EVERYTHING is micromanaged. Managers do not have the ability to control the schedule for their location - the schedule is written for you, you simply add names based on title.
PTO is given to you, however you have to use it within the "Guidelines" they require you follow. For example, you cannot have more than 3 days off in a row, you MUST work 2 full weekends a perioid, PTO can not be taken more than 10 days, of which you must use unpaid days with the guideline of no more than 14 days off in a row. PTO cannot be taken during the month of May, June, or November to February.
Pay is masked and hidden in the details of your offer letter. IE: People are told they will make 15$ an hour however that is based on the premise you will sell memberships. The pay out on that is 4$ each after you sell 3 in a shift. In order to make my salary of 50k I had to sell 40 passes a week. In addition - if you are told your pay is 50k for a year, That is calculated at an hourly rate, + a mandatory OT expectation. For example if you are told your pay is 51K, you will get an hourly rate of 20.5/hour with an required 5 hours OT.
You are forced into their training model no matter what kind of experience you have. Which is fine, however - you are hired in as an associate making the pay of a shift manager (about 20$ an hour). You then go through the training to become a shift manager which for anyone with experience takes about 3 months - if the AD likes you. Once you achieve shift manager certification, you are given all the responsibilities of running a multi million dollar location. Your compensation is adjusted by about .25 cents with an extra requirement of 45 hours instead of 40. The progression goes through assistant, operations, lead operations and General manager. With the compensation not changing much prior to the Operations manager promotion. At this point, you will be making about 57-60k a year with bonus. Now - the bonus is up to 20 %... which is calculated prior to your pay, so in reality your hourly salary totals about 50k for a 60 hour work week with the POTENTIAL to make the additional 10k in bonus.
Side story - I approached my AD for a salary review due to not being moved through the management process as they originally promised in my interview and onboarding. Keep in mind I have held much higher positions with many more responsibilities and expectations. His response was "We do a great job of paying people what they are worth."
Finally - they keep boasting about how they are one of the "Top Rated Places to Work" - This is mostly due to the survey tactics they practice. Everyone who is promoted is given a link to the "Great Place to Work" survey and is heavily encouraged to complete within the 24 hours following the promotion. Catching someone in the happy feelings of being successful and getting a raise is a little misleading. A better judge of "happiness" would be measured if they provided the survey after the first couple paychecks following the promotion.
**Response to your follow up response:
Schedules were RARELY completed 3 weeks in advance. Because of this, it was hard for wash associates who needed a 2nd job to hold a different position. Not to mention - the "RULE" of no member of management is allowed to moonlight. You restrict pay, you restrict hours then you tell them they are not allowed to work a 2nd job (even as a server) or they will be terminated.
PTO, as stated is allowed, as long as it isn't used between November and February. I mean, makes perfect sense that you want people to spend time with their families, unless they live out of state, let alone the country. Don't forget, you can't have 3 days off in a row unless PTO is used, even if it crosses the pay week.
The starting wage comment is an absolute misrepresentation of the truth. I have my offer letter to prove. Salary managers are given a salary of up to 85K. They can earn up to 20% to meet that 85k potential but that is only if they hit all their metrics. One metric being proper evaluations of the site. For instance if the CFF arch is not in good condition, you get marked off on your eval. You also refuse to replace due to cost. Therefore, no matter how everything else is, I would never make my full income potential due to your refusal to give me the tools I need to be successful, ultimately ensuring failure.
Again, I truly feel your #2 ranking is due to deceitful practices for glass door reviews. You push your newly promoted employees to take the review, if they don't, when it comes time to for the next checklist to be opened, you tell them, I can't open your checklist because you need to "learn how to drink the Kool-Aid". Once a good review was submitted, magically the checklist was opened. If you aren't a company man, don't expect to be successfull, or pay your bills.
