I've worked for several poorly managed companies. Sometimes the management got better as people were replaced, and sometimes they got much worse. This place as pretty much gone down hill since I started, and we're not even talking from the top of the hill to begin with. I was promised many things by the original manager who hired me. He seemed to have forgotten all those things after I held up my part of the bargain. The starting pay was ok based on what I was hired to do. But once I got promoted and took on new skills.
Food Lion LLC has agreed to pay $50,500 to a former employee in Forsyth County to settle an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit focused on religious accommodations. Victaurius Bailey.
The pay was not commensurate or competitive with the surrounding market. And by this I mean, after 3 years of working there, I got $3.29 more only because a 'study' of the local job market showed that I and a bunch of other people in other positions were getting paid below market wages. And I must say that even with that 'boost', someone at Safeway doing the same job gets paid 19.65/hr to start. But, the job's responsibilities have gone up over the years but the money has not. They're raise system dictates that after one year, you get an evaluation. And if you 'perform above expectations', you get a 2% raise.
If you don't meet or need improvement, (depending on which of the 5 store managers that have rolled through in the last 3 years and what they think of you) you get 1%. So, after 20 years there, I can expect to be making around $19 an hour if I 'meet expectations'.
I guess I should clarify on the management situation as well. Since I've been there, 5 store managers, 2 assistant managers, and 3 market managers have come and gone. That is very high turnaround for people who are supposedly in a position 'earned'. And everyone thinks that they're the best thing since sliced bread and they all have different expectations and have different ways about getting their point across. Everyone one of them says that they are following 'standard practice' like it's their Bible but they all seem to be reading from a different Bible.
Which means your newsletters and also your campaigns want to be responsive, and that ain’t very easy to do by hand.
And somehow, the customer service manager has called out 11 days this year, been late opening the store by over an hour, was investigated for a $4000.00 missing, and has been known to come to work drunk several times. Somehow, she is still there. So, overall, the management sucks.
The pay sucks. The employees are usually miserable and depressed because the management and pay sucks.
And because they try to compete with the likes of Wal Mart, they customers suck as well. They don't even have a discount program for the employees.
They say they do, but it's the same MVP card that all customers have the option of getting for free. I have complete knowledge of the meat market and it's procedures such as; overseeing the entire work process of our dept., scheduling, ordering, rotation, merchandising, packaging, and presentation in the case flow allocation, core cutting list procedures, monthly inventory, short date lists, gross profit and shrink accrual awareness, compliance of company policies, stocking, setting up promos and doing seasonal resets, weekly ad changes and sale item allocations, knowledge of daily and weekly profits and margins. Responsibility for compliance with government regulations and company policies, and preparation for federal, state inspections.
Use of job knowledge and computer skills. I've had the opportunity to train with Market Specialists, Deli/Bakery Specialist, Produce Specialists and the Assistant Store Manager; learning each departments' inventory, ordering, presentations and standard practices.
To me the food lion company was a very good place to work. Im currently not employed by them i am in the construction field but really miss working there. I am a people person Iam also a preacher and they food lion that is had no problem with me having prayer with my customers when they ask me to do so. Not many companys allow this and they wanted me doing this as it is who I am. One day soon i will return to work for them i am under doctor care at the moment but as soon as i get cleared to go back to them i am going the best job i ever had.
The store managers are very understanding and all i worked with helped me in everyway. When I go back I plan on retireing from this company and trust me i have worked for a few that i will never go back to but food lion is the best job I have ever had. I absolutely loved working for Food Lion LLC. I felt valued and respected. Unfortunately the economy forced some hard decisions to be made and I was laid off. Food Lion continues to struggle. They have lost their customer base while trying to become something they are not, namely the money pit and huge mistake of Bloom.
Bloom is gone now, but the damage is done. I loved their 'bring your whole self to work' environment and continued support of all communities and walks of life. I left many dear friends there, and would return tomorrow if things ever turn around for them.