Shoppers Drug Mart Employee Reviews about "head office"

Pros

The processes set in place are clear to follow and easy and it’s nice that all locations follow it so if you move from one store to another it’s easy to get into the work flow.

Cons

Pushy head office with too many customer promotions. Pharmacy should be more focused on the patient’s health and not how many points cards etc can we scan/create each month.

Pros

Pharmacy management software was decent. Had embraced certain aspects of expanded scope of practice.

Cons

Poor leadership and organisation. Interference from head office. Money-driven not patient-driven practice. Sold a lot of things that had nothing to do with pharmacy that you'd get asked questions about.

Pros

Employee discount (although it used to be a lot better back in the day)

Cons

Each store are very different. Some are decent to work for some are pure hell. Head office does give all stores security people and it puts us at risk as theft is sometimes a weekly event or more often at some stores. Some of these thieves carry pepper spray and are not afraid of hurting people. Someone I know in the company told me that head office says that bc stores are whiners. That that sound like a company that cares for its staff? They care more about sales (both in store and online) and customers than they ever will you. You are easily replaceable, customers are not. This is not a career; it’s a job. All the good ones figure this out sooner or later and leave. Good for students and even then I would t stay long. Dead end job really. Once you cap out at the maximum pay you’ll have to sell more to make more, but with more and more stores opening and online sales increasing every year its harder and harder to do that. Better off somewhere else.

Pros

work with friendly and intelligent professionals

Cons

It's a lot of hard work. it seems that every year head office expects more and more from the owners.

Pros

Free cosmetic training, with products. Staff discount. Commission for cosmetics staff. Ambitious corporate structure.

Cons

Franchise owners don't always understand the business. 90% of locations refuse to pay overtime. Low pay scales. Low commission rate, and off the cost of the products rather than sale price. Don't respect sick days. Will demand more from your position for the same pay. Unreliable coworkers. Head office doesn't understand day to day operations. Most franchises won't hire full time staff, and will opt to hire more part time staff- leaving shifts unreliable. Full time benefits are bare minimum except the drug plan (because they're a pharmacy)

Pros

experience is very valuable here

Cons

terrible customers, minimal support from head office and staff

Pros

Employee discount, meet lots of good co-workers

Cons

Management focuses on bottom line and not stress levels of employees. Hours are determined by "head office." Problems are not dealt with fairly. HR is a ghost.