Innovation is stifled by internal politics - Anonymous employee Five Below Employee Review

2.0
Apr 12, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some opportunity to work with modern technologies like Databricks and Kafka. The remote nature of the role provides decent flexibility.

Cons

Cultural Gridlock: There is a heavy emphasis on internal politics rather than actual engineering progress. Decision-making is often slow and influenced more by "who you know" than by technical merit. Lack of Innovation: Despite having a modern tech stack, the appetite for real innovation is low. Projects often get bogged down in administrative hurdles and risk-aversion. Management Gaps: There is a noticeable disconnect between upper management and the technical realities of the engineering teams.

Explore other reviews about Five Below

5.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people, staff, and people to work with

Cons

None I loved it all

3.0
Jun 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-20% discount -med, dental, vision benefits -20-ish minimum hours per week -genuinely can be a fun store to work in when run well

Cons

-store managers have little to no oversight and cross professional boundaries often - hr is ineffective, document everything yourself, report to the EEOC -growth opportunities in the store are very limited and they will lowball you no matter what you do or sacrifice -crazy turnover because the expectations are unrealistic store managers lie about pay budget to everyone -more likely to hire teens and students because they are easier to take advantage of for little pay, only needs adult for when teens and students cannot work (night shifts, school days) - nearby stores, especially if in a strip mall or shopping center, like tj maxx have higher base pay, better benefits, better security, and more hour availability

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