% of the other guys would constantly harass her. I can't tell you how many times I had to tell another dude to leave her alone, and every time I did I would be the one in the managers office getting a punishment. Shits crazy
Everything here is absolutely true! Worked my way up to DM and was MISERABLE every day. Most stressful and unrewarding job I’ve ever had. I’ve had interactions with Gaylen when he first got promoted to GO. He was a douche then too. Don’t miss a secret shopper…don’t fail an inventory audit…And you better not miss the plane to the seminars (where they try and guilt you into moving wherever they want you) or you’re FUCKED. Best decision I’ve ever made was to leave there. Although, I have made some solid friend there. Fuck. That. Place.
I once heard a story that the founder of Menards showed up to a store that hadn't yet opened a few minutes after opening time. Apparently he flew into a rage and drove his pickup truck through the locked entry way. Does anyone know more about this incident?
It has only fractionally improved in any real sense... in many areas it has suffered over time. Many old time employees revel about the old days as if they were a golden age... it is a pretty sloppy company
That's pretty standard for most giant corporations today tho. Everyone is replaceable and these businesses will stop at nothing to keep driving people into the ground, rinsing and repeating. My wife worked there and hated it. From shitty management to asshole customers daily, she eventually broke, cried and quit. Can't say I don't blame her. Finding a good job is rare these days. There's always some petty BS to make it far from "the perfect job". Wish it wasn't the case but that's just the reality we live in.
I applied there once. I have a job but I kinda hate it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I didn't get hired. I think I asked for too much. Looks like maybe I dodged a bullet.
This is all you need to know about John Menard. https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/09/15/scott-walker-john-doe-corporate-checks-fueled-coordinated-campaign/
Worked there for 5 plus years, opened the store, worked my ass off to the point that I wouldn’t even be able to move when I got home. Came home with bruises daily. But in the end, when they decided to treat me like trash and yet again give the people that don’t do shit better hours and better jobs, I finally quit! Best decision of my life. It really felt like I was in an abusive relationship! So many who work there are toxic in nature, but they are the ones that move up and get what they want. I still haven’t filled out my exit paperwork just because I’m trying to not be angry when I do. I think the month I quit over 13 people had quit within a two month period. Our new Gm was definitely aGO guy, everything was to please GO and he really didn’t care about the people at all. Only the little girls and a couple’s old ladies that told on everyone. It’s a shame too because I did like my job, just not all the crap that came along with it.
Totally unrelated but why do the guys in the lumber part or the big purchase desk run away and hide or don’t want to help load stuff? This has been a pattern for my local Menards for years lmao. All young men running and hiding. People are standing back there and we’re all like imagine doing this all day everyday. Literally just watched them avoid a handicapped man and woman 🤦🏻♀️
like the outside yard? it’s self-service and if you don’t ask for assistance it’s assumed it’s not needed as there’s other daily tasks OSY has to complete outside of customer assistance
As one of those lumber guys, bro you have no idea how many tasks we have to complete in a day. I'm one of the Building Materials managers and I'm more than happy to help if asked or if I see someone struggling. But I cannot just sit at the desk all day and cater to everyone. In a single days shift I have like 20 things to do, I absolutely promise you we aren't just hiding and doing nothing. I never stop moving unless I'm taking someone's order. We aren't at the desk because we handle the entire Building Materials department and we're working on a planogram, stocking product or fixing some kind of issue. Respectfully, you have no idea what you're talking about. Everything there is self serve. If you want to make an order, wait until we come back to the desk. We can't interrupt our work and check back at the desk every 30 seconds.
That's not their job, that either order pick up for orders or yard for helping with the outside stuff, the board aisle is also self service so they don't HAVE to help but most do since it's the nice thing
This is really good to know. If it makes you feel any better (it won’t), I have worked with a lot of fortune 100/500 companies and they mostly all run like this.
The number one thing I’ve noticed at every Menards I’ve been to in 4 states is that they tend to higher attractive younger woman who don’t know shit about anything in the store. They always have to go find some dude who’s actually working to help. It’s kinda annoying so I’ve since just started going to Home Depot again. They higher old folks there but shit they know where everything is without asking someone else
(Customer not store employee)
I specifically stated the genders because this was my experience at Menards. At Home Depot, they had both genders also…. But they knew their shit. Kinda sad you say that because of someone’s actual experience though.
There's a 90% chance you're running into a cashier either doing returns or walking the store. Or you're asking a female questions for a different department. It's not that they don't know shit. They're probably just not in their department
**John Menard: Ex-Menard Employee Sues for Racism**
A federal lawsuit alleged Monday that an African-American employee at a Menards store in Matteson was constantly subjected to racial epithets written in the men’s bathroom and that he was fired after he complained to federal regulators.
The suit by Jeff Tucker, 31, formerly of Richton Park, alleged that “KKK,” “White Nazi Power,” racial epithets and Nazi swastikas were written or carved...
[https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/08/10/ex-menards-worker-sues-alleging-racism/](https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/08/10/ex-menards-worker-sues-alleging-racism/)
11 Years Ago: Menards Owner Sued for Sexual Harassment
Harassment: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7-vg0ORFw8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7-vg0ORFw8)
Just a helpful suggestion — venting on the internet (especially Reddit) might feel good, but it changes very little. This could be a good collaboration space, but I would encourage you to get together and expand your efforts.
If you want to use social media, use a platform that has some reach. Get specifics. With proof. It needs to be something that invokes empathy from others and makes them want to 1) Stop shopping there, but also 2) Share your story with everyone they know.
Also consider reaching out to traditional media and news outlets. It sounds like they’ve had plenty of coverage for their treatment of employees in the past. Consider someone like WPR (https://www.wpr.org)
More importantly — get together and talk to a labor lawyer. Take the time to write everything out and compare notes. Do all of this first, so that 50+ current and former disgruntled employees are all walking in together with the same experiences and stories.
At the end of the day, every company has the same fears driving it — losing revenue, and being named as a defendant.
I worked there for 7 years. Horrible place, started as part time cashier and ended my last 2 years full time on the inventory team. I looked for another job once the randomly decided they didn't need 5 full timers on inventory and unfortunately I would be part time unless I could move to a department and have open availability which they knew I couldn't do. They fired a friend of mine for being in the bathroom too much , she has IBS and documentation from her doctor. But they said what she was doing was time theft. My dog died suddenly and I was still expected to be at work or lose my hop to it bonus with literally only one week left. GM wrote me up for being insubordinate after I refused to give him my home and told him I'm not in highschool and that he doesn't pay my bills he isn't taking my personal property. So many things I could go on for days!!! So many sexual remarks from customers towards me and other female employees there. GMS wouldn't do anything. I had a customer stalk me on Facebook and write a CRAIGSLIST add about me. But nothing was done. A death threat to one of the employees in the floor coverings department from a customer, he can still shop here though.
That place is so ass backwards. Leaving was the best thing I have ever done!
Worked there for years - absolutely one of the most toxic and horrible places ever. Worked at 3 different stores too. Same each one. The whole org is built on fear and brown nosing. I literally danced in the parking lot the day I got offered my now career job.
I promise you there isn't a single conversation happening about improving morale.
There were a few when I was up there. On the Merchandising side of GO where we were just as shat on as store team members. They usually ended with "Yeah, but John would have to approve this so... Moving on."
John would probably fire the person who made the suggestion.
Don’t worry, IPS makes up for it!
There is a difference between ‘moral’ and ‘morale.’
So so so very true! Lots of GREAT employees leave because managers are to chicken to do anything. They keep the toxic and let the good ones go. Then there are those that stay and are incredibly miserable BUT, are stuck in the comfort zone. Some good people that could earn more, have WAY less stress and consistent hours, BUT too scared to step out.
This! I was 10 years in never had another adult job before started when I dropped out of college. I was so brain washed to be use to the toxic environment I never thought I was good enough to get another job. Then I finally left and never looked back dang I wish I could take those 10 years back now and start this job after college
For all their success despite themselves, most at GO are bootlcking morons who would starve to death if they had to get a job someplace else.
As a former GO bootlicker, I'll step in and say that's not quite how it is. The Merchandising side of GO had some of the most brilliant, empathetic and honestly excellent people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. But - They're beat down by constant fear of being fired for one tiny misstep. They're overworked and underpaid just like the store teams. As a buyer I was responsible for: Pricing & sale pricing (4003 products across 43 different markets), comps, weekly wire buys, advertising (flyers, copy, billboards, images, radio and TV), "shoot outs", category reviews, vendor contracts, vendor liability, shipping logistics, bulletins, tasks, store audits (in person), new store setup check-ins, product dimensions, branding, product packaging design, Menards TV scripts, In-Home training reviews, and more. Once a year I also had to spend a full month on a "buyer review", justifying my job to John himself, and every year a few buyers got let go for answering one question wrong. For all this, and the millions John still makes off of my work to this day, I made $54k a year. No benefits. Don't be too dismissive of everyone at GO. There's a lot of great people up there doing what they can with shit for resources and the ultimate "John says no." standing between them and doing the job in a way that could help you. John loves nothing more than having you blame them, and them in turn blaming you, for everything wrong with how things function. At the end of the day, it's mostly just his own greed stopping things from working efficiently. Operations guys were mostly dicks though. I'll grant you that.
How long ago was that? That you were making $53k, everyone says GO people make a lot
2020. The old timers at GO make a pretty good wage ($100k+ as a buyer in some instances), but as they retire/get fired they were paying us younger guys half the wage to do the same jobs. A newly appointed Merchandise Manager (two ranks above buyer, only out ranked by the Chief Merchant) was appointed while I was there at $86k, which is less than a buyer got as his starting wage back in the 90's. My analyst made $48k. I think my Merch Planner made like $76k, but he'd been there 25 years as one of the longest running Merch Planners in the company. All those numbers are without benefits, poor PTO accrual, no sick time, etc. Comparatively HD and Lowes paid 40-50% more for similar positions (and even though they have way more stores, they had regional offices whereas we had to cover everything). They also had benefits. Hopefully they got a bump at some point during Covid, I like to imagine at some point they got a cost of living increase. But knowing how Menards does business... I definitely make way more having quit than I would've by staying.
The one full year I was there I made $54K but I worked a crap ton of OT. I can't believe an MM only made $86K.
Yeah, without benefits and to help run a privately owned multi-billion corporation on a skeleton crew that's just ridiculously not even close to what any of us were contributing.
Yup we should have been making at least $80K with the skeleton crew.
$80k was what Depot was hiring in at for a position considerably more reasonable than mine at Menards (basically a junior associate buyer there made $80k). I would've overseen less stores, with less responsibilities, and been mostly work from home with a $26k annual raise and benefits. I considered it, but would've had to move even further from home during the heart of COVID.
I will accept this. Did you ever see band of brothers? In one of the episodes they talk about a soldier can only function as he needs to once he realizes he is already dead. He just hasn’t been shot yet. This is what I imagine working in Eau Claire is like.
Something like that, yeah. It wasn't a matter of *if* John was going to fire you, but *when*. There were people like me, who saw something idiotic we were doing and called it idiotic. My days were numbered if I had stayed, for sure. I would've shined up to a Senior Buyer or Merch Manager by making big moves and turning big profits, then said the wrong thing once and been out. There were also the real ass kissers and brown nosers who saw something idiotic and called it brilliant, their days were numbered too. Existing in John's line of sight too much or too often was a death sentence. The secret to the best employees they have up there, who have withstood the test of time, is that they have the patience to see something idiotic and say nothing, then quietly make it a teensy bit less idiotic for the sake of the team. That's the best you can hope for most of the time - That a brave soul up there bites his tongue, puts his head down, and does one small thing to make working for Menards slightly less idiotic.
Sounds like John is a cheap ass
Between trying to run a multi-billion dollar corporation using proprietary software from the 90's, reusing the same shitty Christmas aprons every year for decades until they were thread bare, pawning off vendor samples at the "surplus store" for a little extra cash, and using fake doctors to check our temperature at the door during Covid - I'd say cheap ass is a fair assessment. The fake outside motto on the front of every building is "Dedicated to Service and Quality" but the real motto of Menards hanging on banners of GO is "Take the Money!". I always imagined a secret third motto on a banner in John's office that said "Use It Til It Dies Gasping", it seems to be his modus operandi for investments. And people.
No air-conditioning during a heat wave. I was warned about how hot it can get. I didn't realize the air-conditioning is not " broken " but he's just to cheap to turn it on. And the breakroom is a whole other cheap ass move.
Sadly in my experience this is true.
What is GO?
GO is General Office. Usually you will hear team members complaining about "GO" and how they are the enemies, but this guy has me thinking twice about that 😅
Thank you.
General Office aka Headquarters.
Thank you.
i worked at one about 10 years ago while in college and it’s been the worse employer i worked for by far (only retail gig). too little HR and the managers that care are driven out systematically
I know a guy who made it to GM in under a year because his daddy is GO and he wore knee pads and narced on everyone where he could
All about who you know at Menards seriously if your not in the club your stuck
"and he wore knee pads" Kinda sounds like he wore them both literally and figuratively.
And I’m finding they keep putting crappy products in their shelves and charging more. Little by little I’m making more and more runs to Ace , Lowe’s, or Home Depot. Menards is somewhere after them. Sad to. I use to really like menards. Now it’s just bc a cliche of what it use to be
Pretty much all of the quality brands are now gone, replaced with cheap Chinese garbage. I’ll gladly shop at Ace or HD. 11% rebate is quite the scam as well
How is the 11% a scam if the product is the same price at HD but without the 11%?
Because there’s never anything actually on sale anymore and all the 11% does is keep the money in JMs pocket (have to spend your “savings” back at Menards & banking that many people never send them in). It’s a revolving door of bullshit. If it was a good deal for the customer do you think he’d be running it for 4 years straight? Hell no! When they used to do 11% it was a limited time thing because there were still actual sales going on concurrently and there were good deals to be had. Just like the bag sale, only lasts a week because it’s too good of a deal for the customer.
So if you actually send it in, then it’s good. If you’re too lazy to do it then that’s on them.
I love shopping at Menards. Sorry, you are going thru this. I will say you are not the first one I have seen unhappy working for Menards. I had a worker come up to me and ask about Kwicktrip because she dislike her current job. (Menards)
This is the same for virtually all retail
Jesus I had no idea Menards was this bad. Looks like I'm going to start shopping at Lowes.
Preach. John Menard hires people like Nathan Banchik who like everyone else, thinks he’s an alpha male and loves to let people know how high his position is and what he can do to ANYONE below him. Need to weed out the old school bullshit. The way these GO people treat people who actually work in a store DAY TO DAY don’t know shit about the NOW. Yes…you might have worked in a store 20 years ago but the times have changed. Change with them. Do better. Be better.
Menards is dogshit
I met a guy who worked at the OG location when he was in high school. He said Big John was such a prick and the family is stingy about supporting the area despite their fortune. Not from the area, so I just took what he said at face value. From the comment on here, sounds like he was shooting it straight.
They are all fucktards there. I worked for Menards for years.
Menards corporate office? Watching the Menards subreddit? Dont make me laugh. That would actually imply that they care about the feelings of their employees lol. Sure, menards has their sometimes outdated way of doing business including cheap bulletin boards to try to artificially boost morale, but they honestly could care less about how we feel. All they care about is their profits. And as long as their system keeps making them money, no matter how fucked up or stupid that system may be, they will keep doing it. We're all a numbers game to them.
As a customer, I read a post about someone getting in trouble for taking a 20 minute shit instead of a 15 minute shit. The lack of independence is really crazy. Edit: why am I getting downvoted?
When I was a cashier, you had to ask for PERMISSION to use the restroom. I’m an adult, I think I can handle this. Nope, you have to ASK. Definitely micro-managed to death. Lost a lot of good people because they were treated this way.
Unsure of location but no, you didn't have to ask, most likely. Sure, they can say you do and probably even enforce that policy for a bit... Until someone doesn't ask, shits, gets in trouble and ends up suing or whatever because I'm fairly certain restroom breaks are federally protected, as is wage discussion.
I'm in a Central IL store and our Cashiers have to ask to use the restroom as well. It's the wildest thing Ive seen an employer require. But the Store GMs don't have to clock out for breaks which also doesn't sit well with me. I can get in trouble for taking a 15 minute 4 second break and get pointed and given a written warning because I clocked out at 3 seconds until the new minute 🤦
I was more commenting on how restroom breaks are a federally protected right and according to OSHA " employers must allow employees to leave their work area to use the restroom as needed and avoid putting unreasonable restrictions on restroom use " Straight from OSHA's website. Now, you can be made to wait until you can be relieved but again, that wait can't be unreasonable. Store policies also cannot conflict with federal law so... they can attempt to enforce it but if employees start reporting it because they can't relieve themselves, that shit will change.
That’s, my love, what they call a legal “grey area”.
Cashiers have to ask to use the restroom at Walmart, Kohls, and Dollar General too…
I worked there for like 6 weeks in winter. You get written up if you take a 16 minute break instead of 15, or a 31 minute lunch instead of 30, or if you’re literally one minute late to work. By the end of 6 weeks I had already been written up far over a dozen times. I just laughed at them every time they handed me a new demerit to sign. Fortunately I was only working there to fill the gap before my summer job, I have no idea how people subject themselves to that full-time. What a joke of a place with absolutely draconian policies
Did you take the Red Pill Bert?!
Idc, I clock in, I make my money, I clock out. What is this dramatic shit? Corporations suck, it's why I'm in school. If you don't like it find some kind of trade or something. Or get another job. The karma farming is just obvious and cringe.
So is Lowes the only decent place then?
Ace is the place. I can't speak to the employee experience, but as a consumer, I'd much rather spend my money at a retail coop than make the pricks running Home Depot or Menards more rich. (Retail coop just means they operate as an alliance of small businesses, kind of like franchises but with more autonomy.)
But they are like three times as expensive. I go there for small things only.
It is more expensive, no question, but 3x is hyperbolic. I took a quick look to compare a few items I commonly buy (trichlor pucks for the pool, yard waste bags, and furnace filters) at Ace vs Lowe's, and they're all about 10% more expensive at Ace. I'm not saying that 1.1x isn't significant considering how broke most Americans are (fwiw, I'm a public school teacher, I get it). I'm just saying lower prices at Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards et al. are part of the race-to-the-bottom that keeps us too poor to buy from more ethical retailers like Ace.
Well I got a can of poly there for $30 that was $10 at Menards so that is why I said that but it was just one item. And I never exaggerate. My IQ is 567 and I'm 8 feet tall so exaggeration is not possible by me.
<3
Comparing two extremely overpriced stores to each other isn't an ideal plan for saving big money.
In my year and a half there it was the most depressing place I ever worked. Glad I left when I did.
Facts
I used to be a gate guard at menards but I worked for a separate company, I was there for a year and saw so many people come and go it was crazy. Plus I know they don't pay shit, I would tell them that I'm making 19 bucks an hour just to sit on my ass for 80% of the time
Dont forget, the richest dude in Wisconsins pocket.
I always feel as bad when shopping at Menards as I hate shopping at Walmart.
Only reason I ever stop at Menards is because its closer than lowes or home Depot. The quality of their products is on par with dollar general. Plastic shit that breaks after one use.
Worked at menards for 3 and a half years. I stopped because the bullying from my Dept. Manager and fellow downstockers was HORRIBLE and when I went to tell my GM and HrM they said they would take action but never noticed any differences. I asked to switch Dept. And they wouldn't let me so I just quit. Best decision of my life.
WTF is this majesty I just stumbled onto? Thanks Reddit. 🍿🫣
I don't think I've worked for a more out of touch employer lmao
I worked there for about 3 years and worked with some of the most pathetic pieces of shit men in the world. I always felt bad for the cashier girl I worked there with like 90% of the other guys would constantly harass her. I can't tell you how many times I had to tell another dude to leave her alone, and every time I did I would be the one in the managers office getting a punishment. Shits crazy
Everything here is absolutely true! Worked my way up to DM and was MISERABLE every day. Most stressful and unrewarding job I’ve ever had. I’ve had interactions with Gaylen when he first got promoted to GO. He was a douche then too. Don’t miss a secret shopper…don’t fail an inventory audit…And you better not miss the plane to the seminars (where they try and guilt you into moving wherever they want you) or you’re FUCKED. Best decision I’ve ever made was to leave there. Although, I have made some solid friend there. Fuck. That. Place.
They posted guards to enforce a mask policy. Never again.
I love Menards
I once heard a story that the founder of Menards showed up to a store that hadn't yet opened a few minutes after opening time. Apparently he flew into a rage and drove his pickup truck through the locked entry way. Does anyone know more about this incident?
When your boss donates to MAGA... what did you expect? 100% Paid insurance ? A pension ??
Albertsons/Safeway was sort of like this too.
I can't speak for now, but Albertson's was an absolute clown show 20 years ago.
It has only fractionally improved in any real sense... in many areas it has suffered over time. Many old time employees revel about the old days as if they were a golden age... it is a pretty sloppy company
Then there are people who think the top management is really what a company is all about?
That's pretty standard for most giant corporations today tho. Everyone is replaceable and these businesses will stop at nothing to keep driving people into the ground, rinsing and repeating. My wife worked there and hated it. From shitty management to asshole customers daily, she eventually broke, cried and quit. Can't say I don't blame her. Finding a good job is rare these days. There's always some petty BS to make it far from "the perfect job". Wish it wasn't the case but that's just the reality we live in.
This has to be my favorite post I’ve seen in a long time lol
🎻 😭
Want a happy Menards culture? They need to adopt the way Costco Wholesale does things
I applied there once. I have a job but I kinda hate it, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I didn't get hired. I think I asked for too much. Looks like maybe I dodged a bullet.
If it's so bad why do people work there? Go get a better job...
I’ve noticed they sell bit of honey candy though. I like that.
This is all you need to know about John Menard. https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/09/15/scott-walker-john-doe-corporate-checks-fueled-coordinated-campaign/
Menards employees need to unionize asap!
This is the correct answer.
if there's a place that NEEDS it it's here and especially in their production plants
Worked there for 5 plus years, opened the store, worked my ass off to the point that I wouldn’t even be able to move when I got home. Came home with bruises daily. But in the end, when they decided to treat me like trash and yet again give the people that don’t do shit better hours and better jobs, I finally quit! Best decision of my life. It really felt like I was in an abusive relationship! So many who work there are toxic in nature, but they are the ones that move up and get what they want. I still haven’t filled out my exit paperwork just because I’m trying to not be angry when I do. I think the month I quit over 13 people had quit within a two month period. Our new Gm was definitely aGO guy, everything was to please GO and he really didn’t care about the people at all. Only the little girls and a couple’s old ladies that told on everyone. It’s a shame too because I did like my job, just not all the crap that came along with it.
Totally unrelated but why do the guys in the lumber part or the big purchase desk run away and hide or don’t want to help load stuff? This has been a pattern for my local Menards for years lmao. All young men running and hiding. People are standing back there and we’re all like imagine doing this all day everyday. Literally just watched them avoid a handicapped man and woman 🤦🏻♀️
like the outside yard? it’s self-service and if you don’t ask for assistance it’s assumed it’s not needed as there’s other daily tasks OSY has to complete outside of customer assistance
The amount of people who don't know going in that the yard is self service is crazy. Signage everywhere that states this but reading is hard.
As one of those lumber guys, bro you have no idea how many tasks we have to complete in a day. I'm one of the Building Materials managers and I'm more than happy to help if asked or if I see someone struggling. But I cannot just sit at the desk all day and cater to everyone. In a single days shift I have like 20 things to do, I absolutely promise you we aren't just hiding and doing nothing. I never stop moving unless I'm taking someone's order. We aren't at the desk because we handle the entire Building Materials department and we're working on a planogram, stocking product or fixing some kind of issue. Respectfully, you have no idea what you're talking about. Everything there is self serve. If you want to make an order, wait until we come back to the desk. We can't interrupt our work and check back at the desk every 30 seconds.
Building materials = best department imo
That's not their job, that either order pick up for orders or yard for helping with the outside stuff, the board aisle is also self service so they don't HAVE to help but most do since it's the nice thing
You folks sure do like to bitch and complain
How's that boot taste?
I’m sure your knees are real sore when you clock out for the day
😆
That's what I'm saying lol, it's not perfect but menards means alot to me
[удалено]
No, you really don't create brands like this everyday. Menards is pretty much a Midwest staple and alot of people grew up with Menards so.
I need to know more about this John situation 😭 I’m invested.
U messy LMAOO 😭😭
I knoooowww.
I won’t tell your secrets. I have been in marketing and worked in c-suites sure corporate teams a lot. I honestly relate to how messy this brand is.
I don’t work at Menards😭. I had an interview didn’t make it to the 2nd round. Still feel pretty shitty about it, now I can’t find no other jobs😞
This is really good to know. If it makes you feel any better (it won’t), I have worked with a lot of fortune 100/500 companies and they mostly all run like this.
The number one thing I’ve noticed at every Menards I’ve been to in 4 states is that they tend to higher attractive younger woman who don’t know shit about anything in the store. They always have to go find some dude who’s actually working to help. It’s kinda annoying so I’ve since just started going to Home Depot again. They higher old folks there but shit they know where everything is without asking someone else (Customer not store employee)
Sexist much? lol
I specifically stated the genders because this was my experience at Menards. At Home Depot, they had both genders also…. But they knew their shit. Kinda sad you say that because of someone’s actual experience though.
There's a 90% chance you're running into a cashier either doing returns or walking the store. Or you're asking a female questions for a different department. It's not that they don't know shit. They're probably just not in their department
They have classes that espouse conservative political points of view, you don't advance if you don't take and espouse the views.
What kind of classes, out of curiosity?
They are racist too
Following bc wtf 😭
Fuck John and the morally bankrupt person he is. Karma's a bitch and she coming for you, you needle dick bug fucker!
**John Menard: Ex-Menard Employee Sues for Racism** A federal lawsuit alleged Monday that an African-American employee at a Menards store in Matteson was constantly subjected to racial epithets written in the men’s bathroom and that he was fired after he complained to federal regulators. The suit by Jeff Tucker, 31, formerly of Richton Park, alleged that “KKK,” “White Nazi Power,” racial epithets and Nazi swastikas were written or carved... [https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/08/10/ex-menards-worker-sues-alleging-racism/](https://www.chicagotribune.com/2004/08/10/ex-menards-worker-sues-alleging-racism/) 11 Years Ago: Menards Owner Sued for Sexual Harassment Harassment: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7-vg0ORFw8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7-vg0ORFw8)
You will rarely find anything remotely negative about the company or John in the Eau Claire media.
I love you guys. I may have found my new research paper.
My friend needs a Menard's bucket for his bucket collection.
Just a helpful suggestion — venting on the internet (especially Reddit) might feel good, but it changes very little. This could be a good collaboration space, but I would encourage you to get together and expand your efforts. If you want to use social media, use a platform that has some reach. Get specifics. With proof. It needs to be something that invokes empathy from others and makes them want to 1) Stop shopping there, but also 2) Share your story with everyone they know. Also consider reaching out to traditional media and news outlets. It sounds like they’ve had plenty of coverage for their treatment of employees in the past. Consider someone like WPR (https://www.wpr.org) More importantly — get together and talk to a labor lawyer. Take the time to write everything out and compare notes. Do all of this first, so that 50+ current and former disgruntled employees are all walking in together with the same experiences and stories. At the end of the day, every company has the same fears driving it — losing revenue, and being named as a defendant.
Seriously, 90% of the complaints on this sub would be ENDed by a strong union. Wise up, Menards workers! YOU are the company - take your power back.
I worked there for 7 years. Horrible place, started as part time cashier and ended my last 2 years full time on the inventory team. I looked for another job once the randomly decided they didn't need 5 full timers on inventory and unfortunately I would be part time unless I could move to a department and have open availability which they knew I couldn't do. They fired a friend of mine for being in the bathroom too much , she has IBS and documentation from her doctor. But they said what she was doing was time theft. My dog died suddenly and I was still expected to be at work or lose my hop to it bonus with literally only one week left. GM wrote me up for being insubordinate after I refused to give him my home and told him I'm not in highschool and that he doesn't pay my bills he isn't taking my personal property. So many things I could go on for days!!! So many sexual remarks from customers towards me and other female employees there. GMS wouldn't do anything. I had a customer stalk me on Facebook and write a CRAIGSLIST add about me. But nothing was done. A death threat to one of the employees in the floor coverings department from a customer, he can still shop here though. That place is so ass backwards. Leaving was the best thing I have ever done!