You are forced to be dishonest. in your job functions.
Examples:
(1) Finance is not allowed to tell customers that they have credits on returned items unless the customer requests they be applied to their balance. Otherwise, they keep their money. With busy stores and mom and pops, this is very profitable for them. Imagine, you have to call a struggling business and demand they pay a past due bill when they have more than is due accumulated over years on their accounts as credits but you can't say a word or you loose you job!
(2) They ship items to customers that they did not order, then use extremely almost abusive dishonest tactics to get them to keep the unwanted toys. "We're so sorry about the mix-up, someone must have entered 11 instead of 1. As returning them will be an expense, you won't have to pay them for 90 days." Duped customer says OK. Works almost every time
(3) When clients call their sales rep, customer service puts you on hold to see if they are available. They don't really check because sales reps can't take calls. They have to be always calling out. The whole conversation is a lie.
(4) They steal customers that were set up by distributors in S. America by forcing their sales people to call and sell to them. Putting some out of business. (Think Mexico Trade Show Melissa)
Day to day
(1) No one has an email address., not even sales or HR. Security prints your read incoming emails everyday that are received into three shared emails . jobs@Melissaanddoug or customerservice@melissaanddoug or sales@melissaanddoud. In the morning you have to sit at an email pod and must return all you emails in just 45 minutes. Once a day only and they all get read. So if security sees an email for you that he doesn't like, you will never see it.
(2) No internet access for anyone ever.
(3) No direct telephone lines for anyone. Not even sales or HR.
(4) The real mood is very somber with 90% of the employees always appearing depressed or unhappy. The other 10% are loud and immature The 10% seem to be encourage to display phony laughter, loud radios and attention seeking antics to distract from the really that most of their employees don't want to lie or be dishonest.
(5) Time watchers! Every minute is monitored and money is deducted from your checks even if you stayed late for free many times. You can't make up time. Oh, hours are 8-6 and only a 1/2 hour break.
(6) Using their bathroom and drinking their coffee if frowned upon. Sounds funny, but it;s really sad. Especially when people need to work. Co-workers disappear almost every week. Most of us could tell who'd be next by their coffee drinking and bathroom usage.
(7) Totally Stepford Wives. We are forced to be happy and cheerful 100% of the time. Employees are constantly telling each other "I Love You". Don't believe me, call them at -203-762-4500. Your call will be answered by the happiest voice ever. Or so it may seem.
(8) The work environment that they try so hard to make appear fun, unique and challenging couldn't be further from the truth. The karaoke machine is a distraction used by rude bullies and as a marketing tool. Employees are always scared and no one steps out of line more than once.
(9) No opportunity for advancement. Transferring between departments is against company polity.
(10) But the worst thing about working at M&D is seeing what they put job candidates through during an all day interview. Usually every week and about 5 at a time. They arrive all excited to show off their skills to work at this cool toy maker. In a couple of hours their expressions start to change as they start to realize the company's ethics and employees policies. What they don't realize is that aside from being evaluated for basic skills, they are looking for a special kind of character. One which will lie, steal and take advantage of their customer. All why establishing phony friendships to keep their guard down.