Beware - Assistant Manager Michaels Employee Review

1.0
Mar 5, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

30% discount if you like your crafts cheap and overpriced.

Cons

Assistant Managers at Michaels were hired on at a low hourly rate due to being guaranteed five hours of overtime every week. However, the company just decided to help with 'work/life balance' assistants are no longer allowed to work overtime, which means we are being paid a measly hourly amount for essentially running a business. When confronted with promises and offer letters, DMs and HR run away, tail between their legs. The company is owned by a debt business, they owe so much to them that it only hurts stores on a deep level. BARE minimum hours for everyone except SMs and ASMs (even if your store is raking in cash and making goals left and right), comically low starting pay for associates which is minimum wage in my location, unrealistic expectations to do everything in one day which includes running register, doing reports, down stocking, fulfilling orders, watching the framing counter, recovering the store, office work, etc. The company just introduced a credit card (like it's 2003) and is really pushing people out the window with it. I suspect the company won't last another 1-2 years at most. They roll out programs freely and do not anticipate the long lines of errors that come with them (the self checkout machines are a huge example). I suggest only taking an Assistant Manger job here if you have no other options, but be warned, they will lowball you until you accept.

Explore other reviews about Michaels

5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great place to work. I liked interacting with the customers on their projects,

Cons

You're on you feet all day.

2.0
Jun 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some great co-workers, employee discount, on site office benefits including a gym and cafe for breakfast/lunch, full suite of employee benefits at reasonable prices

Cons

Ridiculous amount of stress. Retail in general is often stressful but the amount of stress at Michaels is unnecessary and over the top. Constant last-minute changes by leadership to creative, promotions, products, and any other kind of changes. Things will be finalized and signed off on and delivered, and somebody will make a change at the last minute and things are constantly having to be redone. People are worn down and worn out. It’s the highest turnover rate of any place I’ve worked in retail at the corporate office. I’ve seen people take jobs and be gone within weeks. Leadership in some departments are extremely micromanaging and controlling even with employees that are tenured and have multiple years of experience. The stress level for both tenured and new employees is very high. Projects get discussed over and over and over again, decisions are made and then revisited again after decisions were made making delivery late and causing people to work unnecessarily in order to fix things that could’ve been done correctly the first time. The company tries really hard to make the workplace fun and offer activities, motivation, and incentives. Unfortunately they don’t offset what the environment is like working inside with some of the teams and expectations to actually deliver the work. Would not recommend.

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