The grass is greener - most employees here have never been outside. - Anonymous employee Grainger Employee Review

2.0
Aug 29, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits are good - but going the way of HSAs to save money. Profit sharing remains best "pro" - but similar benefits can be found elsewhere (I.e pension, 401k with no vesting requirement etc)

Cons

Most employees who sing the Grainger praises have never worked anywhere else, so they don't know any better. If you are excited about your new position and think "I'm going to work hard and climb to the top" you are going to be in for a very rude awakening. This is not a meritocracy, but instead an environment which should be the poster child for "who you know vs what you know". The last names you run in to will be your first indicator, as you will find that children and relatives of upper management run rickshaw throughout the company. Next are the minions who cling to these people in the hopes that their name might be dropped in an effort to gain entry into the "inner circle". If you are not a part of this, you will go no where within corporate. This is the case at many large companies, but here it is extremely blatant and magnified. Upper management is not accessible, and are treated like celebrities with the accompanying hero worship that follows. It is a very odd environment. You will be kicked out of meeting rooms for someone who is a higher grade level that you if there is a conflict, and also will be discouraged from questioning anything an executive tells you. I have worked at many Fortune 500 companies and this one is by far the worst when it comes to nepotism. If this is your cup of tea - enjoy.

Explore other reviews about Grainger

5.0
Jun 1, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

My teammates and leader help me get to where I am today. This company inspired me to help others and motivated my coworkers. The benefit, PTO and the people here what make me thrive working my career here at Grainger.

Cons

No Con about working Grainger.

4.0
Jun 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits are decent and reasonably priced. They offer a 401k match, BCBS insurance, FSA, HSA, dental, vision, life insurance, and accidental D&D coverage. They also do a 3‑to‑1 match for donations to non‑religious 501(c) organizations. There’s a big emphasis on volunteering, with plenty of opportunities to get involved. The building itself is beautiful, with a free on‑site gym, a coffee shop, real trees in the atrium, a waterfall, and a large cafeteria (though the food can vary). They’re also flexible about which days you come on‑site, depending on the team’s schedule. If I needed to switch a Monday for a Thursday, it was never an issue. My manager was also supportive of remote work on days when the weather made commuting difficult.

Cons

Admins do not get an annual bonus. They're really strict on Overtime, really weird about worrying about mini costs. Like they'll spend 50k on a week-long training but freak out if people want to rent a car while being in town. Can't buy lunch for this 3 hour meeting to cut costs, but we'll drop 10k on this other thing. It's also so unfair that some people get to work remotely and others are forced to come in 3 times a week, for the exact same roles. Every meeting is basically online, so it's just silly and a power trip.

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