counter sales representative

warehouse/driver

material handler

warehouse worker

warehouse associate

Johnstone Supply

There were many things wrong with the work environment at Johnstone Supply The Ware Group. At the beginning, I was given a list of all the benefits I would receive which all sounded great. Then after I began working in my role, with the exception of insurance it turns out the benefits were not accessible until after a year in the role.

For example, all of the sick time and vacation time was all rolled up into one package. You do not gain access to paid time off until you have been with the company for a year. My anniversary date was in May, so naturally I should have access to those days after the anniversary date. Not the case at all. They only reset the system at the end of December each year. So I had to wait until December to gain any access to days off, a full year and a half after the start date for the job. This was information that was withheld at the start of the job and never provided within the employee handbook.

You were also penalized for taking unpaid days off. For example, we had a Hurricane impact our area that left my town flooded and without power for over a week. It was during this time when I still had not gained my paid time off and I had to go without pay for several days. Once I returned to the office, I was called into HR and given a warning that it’s not acceptable to take time off without pay regardless of the situation. There was absolutely no way for me to leave my home since the roads were und water.

Outside of the mess that was the benefits, the company was one of the most toxic places I have ever been exposed to. The culture within the staff was unwelcoming and there was no help provided. There was no training for the jobs, you were turned loose and expected to figure things out.

The environment was so toxic that I witnessed harassment (type of harassment had to be omitted due to guidelines on this site) towards a female coworker and I reported it to HR. After they investigated the incident, they dismissed the situation because the person who was the aggressor in the situation was the top sales person of the company and then shared that I was the person who filed a claim against them. At this time things began to become worse for me within the company. I was constantly under investigation for different claims by this person.

33 percent of employees here show up with the desire, and drive, to work. 67 percent of employees here, show up to have insurance and do as little as possible to keep their job. In my time here I have witnessed tremendous growth for the company while also bearing witness to what I can only assume is the decline of a once great culture. The “family” of workers that was so prevalent before I took my position has been infiltrated by a part of society not suited for work. Most people had been here for 5+ years when I started but many of  the most recent additions have been overlooked and should t have made it 30 days. People openly brag about their desire to be lazy. People with specialised titles refuse to do anything that isn’t their job and have no problem sitting down on their cell phones openly while there is always things they could be doing. Management continues to falter in their support and training because we don’t want to hurt the incompetent’s feelings, leaving the helpful hopeless, and the useless happy. It’s easier for managers to just do the jobs of their staff than to be prompt in their delegation of tasks or assertive in their management. Fingers are always being pointed in the direction of the smoke and mirrors of distraction  as accountability and dependability falter. If everyone would share in their responsibilities this would be a great place to work, it used to be at one time. The local owner of this certain group is one of the greatest people I’ve had the privilege to work for. He, as a man who should have long been retired, is often there before everyone arrives and gone long after most leave. While it is commendable, it is heartbreaking to see how hard he works and how little so many employees care or contribute in spite of his obvious devotion. There are many who brag about “milking” overtime hours and any attempt to bring it up through the chain of command is shut down by a quick “I am the manager and I’ve worked harder than everyone here this week” leaving you to question your sanity and dedication to trying to put out fires constantly for other people’s lack of accountability or drive. If you show up and try to work hard, this place will chew you up and spit you out. Luckily for most it’s too hard to find good help so we continue to be chewed and ground.

I got this job due to experience because of my appliance technology training in college. The counter was non stop busy from open to close. I was in charge of the warehouse and parts.  No time for training ever and I was thrown into helping customers at the counter. Oh well, I did the best I could and caught on fast. My superviser told me she wished all employees could be as good as me. She later quit her job to work for another company.8 months later things changed. I was working great but was treated bad. When I would be helping customers at the counter and would ask a question, I was put down in front of customers,  Store shipping orders would be given to me late, on purpose, so that I would have to brake my neck to get the packages ready in time for UPS to pick it up. I was written up several times. The writeups would say Im slow at learning, and just cant catch on. This treatment played games with my head. My confidence floored. I started to get very depressed. I know I was doing great. Why was this happening to me? I finally confided in a coworker and asked her why Im told Im doing great one day, then the next day Im written up and called a slow learner? I told her it was making me crazy. She let me know that the store manager wanted to get rid of me so his sisters new husband could have my position. So I was getting write ups for the steps needed to fire me. She asked me not to tell, for fear of losing her job. I said I wouldnt say anything. If it wasnt for her, I would have done something's about their unfair treatment. It seriously broke my spirit. Its horrable to be doing your best, know your doing good, and be told your slow ,not catching on, hurting the business.The employees there were handled by a company called Administaff. Due to Johnstones unfair treatment of employees in the past and past lawsuits. I was eventually fired.

Company provides minimum inside sales training for counter sales and their inside salesman..I worked here last year and with trying to answer the phones and doing all of their video sales training and all of the other work they want you to do without proper training makes it impossible to succeed..Company employees in management are so clickesh that if you are not part of the click again you want make it..I talked to one of the older employees in inside sales and was told not one NEW person has been able to succeed in several years..Poor management,poor training and an impossible workload is why they have not kept ONE inside salesman in years..I feel sorry for anyone going to work here..You can never do anything right unless you are in the sales managers click…I didn’t come to work to make best friends..I came to work to work..The owners and managers act like they are better than you.It was very hard to swallow some time..I did not have time to do all the tasks they wanted me to do every day..I was told in a round about way to come in an hour to two hours early to get everything done..WITHOUT PAY!

This company is technologically behind the times, and their workforce is aging leaving a handful of insecure, game players running the show.

They are running a free version of POP3 as their member mail server along with a phone system from the 80's making them one of the cheapest companies I've ever worked for.

The IT department is a total disaster in that one person setup the network/infrastructure years ago, and they're still there handing out information and passwords at their discretion: keeping people in the dark to make the role seem indispensable. A handful of aging, burned out analyst block any change from happening by alienating new employees/management and using passive aggressive tactics to get their way on projects, deadlines, responsibilities.

As of this review, three help desk people have quit within the last year...weeks of starting. People quit or are fired from this department often because of it's toxic work culture and ineffective management.

If your looking for a job -I would avoid this company at all costs.

If you're a co-op member, I would seriously consider looking into where your money is going, and how Johnstone manages your data and technological needs. If you look closely you will realize they are failing you with regard to support.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Not working there at all, never ,never, work there,  management is snake in the grass,they build you up to tear you down,there are low esteem professionals ,can't handle open honest feedback, they always are looking to end your job a performance by any means necessary, they are a click , from the same background,very difficult to advance, the only way you do ,is by being shown the exit when you don't accept there way or philosophy of customer related business issues, don't waste you talent on close minded professional s.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management , nothing is good enough ,always inventing the wheel expect ions unrealistic.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Toxic, if you let them  they will ,threaten, imtimadate lie to you , write you up for taking in too many breaths anything, a customer can use volgar speech, a customer can disrespect your ethinicity  race , religion and as long as they spend there money you just smile and keep it moving  , the turn a deaf ear to you but hear the cash register ring loud and clear.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Very very, demanding stressful , it true its more than a supply house its a money making mental institution.

During my time at Johnstone Supply, I faced significant challenges with the management in the purchasing department, up to the director level. Leadership was ineffective and lacked support for employees, focusing more on their own interests rather than fostering a collaborative and productive environment. The management was often rude and unable to handle the truth, creating a toxic atmosphere where open communication was stifled.

Additionally, the HR department was neither friendly nor trustworthy. They consistently sided with upper management rather than supporting employees. Decisions were often made with a lack of transparency and fairness, influenced by personal bias rather than consistent policies. People were frequently fired, yet no one would know why or even be informed about it, further eroding trust. This lack of communication and transparency fostered a culture of mistrust and further disconnected HR from the employees.

To make matters worse, the company introduced a new open office layout, where desks were placed too close to one another, and computer screens were positioned right up against employees' faces. This cramped, distracting environment only added to the frustration, making it harder to focus or work effectively.

Responsible for the day to day sales, warehousing and operations of  $4,000,000+ electrical wholesale branch.
•	Major focus on customer relations and sales growth by splitting time 50% on the road making customer and job site visits and 50% inside the branch using prior industry knowledge to increase revenue & gross profit.
•	Manage branch inventory to keep a 99% fill rate on top 200 items. Also a strong focus on introducing new product to the customers in our marketplace.
•	Work closely with key customers and co-workers to set pricing and inventory levels to ensure customer satisfaction and repeat business.
•	Effectively plan joint sales calls to key customers with vendors to solidify the relationships between all 3 parties. In order to work together to the benefit of all involved parties,
•	Process and manage branch purchase orders and transfers from distribution center. Work closely with vendors to ensure prompt shipment of product, accurate shipping dates and detailed expedite information when necessary.
•	Actively recruited for new employees for the benefit of the branch and company as a whole.
•	Effectively coach and mentor branch associates to help them choose their best career path. Delegate workloads and responsibilities consistent with each individual strengths and areas for improvement.

Working at Johnstone was an incredibly disappointing experience. From the outset, there were clear issues with communication, organization, and management support. Despite my efforts to contribute positively to the team, I found myself constantly battling against a toxic work environment and lack of appreciation for my efforts.The workload was overwhelming and unrealistic, with unreasonable expectations set by upper management. There was little to no opportunity for growth or professional development, and feedback was rarely constructive or actionable.Moreover, the company culture fostered negativity and distrust among colleagues, making collaboration difficult and draining morale. Basic resources and support were often lacking, hindering productivity and causing unnecessary stress.In summary, my time at Johnstone was a regrettable experience that I would not recommend to anyone seeking a fulfilling and supportive work environment. I hope that management takes steps to address these issues for the well-being of future employees.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Counter sales representative 77 salaries reported	$21.73 per hour
Warehouse/driver 50 salaries reported	$17.90 per hour
Material handler 99 salaries reported	$19.74 per hour
Warehouse worker 18 salaries reported	$19.31 per hour
Warehouse associate 17 salaries reported	$18.07 per hour

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