Kohl's reviews

3.3

53% would recommend to a friend

(20,278 total reviews)
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Michael J. Bender

65% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

Kohl's has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 20,278 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Kohl's employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.4 stars).

Reviews by job title

20K reviews
3.0
Jun 29, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Kohl's has flexible scheduling, a good training program, great dress code options with the exception of shoes, a good variety of positions/departments to work within, lots of employee recognition, and a good over-all working environment. It's great for college/high school students looking to work part-time.

Cons

The employee discount is a joke, you get 15% (except on big items like luggage or electronics, which is less or not at all) which is OK but less than competing retailers that offer 30% or some even more. They lead you to believe you can actually GET 30% or more of a discount, but then tell you it's ONLY if you have a Kohl's Charge Card because you can stack coupons with your discount. They push credit hard on their employees, not just their customers. And they basically only give discount incentives to the employees with the charge card. It's a huge disappointment, especially for those who can't get approved for a card or don't want to risk their credit by opening one. The dress code calls for closed toe shoes only but absolutely no tennis shoes or sneakers, only casual dress shoes. This is uncomfortable and bad for your feet when you are standing for 6+ hours in a day and/or climbing ladders in the stock room to get items, etc. They often ask you to stay past your scheduled shift after you already took your quick 15 minute break, so then if you are over 6 hours, you don't get a lunch break. You are not allowed to have water with you on the sales floor, period. Even if its over 95 degrees out and you are running around all day. Pay is very low. Average Sales Associates/POS Associates start at minimum, NO negotiation. I actually had retail experience and still was only offered minimum. There are credit card sales goals you must meet, you are required to push credit on each and every customer even if they try to politely say no thanks. Also you need to push to get emails from them, and then get them to take an online survey. Associates get only $1.00 for each credit card application they process that gets approved. They schedule too few employees in a department with little back up from other departments. I was stressed for three days straight and was ready to almost quit because I had JUST finished training and was on the floor and they scheduled me to be the ONLY person in my department during my shift, I hardly knew anything yet.

3.0
Sep 9, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are small pockets of amazing people. The vacation buy program for corporate employees is helpful for working parents. The wellness center is convenient and cost effective.

Cons

Over time, we’ve seen many of our top performers leave or be let go. It seems that employees who are adept at navigating office politics or who return as interns often advance more quickly, regardless of their work ethic or intelligence. Those who challenge strategic decisions in pursuit of better outcomes feel undervalued and often ignored. Loyalty and dedication do not translate into higher pay or promotion opportunities. The company’s use of the word “agile” is an excuse for the company’s consistent short-term strategic vision/inability to follow an aligned strategic vision.

1.0
Oct 20, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

When Kohl’s is in the headlines for its philanthropy, charitable donations, and diversity, it makes you proud to be a part of the organization. There’s a casual feel that’s appealing. Hybrid and remote work after the pandemic is a perk to the job.

Cons

Most departments are a revolving door because most VPs and Directors within the organization, typically are clueless when it comes to having any foundations in leadership, workforce engagement, and talent management. The current Compliance Director leads the way when it comes to sinking the culture. Employees often feel punished when speaking up, and are normally on the defensive. Despite several reports to HR from several exiting employees they still continue to serve as another incompetent leader.

Viewing 58 - 60 of 20,278 Reviews

Glassdoor has 21,447 Kohl's reviews submitted anonymously by Kohl's employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Kohl's is right for you.