Home Depot Employees Past And Present How Did/do You Like Working For Home Depot

What are the benefits for Home Depot employees?

Home Depot employees don't receive discounts. Instead, all employees that work an average of 20hrs a week are eligible for benefits (dental/drug). All employees have stock shares and receive quarterly bonuses (assuming your store has reached Plan).However, many times when a product is on clearance, employees are the first to hear about it. We are the first to hear when BBQ models are on sale, when cull lumber is available or when there's a decent colour with the mistinted paint. If there's overstock that goes on manager special, employees are the first in line to buy it. No insider information — just the advantage of being there before/after hours. If you know the business well enough, you'll become familiar with profit margins and know where you can receive a decent discount if you ask a supervisor. (FYI, profit margins in lumber are less than 10% so it's the hardest department to receive discounts unless the lumber is in terrible shape)Home Depot empowers their employees and allows them to discount specific items up to $50, no questions ing to buy a $30 can of paint and it's sold out, a Home Depot employee can give you a better quality can of paint for the same price or knock off $10 on a cheaper can of paint. You can use this to your advantage if you don't abuse it.

How does Home Depot treat their employees?

I’ve only been with Home Depot for three and half years, but I’ve been in retail hardware since 1988. Compared to other places, I give THD an A. Home Depot does a lot of outreach to its employees attempting to make the operation a team effort, that means a lot of fun events but also looking for those employees who are in some need of assistance. (Look up the Homer Fund)Are they fair? Yep. For those who need warning about being late or absent, they get warnings about being late or absent. Those who don’t finish tasks or who don’t look for customers to help get warnings too.Those who heed warnings stay. We miss the ones who don’t.And there is more: The Home Discounts on iPhone service saves me about $300. a year, there are also Discounts on Movie Tickets, Restaurants, eyeglasses and low cost Dental Insurance.They will help you set up a retirement fund AND let you buy HD stock at a discount.Associates get five days paid vacation after one year and ten days after two.They add to your sick time hours every month to a limit of 24 hours.There’s probably more ( Oh, yeah.. weight loss programs !) But that should give you some idea of how Associates are treated.

What are the best aspects of working at Home Depot?

You'll meet some great, creative people in both co-workers and customers. They provide a lot of training before you head out onto the sales floor and no one turns you away if you want to learn more about the different departments. They provide a lot of hands on training as well and the sales associates are the ones who teach customers how to do projects themselves. The company empowers their employees — we aren't micromanaged for every dollar we gain or lose. The backbone of this company is really providing a great customer experience and they really drill that into the team. Working here was my absolute favourite job because even though it's still considered retail, it can be so rewarding to help someone finish their projects or help them fix a problem in their home. You build a different rapport with their customers.Con: it can be very difficult to move up in the company or even get full time. The pay is decent but you don't get many hours outside of the summer season (at least in Canada). They promote people quite frequently but the talent pool is all the employees within your district, meaning a position available in your store is open to every Home Depot employee in a 50km radius.

Do Home Depot employees get paid a commission?

The answer is NO. There are hourly paid associates, and management which are paid on a salary. They do offer bonus’s based on how well each individual store is doing at two specific times of the year. 10 years ago, one of the vendors offered a bonus tied to the sale of a specific make of shed. Offering $50 for each shed sold during a specific time period. And we got that bonus on our pay check, but I never saw another vendor do that since. The other bonus program, is with their homer awards. A homer award is supposed to be given when an associate performs his duties above and beyond in dealing with customers. Three awards, and you go to bronze, and get an extra $25 on your pay check. Three more awards, and you hit silver, and get $50. Three more, and you hit gold, and get $75 three more, and you hit platinum, and get a fossil watch. Then it starts over again. If governed fairly it is a nice program, but politics comes into play too often, and the favored associates, get awards, for practically nothing, and earnest associates not having favor of supervisors or managers get diddly … (no I am not bitter … I was on my way towards my third platinum when I retired.)

What is it like working in the garden department at Home Depot?

I'm a Master Gardener who has worked at country clubs horticultural departments and for private homeowners in wealthy areas.  I've also worked at Home Depot and Lowe's during the summer.I love working with customers because I know plants, people listen to me and are respectful.  If that was how the rest of the job played out I would have been thrilled to stay on there.  If you know plants you're way ahead.  However, coming in during the busy season you may run into co-workers who resent/are jealous or threatened by your knowledge.  Keep that in mind.  If you don't know plants, but want to work in the nursery, then get a few books about annuals, perennials, shrubs, and less so, trees.  Pick up a few basic books from the library and get familiar with annuals and perennials so that you can answer basic questions.  Having basic info will help you to acquire more knowledge as you go along.  Regarding plants:  pick some that you really like and can sell because of what you know about it and your enthusiasm for them.  HD sells a lot of pansies (in early spring/summer), petunias, sweet potato vine, begonias.  All of their plants come in small plastic containers, divided into 4, 6 or 8.  Also in hanging pots.  You will be spending much of your time on the job watering.  I found that incredibly boring.  But there is no getting out of that aspect of the job.  It's something that should be done as soon as possible in the a.m.  HD has had a policy of associates not doing "tasks" (shelving, watering, etc.) after 10 a.m. and until 4 p.m.  Those are prime selling hours.  You'll be straightening things as you walk the aisles, looking for customers.  There is a LOT of walking:  to bring customers to what they're looking for, for general maintenance chores, shelving, so wear comfortable and supportive shoes.  You'll need to dress for the weather and that starts out with winter coats and ends up in late summer with shorts.  HD has a company that services their plants, so working with a 3rd party can be interesting.  This group comes in and has responsibilities as well as privileges (they aren't even allowed to water!).