retail assistant manager

retail sales associate

retail store manager

fulfillment associate

human resources generalist

Grunt Style LLC

I recently transitioned out of the role of Controller in a work environment that I can only describe as toxic, with an alarming lack of work-life balance. My experience in this position was challenging, to say the least, and I feel it is important to share my insights to shed light on the work culture in the hope that positive changes can be made.

From the outset, it was evident that the organizational culture prioritized short-term gains over the well-being of its employees. The toxicity within the workplace permeated every aspect of my role as Controller, making it increasingly difficult to perform my duties effectively. Constant micromanagement and a lack of trust from higher-ups stifled creativity and innovation, leaving little room for professional growth.

The absence of a work-life balance was particularly distressing. Long working hours were not only expected but were practically mandatory. This unhealthy expectation led to burnout among employees, myself included, impacting both physical and mental well-being. The perpetual state of stress hindered productivity and had a detrimental effect on the overall work atmosphere.

Communication within the organization was another major issue. A culture of secrecy and misinformation prevailed, making it challenging to execute financial responsibilities accurately. Critical information was often withheld, impeding the ability to make informed decisions as a Controller.

Furthermore, the lack of support for maintaining a healthy work-life balance was disheartening. Requests for flexibility or time off were met with skepticism and often denied, perpetuating the cycle of stress and dissatisfaction among employees.

In summary, my time as a Controller in this toxic work environment was marked by excessive demands, limited growth opportunities, and a pervasive lack of concern for employee well-being. I believe that fostering a positive workplace culture, emphasizing transparency and supporting work-life balance, is crucial for the success of any organization. I hope that my experience serves as a catalyst for change and encourages organizations to prioritize the mental and physical health of their employees.

• Typical work day is repeating, but some coworkers and customers make it fun!
• Upper management just care about numbers, bottomline, and money in their pockets, they play favorites with store managers. They could care less about what keyholders/associates have to say or all the hardworking they do.
• Scheduled (store operating) hours are not bad, if the SM follows and pays attention to your availability.
•Pay is average for retail hourly-paid employees; only store managers, regionals, and other upper management are paid salary
• Store manager micromanages and can be overbearing at times, all about themselves... their opinion is the only one that matters, doesn't expect you to have a personal life outside of the store, it's their store so what they say goes, sits on their laptop for their whole shift (but doesn't seem to get any of the paperwork done, because keyholders have to pick up the slack), gives tremendous tasks that should be done by the store manager but expects keyholders/associates to do it in limited time; SM consistently texts or calls you  EVEN ON YOUR DAYS OFF when it's NOT AN EMERGENCY, all the time pertaining to work!
• Coworkers are great to work with and support each other...definitely work as a team; except the SM-they're above you & treat you like servants.
• Other employees (coworkers), employee discount, hours are not bad, customers that shop GS are good (military, veterans, police, firefighters, emt/ems, blue collar workers, family members).
• Drama (manager "stirs the pot" and talks about other employees behind their backs to other employees) but you get that anywhere you go with individuals with different personalities, beliefs, and generations.

The leadership at Grunt Style starts off as buddy buddy, attempting to convince you that the workplace is friendly and promotions, raises, etc...all being merit based, but the truth of the matter is that if you're unwilling to go along with bad ideas or you call out poor strategies, you will quickly find yourself blacklisted. A favorite saying at Grunt Style is that "everybody is replaceable" which means every single day there could be your last with the extremely temperamental and mercurial leadership staff, who will no doubt insult you and your performance despite the fact that your measurables and key performance indicators are higher than anyone who has ever held the position. 

Overall it is a great place to get a start and gain some experience, but you will quickly find that your talents are not appreciated and the company has no desire to fulfill any of the promises they make. If they do make a promise to you, ensure that you get it in writing and reviewed by your own personal lawyer. There is no end to the shadiness and potentially illegal behavior that seeps from the entire leadership team, including blackmail and accusations to cover their unethical behavior. 

Countless poor financial decisions led the company to almost shut down several times, which required outside investors to buy and take control of the company.

I worked for this company for nearly four years as a Store Manager at one of its smaller locations. During my tenure, the store remained profitable and maintained strong customer relationships.

Over time, the company underwent significant organizational and leadership changes, including shifts in management structure, operational processes, and company priorities. Many long-standing initiatives, including community-focused events and charitable programs, were discontinued. Communication surrounding these changes was often limited, which created challenges for store-level leadership and frontline employees when addressing customer concerns.

In early 2024, the company implemented company-wide staffing changes, including layoffs and operational restructuring. Additional changes followed, including adjustments to production processes and staffing models. Eventually, the decision was made to close my store location, and the building was sold. Employees were provided with a 60-day notice of closure, and no severance was offered.

Despite the challenges during the final phase of the business, I am grateful for the relationships I built with my team, coworkers, and customers. I worked alongside many dedicated and talented individuals and value the professional growth and leadership experience I gained during my time there.

The do not care about employee development. Abusive managers are left in control of retail stores resulting in incredibly fast turnover. Almost no full time positions are available in retail and the few that are, are cherry picked.  Employees are strung along for months waiting on answers on advancement just to be told positions aren’t being filled.  Lunches are not given to those working long shifts. You have to push to get a break and then are chastised for making them.  When harassment is brought to light it is simply swept under the rug rather than being addressed - disciplinary action is not taken to protect employees or their interests. Managers are also allowed irrationally high turnover with no accountability.  All in all, when it comes to Grunt Style retail, if you aren’t a veteran you aren’t allowed mistakes even if you own up to them.  Be prepared to be subject to your managers emotional whims, as if you aren’t senior management, your voice doesn’t matter.

During my time at Grunt Style I learned many diverse computer and customer service skills that I have developed and improved. The Company is relatively new and there is a good vibe between the employees as over 75% are veterans or still serving. There are many issues that still need to be worked out from the higher management side as there is a lack of motivation in various departments and the retention of employees in customer service is lacking . For the amount of hours and time put in the company the pay was not really matching the work load. Great company with good potential to grow. During my time there I was taking work home and instead of doing homework I was catching up on emails and other CS issues. Resigned my position and gave more focus to my degree.

The company has a very relaxed corporate environment, yet feels like it's run like the military. Lots of growth both laterally and through advancement. Pay seems to be at the industry standard or right below it, although it's expected with how new the company is.

Lot of opportunities to complete projects that may contribute toward one's professional environment. I've done more projects in two months at this company than I did in two years at my last company.

Benefits are available for those who need them and the perks are great. A lot of businesses partner with the company to provide them discounts on their services as well.

The CEO has a great vision that needs to be shared with the company more often.

I was brought into the job to learn from someone above me. That person was let go and suddenly I am taking on much more responsibility and given promises of increased pay. For nearly a year, I was tasked with the job of 2 people while continuing to be promised I would be getting more money soon but it never came. 

They are more than willing to give you more responsibility at a moment’s notice but they will drag their feet when it comes to proper compensation. 

I was overworked, underpaid, and while I did learn some skills that helped me become a better admin, overall it was disappointing working for this company. 

Interesting company with a good product and interesting mission, but zero financial discipline or management.
No job security at all.  Cuts made randomly for no reason.  Great employees with perfect monthly or quarterly reviews terminated with no notice.
Terrible overpaid and underqualified second-floor leadership all around.
No values, no integrity.  They tell employees what they want to hear then do whatever they want.
They can't make minor purchases, but a first class ticket for a 1 day trip to Chicago is OK.
Legal problems and numerous lawsuits pending will ultimately put them out of business.

What is the best part of working at the company?
getting paid way below national average was best part of grunt style 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
everything. literal everything.  constant fear of job security, unrealistic expectations, fascist racist leadership.  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
toxic AF. a business should not be run like the military, and people who have ZERO leadership qualities should run a company this size 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
stress, fear of getting fired, unrealistic expectations, excessive minimum requirements

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail assistant manager 1 salary reported	$13.50 per hour
Retail sales associate 8 salaries reported	$13.00 per hour
Retail store manager 3 salaries reported	$53,333 per year
Fulfillment associate 1 salary reported	$15.00 per hour
Human resources generalist 3 salaries reported	$71,250 per year

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