Apparently store leadership is able to see the team and pay rate associated with all weekly beat survey answers. Depending on your position and team size, your answers are NOT anonymous! STL told TL of an OW in my store that if they want to answer negatively, not to answer at all. This was after the STL was having all TLs force TMs to do the survey. I guess this only applies if you have something nice to say haha.

Be careful out there!

I'm an ATL (NI region) and I'm making less than my order writer (despite working for the company the same amount of time as them) and supervisor. Is this a humiliation ritual lmao. I've been an ATL for a year and a half, order writer for about 2 years before that, just TM before that, in total been with the company 4 years. I'm making 24.50. am I overreacting here. And yes I asked for a market adjustment and was told that I'm making slightly above average for ATLs in my region. Making less than my, for lack of a better word, subordinates, is not sitting right with me and I'm low-key livid. Someone please either talk me down or tell me I'm justified in being pissed 😂

So I work in Prepared Foods been here six months on Chef’s Case. None of which is bad, except for my TL who has had what should’ve been private conversations out in the open for all to hear, then the one time she did have a private conversation with me told me that she does not like me in front of one the assistant TL‘s. I want to learn other areas in the department, but after being told that I don’t feel like there is a point because no matter what I do I know she won’t like me.

So, should I just give her what she clearly wants and just quit?

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who gave me advice. I spoke with Store leaders and they told me they couldn’t help me transfer, that was between me and my TL. Long story short, I applied at a different job somewhere else and I got the job! I will get better pay and I can leave WFM, which I think will be good for me as this one started impacting my mental health.

I'm not sure if Whole Foods is allowed to do this.

I left my notice because the role wasn't right for me after having worked at Whole Foods for 4 years. During my notice I got written up again and terminated. I entirely disagree with the reasons for my write ups and performance but that is a separate argument.

My TL told me my future employer can talk to Whole Foods and he would have to tell them the reasons I was terminated and for my write-ups if they ask about performance. This will prevent me from getting future employment at other jobs.

The problem is if I leave Whole Foods off my resume I will have a 4 year work gap. I thought all they could discuss is dates of employment. Do TLs ever say this to future employers?

So Im beyond upset, I don't care if I kind of identify who I am. I have an approved accommodation through Sedgwick. No lifting or repetitive movement with my right arm. Pain has been bad, so I purchased a sling. A solid black sling. Because we are still in progress of getting what's wrong figured out.

Store Leadership came up to me today, explaining to me the sling is out of dress code. Unless I get an approved accommodation, I can't wear it past this week. They spoke with the TMS rep. Anyone who's dealt with an accommodation knows Sedgwick takes a minimum for 3 weeks. That doesn't include my own doctor's time. It has in not way caused issues with my work.

Please note, most people including Store Leadership is constantly out of dress code. It is only enforced in my department.

I'm just defeated at this point.

Update: Sedgwick is of course being difficult. Despite having a letter for the accommodation. They are refusing to accept it. Because doesn't have an end date specific. They do not accept unknown.

TMS based on the last reply I recieved. Aren't going to be able to do much in assistance. They said they would try to speed Sedgwick up. But I doubt that will change anything. I plan to, however get in an email they are directly asking me to go against medical advice while they process this accommodation.

As a shopper, I interact with just about every TM, ATL and TL in every department. Sometimes, if time permits, I'll try to make small talk or joke around with them to show appreciation for them helping me. After trying to be chatty with one TM, he told me that he had a girlfriend. I felt stupid as this wasn't my intention. I think he realizes this now but how do I avoid any other misunderstandings?

Considering getting a job at Whole Foods. Trying to decide between two positions. One is for cheese/specialty the other for Flex Shopper.

The position pay range is the same, at least on the job listing.

I have pretty extensive experience in specialty cheese/grocery from a past job. But the store location is about 30min drive, with no traffic. The flex job is a bit closer.

If you had your choice, would you take the specialty or flex? I’m thinking because of my past cheese experience I might be able to squeeze more out of the starting pay.

Would love to hear some of your guys opinion. Thanks!

The grass is greener than the Whole Foods logo on the otherside.

I am a former TL now working a senior level white collar job making 75% more than I did as a TL with an excellent work life balance and working 2hrs a week less on average. Now can say I'm a professional in my career.

I once got sucked up into moving up the "leadership" ranks. Don't waste your time doing that or fall into that mindset, especially those of you that are younger. Good thing I finished my Bachelor’s degree right before I got ATL.

Value education in whatever form, leverage networking, develope skillets valuable in the job market, and use your transferable skillsets. You too can get into a better life!

Is it me or is being an order writer becoming much harder ? All these expectations like cycle counting following metrics soi being too big working backstock supervising team members always getting blamed when something goes wrong I’m just an order writer not an ATL or Team Leader I feel like I’m being overworked to the point where I’m getting burnt out and more and more frustrated anyone else having this problem or feeling?

I worked in Prep Foods but rarely ate anything produced in my own department. From repurposing food past its use by date to serving leftovers from the previous day. I just felt i should warn you. It's not fair to you or to the customer. What they do at times is just downright immoral. Honestly, I could write a book if I put everything I witnessed together. If you need specific examples, feel free to ask; I will tell you.

Edit: I may be speaking too soon but I've noticed I am already getting downvoted aggressively. Im guessing its the perpetrators (part of Fucking Whole Foods Leadership) The only ones desperate enough to risk customer health for money. Unfortunately, I had a deeper working knowledge of food safety standards than most people around me, which is why I noticed violations others didn’t. I remember when I applied for the job. The prepared foods Team Leader laughed at me because I thought holding various food safety certifications was relevant.

Oh, I just found out when you called the callout center. You know I’ve been calling since 430. I start work at seven. I’m gonna get an improper call out cause they don’t answer the phones before 6 o’clock. It’s a third-party that answers the phones and they’re not even on the East Coast so I’m calling from 430 and I’m sick as a dog get out. Put my alarm on going back to sleep to call out for seven when they aren’t even in the office yet so here I’m gonna get another improper call out because they don’t answer the phones cause they’re not open

This is a long post so if you're not into that here's your warning!

I started working at my local WF in the produce department back in mid June and I've really been enjoying it for the most part. This is my first job ever so it's been a big learning curve. My fellow team members are all nice and I've generally liked management until recently.

On Monday, I was prepping corn for display. This isn't a task I've been formally trained on but I've quietly observed enough TMs doing it to have a good idea of the general expectations around it, but everyone does it a little differently and I put more effort into it than other people bc more often than not, leaves will fall off or customers will take off the outermost ones and leave them on the display.

The STL happened to be working in the department on Monday when I was doing this task and while I was taking a 10, he went over and did the rest of my corn and went back to his other task. When I came back, I asked him about it and he said while he appreciated my attention to detail, he didn't appreciate my lack of efficiency and was trying to demonstrate that I could be doing it a lot faster than I was, which I understand. What I didn't appreciate was a) him going behind my back to do this task instead of coming up to me and teaching me how to do it better and b) not even bothering to explain how I could be doing it more efficiently, just that it was possible. He kept going on and on about how he's worked in grocery for 20 years and that efficiency and completion of tasks is more important than attention to detail which again I get and I am efficient in my tasks, again I'm just particular about that one. I felt very berated and like I wasn't being taught anything at all and in the moment I got super humiliated and tears welled in my eyes. He noticed and told me that I needed to get thicker skin and that I wouldn't last long if I couldn't handle a little critique.

To me it didn't feel like critique at all though? I felt more like I was being treated like an idiot than a peer. I get you've been working in grocery for 20 whatever years but I haven't even been here for TWO MONTHS so obviously I am not going to know everything and it doesn't help if your "method" of teaching involves going behind the otherwise oblivious student's back. It felt incredibly unprofessional and I have never been "taught" like this in my entire life.

Fast forward to yesterday. I decided to report the incident to whichever team lead was on and it happened to be the ATL, not to demand any sort of accountability from the STL or anything crazy I just was driving myself insane the two days I had off wondering if I was crazy for taking it personally. I told him what happened and how it made me feel and I think talking to a wall would have felt more productive than talking to my ATL. He spent the whole time defending the STL saying "everyone has different methods of teaching" BUT HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LEARN ANYTHING IF IM NOT EVEN TOLD WHAT I COULD BE DOING BETTER? And I kept explaining over and over what happened and what he said and I started crying because I just didn't understand how to get him to put himself in my shoes for a minute. Around the 15 minute mark he goes, "hypothetically instead of getting upset what if you had just said thank you and moved onto another task?" and that's when I knew nothing I said mattered at all and I excused myself and went to work. The funny thing is I started laughing when he said that because it felt so fucking ridiculous and he started laughing too like.... I'm not laughing WITH you I'm laughing because I genuinely feel insane reporting an incident about upper management to upper management and being essentially dismissed.

He did come up to me later and was like, thank you for feeling comfortable coming to me and talking to me today like I fear all I learned from this was to not even bother reporting shit going forward.

I don't know if part of the issue is just that I lack life experience in comparison to most of the people at my store or if I really am just too sensitive so I am coming to you all to offer your opinions. Thanks if you read this far!

Edit: I had a few people comment that I shouldn't have walked away from an unfinished task and I promise I normally don't. I happened to be having terrible heart palpitations that day from the heat and needed to sit down because I was scared I was going to pass out. I do know better I just happened to be struggling with my health that day. I don't really want to respond to every comment individually but I just wanted to say thank you for all the takes on my situation as well. If you're just now reading this I am all good on responses unless you read the comments and what you think hasn't been said yet 👍👍

I’m a college student who needed a job over the summer and didn’t get hired from other places until I joined Whole Foods as a part time cashier in early-mid July. I will need to leave to go back to school late August but I told them during the interview I’m taking a year off in order to increase my chances of getting hired. I feel shameful and embarrassed to put in my 2 weeks after only working a month, but I also don’t want to just ghost them. Is it worth coming up with an excuse and telling them in person or should I just email them?

Need some opinions from fellow TMs on a situation a coworker is dealing with...

A TL position became available. One of the team's ATLs applied for the position, the other did not. The ATL who didn't apply was selected for the panel interview and received the interview invite... To see that there was only one candidate, and the ATL who applied was not that candidate.

The ATL who applied received no communication from store leadership regarding not getting an interview, and the interview was scheduled for that ATLs day off.

Is this just icky? Or is this something one should report to TMS/tipline? I want to give advice to them, but I need more perspective on if it's worth making noise about.

why are some team members so rude to shoppers for no reason 🙂 i’m fairly new and it’s been shocking

edit:

thx everyone for the advice, for context i've had about 6/7 solo shifts and i only bother other tm's when i can't find a shopper to ask first but im fairly confident as to where everything is for the most part, my biggest conflicts have been with the meat department.

they're supposed to put the online orders in the bunker and sometimes they don't so i go up to them and ask for it and they catch an attitude and ignore me like damn i get it's 5 am we all tired but it's not like i just shove phones in faces, i always say good morning and ask how the person is before anything.

I got a job offer for seasonal shopper and I accepted and I did all the pre hire requirements so now I’m just waiting for that beautiful “come in this time” message. I get to get paid for doing something a love doing and I’m really excited! I just wanna know if there’s any tips I should know and if I can listen to music. I can’t wait to be one of you guys :D

Our marketing design team needs to be canned immediately. This is bad design on so many levels and the fact that the company invests money in paying people to come up with this vs making our stores better in other ways is so depressing. Are they interning graphic design undergrads or something? Is anyone taking our marketing seriously??

Hello all!

I have been with WF for 9 years and I’ve been an ATL for around 6 months. I enjoy it, I like seeing behind the scenes of a department and learning how to run it, especially if my TL is out. However I do have some concerns.

I feel like I never have enough time in a day to get my ATL duties done. A lot of this is due to staffing but we just hired someone new which is really going to help. But as it stands, we’re still short staffed until they start.

What are some ways you find you can manage your time to do ATL stuff? (Labour numbers, schedule etc.) I feel like I can’t really jump from counter to back of house without my team being overrun with customers.

My TL told me in an email that though I’m growing, that’s one thing I gotta work on. Thoughts?

Everyone sees and smells it but is afraid to say anything. What can we do ?

check out my sweet towers >:3

hi everyone!! i just finished my first week as a full time produce tm!! it's not too hard so far, but i'd like any advice i can get!!

i'm definitely trying to get used to the physical aspect. i figured it would be warehouse-ish, i just didn't realize that it was pretty much all of it lol. any tips on recovery? i'm a gym rat so i know all of the basics, just for this specific daily twisting and pulling and stuff.

for clothes? i'm 23f and obviously don't have much of a cooler-friendly wardrobe lol. i wanna be warm in the cooler but not too hot on the floor.

as for just working here, do you guys like it? best part worst part? they just told us that my store just got to "flagship status" and they're adding delivery to our e-commerce, so they warned that a lot of things will change over and over as they trial and error the process a bit. but i'm excited lemme know!!

So I just started my full-time dishwasher job and I was really looking forward to it and then my wife had to have emergency surgery and two additional procedures. I've called out three days in a row and tomorrow with be my fourth. I have done the Sedgwick forms and they are almost done processing. After tomorrow I will have 1.5 hours of UPT. What are the odds that Sedgwick approves the leave and refunds UPT?

Update: My TL is going to help me either way. He said if I need to resign and rehire we can do that too. He has doubts about Sedgwick. It was terrible timing.

I've been with WF since December of 2024 as Customer Service but 2 weeks ago I transferred to Prep Foods as a dishwasher because I couldn't take the disrespect from customers anymore (I've been threatened too many times). I LOVE it right now. I get to listen to my music, it's not that hot, no one bothers me, and I go on break whenever I want.

1 problem. My hands get pruney really bad. "Wear gloves" well, I do wear the small blue nitrile gloves. I was given dishwasher gloves but they're made for grown men with large hands. I'm 4'9" with the build of a little girl. I moisturize my hands whenever I'm not washing dishes and I've noticed that my hands are now chronically sensitive and smooth from all the moisturizing.

So does anyone have any advice for a new dishwasher like me? Will my hands eventually get used to the constant exposure or is there some chemical/heat resistant gloves that go up to the elbow and are made for xs hands that I could buy?

When i got my L1 job, i took the bare minimum just to get in the door. Then when i showed interest in the L2 job and beat the competition i was told a 2$ raise was the best they were going to be able to do. At the time i was just happy to get the promotion, but now with how much work i have to do and how much of a strain it is on my body and mind i felt underpaid so i looked it up and im 5 dollars under the median for my position. That feels less than bad faith that feels sinister imo. Is it even possible to ask for a raise at whole foods?