Walgreens Complaint - Miserable Employees

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-10:

Sounds like a miserable place to work. I personally don't shop at Walgreens, but now have a reason to avoid it forever.

I hope you are looking for a job with another employer who treats their employees with the respect everyone deserves. Life is too short to be miserable on a daily basis. Until then, please remember that the customer probably has no idea of why they are getting miserable service.

Posted by msnanny on 2008-01-10:

So when did you get fired?

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-10:

"Walgreens is always screaming to cut the budget, and they expect more to be done with less people in less time."

Ummmm, that is the way most companies operate. Stock holders demand it now.

Posted by Nohandle on 2008-01-10:

I know nothing of Walgreen's policy but do know there are a number of department stores in my area that also do not give employees advanced weekly schedules. When the schedules do come out the employees are not allowed to swap out time with each other. That never made sense to me. As long as your department is covered what difference does it make who works when? Yes, employees get resentful after a while. Pay is important when there is a family to help support, but consideration for an employee goes a long way. These companies can cut the budget just so far and then they will find themselves with the type employees we are experiencing now. Good review.

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-10:

No handle--how right you are!

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-10:

No one is forced to work at Walgreens. If they don't like the work enviornment or the lack of a structured schedule, they can elect to find a job somewhere else.

Posted by yoke on 2008-01-11:

Be happy you got a holiday bonus. Many companies have stopped giving them out all together.

Posted by jktshff1 on 2008-01-11:

Our local Walgreens closes early on Christmas and New Years @6pm and opened late @10am the next day.
If you do work for them, you really should do yourself, them and your customers a favor and find something else.

Posted by jenjenn on 2008-01-11:

Some Rite Aids around here are open on Thansgiving & Christmas.

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-11:

Many of us wind up working holidays. There are nurses among the members here and I bet they have worked plenty of holidays (I did when I was a cna.) It isn't fun but it isn't the end of the world.
Having said that it always bothers me at Walgreen's how the manager's name tages say "Mr." or "Ms." and the cashier's name tags list their first name - seems disrespectful that the managers get the respectful term and others do not. I would imagine that is an indicator of how management views the cashiers and clerks.

Posted by Principissa on 2008-01-11:

In the 4 years I worked at the hospital I worked 2 Thanksgivings and 2 Christmas's. And that's not counting all the little holidays in between like Halloween and Independence Day. Think of it like this, if you had a medical emergency on a holiday, which happens to us every year and needed supplies like bandages or children's Tylenol, would you want to sit an emergency room waiting for it, or would you rather just be able to run into a pharmacy and get what you need and leave. The stores by us are closed by noon. I don't particularly care for Walgreens, I always found their prices to be a little higher than their competitors. Everyone has to work on holidays, it's the norm for the working world these days. Like amani said it's not the end of the world.

Posted by yoke on 2008-01-11:

When you accepted the job did you not know they were open on Christmas? Not everyone celebrates Christmas, so why should they close? I will admit I did run out to CVS to buy my brothers cat a toy, yes his cat. On Christmas Eve he sent home a bag of wrapped toys. I thought they were for the kids, come to find out they were for the cats and dog. Since he doesn't have kids I had to figure something out quick. I am so thankful CVS was open!

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-11:

It sound like this is more of a store management problem than a chain problem. It can be managed in a way that people know in advance if they will be scheduled, and holidays are alternated. It makes sense that this is handled by the individual stores, and not necessarily company policy.

Posted by oopdiedaisy on 2008-01-16:

Nohandle - BRAVO, WELL SAID, and THANK YOU!!

To other posters, I myself have never worked directly for (or been fired by) Walgreens, but I have intimate knowledge of their policies and attitudes on the district level. Enough said. Thank you all for your opinions, and I stand by my post!

Posted by Anonymous on 2008-01-16:

Nohandle, you go girl!

Posted by spbigger on 2008-01-18:

Sounds to me like the employees you mention need to seek other employment or,at least, accept their responsibilities.

Posted by Britty on 2008-03-12:

yeah it does suck because you never know your schedule..and they ALWAYS change it without you knowing or without asking you. i am a college student and can only work a few days a week- they always get my days wrong after me telling them for 1 yr and 6 months youd think theyd get it. But, they schedule me for mornings when I have school then get mad when I dont show up for work UH well I told you I had school DUMMYS-- UHHHH they make me so mad. and god forbidd if you get sick..yeah you have 3 sick days but they wont let you take them. I had strep throat and the flu I have been so sick, do they care? NO. I had to come to work and make everyone sick oh well. Walgreens is a horrible place to work. I want out fast!

Posted by jcmullen2004 on 2008-05-15:

I worked for Walgreens for over 12 years. It was awful but I had to endure it because I had to have insurance for my children and I went to school at the same time. I was so glad to leave that place after I graduated from college. It was demoralizing to work for people who obviously didn't care when you would get home to see your family. As far the xmas bonus it wasn't like that before, but it was usually a check for 25.00 to 50.00 (depending on your time with the company) and it was taxed. I did profit sharing and all that great stuff, so when I left, I was fully vested and proceeded to take my savings out of the company stock and thumb my nose at the company. I am so sorry you had to experience working on the holidays as that is very depressing as well. Hopefully your experience will only encourage and drive you to set goals and perhaps be compassionate to cashiers, etc. I know that I am now that I have had that experience. I even find myself "facing" an aisle of shampoo when I walk into a store (Sorry it is my PTSD). I did make some very wonderful relationships at Walgreens and so many people have went on to greater things in their life. Bottom line --- Walgreens has no SOUL, it is a greedy corporation built on the sweat of others.... sorry I had to say it because it is TRUE

Posted by rwong410 on 2008-05-19:

Sounds to me like your managers aren't doing the schedules on time.

I'm an MGT at Walgreens and I do the scheduling. I always make sure to create the schedules two weeks in advance and I think that is enough time to be notified of whether or not you need to work. As far as the working holidays part goes, you knew when you signed up for the job that Walgreens is open 365 days of the year. So, it should be expected that you would be working at least a few holidays out of the year.

Regarding sick days, at my store we've always had enough people to cover someone whenever they call in sick if we're given notice a day in advance. It's unfortunate that your store does not and really the management shouldn't act like they're doing you a favor for letting you off when you're sick. Granted, it is an inconvenience for us since it means we don't have enough people but when you're sick, you're sick and there's nothing you can do about it.

Posted by CalzMom on 2009-02-11:

I agree with many other comments. I too was once an employee of Walgreen's. I didn't like the open on Christmas day policy either. Working in a 24 hour Walgreen's meant they were open all day all night and never closed their doors Christmas Eve and Day. But looking back now that I am not an employee, if you don't like a policy the company has and you're that emphatic about it, it's time to move on and get something else. There are definitely better jobs and better paying jobs than Walgreen's. I know that for a fact after working there for 3 years of my life. I'm glad they discharged me. They did me a huge favor and I'm moving on to bigger and better things that fit my personality and passions more.

Posted by i_am_here_200 on 2009-08-10:

If Walgreens didn't make money on the holidays like Christmans and Thanksgiving they probably wouldnt be open. Because people shop there all day long they stay open. Why close and loose business since everyone else is closed. You usually have the option to choose what holidays you work..either Thanksgiving Christmas or New Years, and schedules are posted 2-4 weeks in advance. If you want off you can always request it, but there are reasons to be open on that day.

Posted by BrianC on 2009-08-24:

None of what you just said is true at all... I am an employee at Walgreens as well and I would love to know your store number and where it is located.. "Weekly schedules are not posted in advance"... Really because at my store and every store in my district there are schedules 3 or 4 weeks out in advance.. Really I would love to know what store you work at

Posted by sweet cheeks on 2009-08-27:

walgreens thinks it's employees live & breath for walgreens & have no kind of life outside of walgreens

Posted by anonymousteach on 2009-10-22:

I am an employee for Walgreens as well, and I disagree with some of your post. We have our schedules posted 3-4 weeks in advance unless a change needs to be made. We also get our vacations approved within the week that we ask for the vacation. Yes, Walgreens is open on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they close early so you can see your family. I think it would be better if they did 2 shifts that are 4 hours each instead of one person working all day, but that is life. I'm sorry you are so miserable.

Posted by dixielandelite on 2009-11-25:

I agree with this comment...I work at this hellhole called, "Walgreens"...the greediest store out there! They don't care one bit about it's employees. I am the oldest person in the wholes store(I am 42). It is like romper room antics in there. The manager just turned 30 & is a real P.O.S. He has his fav's & the rest of us are just bscum in his eyes. How this jerk ever got to be a manager is beyond me! He is lazy, makes up all these rules & he does the same things. He & the beauty advisor carry on constantly for hours in the office. I never knew a b/a can spend 3 hours in the office on the computer & doing what??? He issues threats to certain people, like selling PM's or else...He never pput a aschedule up 3 weeks in advance, more like 2 days before. When you request time off, he will play games & have you schedule to work. He lets the HPS get away with B.S. all the time(like making pic's for his self & charging them to store expense, the HPS also uses register rewards from paying customers for his own purchases). I hate this place. There is nothing worst than going to work & just hating being there because of the manager & other lapdogs. The customers are nicer to me than the manager is.
Walgreen's makes people work all holidays & don't care that you want to be with your family just as much as a customer is with their's. But the manager will sure be spending the holidays home with his family feeding his fat ass & big ego...

Posted by jewels84 on 2009-12-16:

I highly agree with this comment. They don't even give bonuses at my store. A guy I work with has a six month old baby.He asked for Christmas off and my boss said "No". Last year he told a girl to tell her daughter Christmas is the next day.

Posted by Ytropious on 2009-12-16:

Damn, I know a lot of places have issues with management, and it's usually isolated, but its sounding more and more like Walgreens just sucks to work for.

Posted by robdenn on 2010-03-28:

I see that someone finally get what I have been talking about for years now. I am working for them and have been for the past 3 years. I am one of the Taken advantage of people. They always are letting other people no show up for work or call in sick with no sick days but if its me and I am no calling in to just go party like everyone else I am the one that gets a writen warning or a write up. The only up side is that I am a full time stay at home dad but I work weekends. I have been fulltime with them since 9 months ago. I can't find a job that pays me like walgreens does but I have went threw blood, sweat, and tears to get my pay and its still hurting me. Yesterday was a major frustration point at work. I was finished my work. I did all 2000 Ad tags myself, and cleaned the cooler for 3 hours straight then the manager had the nerve to tell me to finish what she didn't becaue she wanted to go in the office and just do nothing. I told her that it wasn't on my list and she said "I am a manager I can make you do my stuff, thats the great thing about being a manager." I am a 22 year old man and not a little teen. I should be respected no told what to do. She could ask me and or ask to help not just tell me what to do. I am going to have a long take with my store manager to hopefully see what will happen. But since this is the millionth time that this has happened I will probably be told I was the one wrong or I should of told her how I felt so I could get yelled at anyways. If I could find a job that pays the same and could keep my weekends for working I wouldn't even hesitate in quiting. They even don't care if you have a doctors note saying you are unable to work they call you like 12 times that day asking if and when you are coming in even when you go to the store and show them the note. I have so much more bad things to say but at this point I am rambling. If anyone has any ideas or advice please email me at dennihanr@yahoo.com I really would like to know some ways to manage with this job. Thanks

Posted by todo99 on 2011-04-08:

I work for walgreens and i think that it is all in the manager. My manager makes the schedule out 3-5 weeks in advance. I have only called out one day and it was because my daughter was sick. He understood and said i hope she feels better. But no one in our store calls out unless they are really sick or has an emergency. Has far as holidays, you knew when you took the job that you would be working them. My manager will work right with us and help us do our daily tasks. I have to say that this is the best job that I have ever had.

Posted by only me on 2012-08-16:

let me say I'm one of those employee that work with walgreens for 23 years and left but not for any reason just retirer fully invest on my 401 and happy yes there been alot of changes and i hope for the good there were times i wound not except changes but i did because i love my job (beaudy adviser senior) I work all xmas and new Years if ask . but most time had off my family understude. it was my job , now they are call team member and they were and still are my walgreens family alway be. had good mangers and team members young and old happy to work with them we were a team so there were daily tasks and we competed them as a team love walgreen as best job i ever had we were family. Shot to stores number 04573 temple terrace fl. Mr Lee and his team leader.

Posted by Beth on 2012-10-26:

my husband works for walgreens and I think they take advantage of him cause he is salary. He has sick days but if he takes one they make him work one of his days off, so what's the point of them saying you have sick days. When I gave birth they gave him a hard time to be with me at the hospital. The holidays are here and I won't see him as much cause this is the time they over work him. Walgreens don't care if you see or spend time with your family. I wish looking for a new job wasn't as hard as it is so that he can get the hell out of Walgreens.

Posted by vicka on 2012-11-12:

At my Walgreens, my boss makes the schedules 3 weeks ahead, he wants us to have a life. He asks the employees which holidays they'd like off therefore the employees can bargain for the holidays they want off..etc.

Posted by Aaron on 2012-12-24:

At one store, the district manager threatens people on a daily basis during the holiday, telling managers to leave their keys on the table if they don't like it. Yes, no one is forcing anyone to work at Walgreens, but that is ridiculous.

Posted by anonymowalgemp on 2013-04-18:

currently working at walgreens myself. I hate that place my managers do nothing about the issues in our store, and target certain employees while letting others get away with murder. tried ot use a sick day and got threatened with a write up even though I had a doctors note. And today had a customer threaten to come back with a gun and "show me" management is doing nothing. ugh. feel trapped cant afford to quit but cant keep working like this.

Posted by disappointed on 2013-04-21:

I have been employed by Walgreens for a little over three years. Ive seen more corporate ignorance here than with any other company I have worked for. At the rate of this companys decline, I have a very strong feeling Walgreens is on its way out. I adore the job I do, my co-workers, and our customers but... when our managers cannot make business decisions based on customer care, job related knowledge, and experience rather than personal relations I would not suggest working for this company. When corporate wants us to jump through hoops for them they should be willing jump through hoops for us, Walgreens has gotten too large to control and run properly to care about thier employees. Please do not put your lively hood and the livelyhoods of your families in the hands of Walgreens. I really wish I hadn't become as caring as I have for this company and everyone within.

Posted by walgreen worker on 2013-04-27:

I work at walgreen and I hate this place. My manager is a lazy, all she does is sit in her office all day doing nothing but writing lists and threatening people. She order thousands of items each week, so we have a lot of overstocks, then she complain why we don't have spaces for them or why we're not done with them in 2 days. We can't use our sick days without a doctor's note, there is no point of having sick days. The schedule is all bad: for instance, she have me work at 4:30 till 1AM then I have to wake up at 11AM on the same day working on warehouse and unloading truck, which is done by me and 1 co-worker. I do mostly heavy warehouse works and merchandising but I get paid service clerk's hourly rate. I just hate this place...everyone in here seems miserable, except her and her favorites. I will quit soon and can't wait to. She try to promote me to shift lead but i rejected it, because I don't want to be like her, benefiting from the sweats, tear, and hard work of others while doing basically nothing but bossing people around and threatening to fire/writing them up.