Pros
-A great team who gives their all to make the store a fun place for coworkers and customers alike. -Absolutely amazing Store Manager who does everything to keep the store running smoothly and workers happy from scheduling to being available to listen to customer concerns. -Great Associate discounts. Michael's has a lot going for it, variety and an ever growing market. This makes Michael's a fun store to work in and with the constant bringing in of new merchandise it's a fun and challenging environment to learn and grow. This can be a double-edged sword though.
Cons
-The pay is horrendous. No one earns what they deserve, most earning too little. Non-Salaried management lucky to start above minimum wage, part time CEM's like myself it is impossible to survive on just this job, I cannot even imagine what it must be like for a Cashier or Sales Associate making 8 - 13 hours a week at even less pay. -Hours are sporadic for workers. The lack of consistency causes a great deal of distress, and the lack of hours even more so. -Email Collection requirements. The requirement to have our associates and managers collecting emails not only affects our time and effectiveness as customer service representatives, it affects our relationship with our customers. Many customers feel that their privacy is being breached, they don't want to be asked every time they come into the store for their email, etc. The entire process is debilitating to the workforce and causes a great deal of stress to associates. -Inconsistent scheduling and high turnover. There are dozens of P/T workers employed to Michael's who never are given a chance to step away from a register and get their feet wet. Because of this the turnover rate is outrageous and we lose great workers because they are not recognized for what they could be capable of if given the chance. Micheal's is like a conveyor belt and every moment focuses on the next penny instead of employee satisfaction. -Training is horrendous! Michael's as a whole has a "hit the ground running" mentality which is useful sometimes, but can only go so far. Cashiers and Sale's Associates are thrown right into it, which is great for picking up the basics, but when it comes to all the small details, the classroom sign ups, the SOP on Coupons, the way the front counter is supposed to be handled, they are given no direction and are left standing there lost and waiting for direction (which rarely - if ever comes). -Michael's does not promote a good work ethic to new and inexperienced workers. Due to all the above, with poor training, little chances for advancement, horrible pay, associates and even those in management do not follow Standard Operating Procedures.
