Kohl's reviews

3.3

53% would recommend to a friend

(20,279 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 20,279 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
1.0
Oct 16, 2012

Better History Than Future

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Kohl's was the darling of the retail industry for many years and rightly so. While other retail companies looked to get into businesses outside their core competency, Kohl's remained focused on it's core retail business. Good benefits, but increases for good performance are pitiful.

Cons

Kohl's always prided itself on empowering it's people to make decisions and running a lean ship, but in recent years, no one below senior management is truly empowered and the lean machine has become fat, as each pyramid head builds their kingdom. Decisions are made by committees, dictated by upper management or not made at all because one mistake will get you fired. How can you run a fashion business without taking risks? Look at today's merchandise assortments; boring, lacking fashion, poor quality and the proprietary brands lack distinction from each other. This is what happens when the lowest price versus the best value for the customer drives the decision making. Hard work, results and company loyalty no longer advances you through this company. Politics, having the right look and allegiance to your hiring manager, not the company, are the route for promotion today. Many positions are now filled by political lackeys, rather than professional retailers. The true merchants have all been killed off.

2.0
May 7, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

strong middle class brand, best job in area, growth opportunities

Cons

HR leadership was passive aggressive, parochial, and in many cases incompotent

1.0
Jul 25, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits including 2 full-service cafeterias in-building. Opportunities for volunteering and becoming involved in sports and other activities with co-workers. The pride of working for a retailer that thrived in the recession when many shut down or made severe cuts.

Cons

The company is so numbers-focused that they have been forgetting the other important element: the people. Lack of a work-life balance is constantly a complaint here. Managers that perform well numbers-wise are allowed to stay, despite a lack in leadership skills. Promotion from within is not easy; unless you're a manager favorite, it's difficult to obtain the necessary mentorship and attention needed to push through the bureaucracy. Hourly employees are often treated like second-class citizens when it comes to making up time during inclement weather, no remote access, and no 100% paid sick leave.

Viewing 103 - 105 of 20,279 Reviews

Glassdoor has 21,448 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.