stocker

order picker

truck driver

territory representative

forklift operator

Novo Building Products

My time working here (Several years)  was nothing short of a nightmare. From the very beginning, it became apparent that this company lacked the necessary professionalism and integrity to provide a conducive work environment. Here are a few reasons why I would strongly advise against considering employment with NOVO. 

1. Poor Management: The management was completely inept and seemed to have no clue how to effectively lead a team. Their lack of direction and communication led to constant confusion and frustration among employees. Feedback and suggestions were often brushed aside, leaving us feeling undervalued and demotivated.

2. Unhealthy Work Culture: The work culture was toxic, to say the least. It was riddled with favoritism, cliques, and an overall lack of respect among colleagues. Gossip and office politics ran rampant, creating an environment that was both mentally and emotionally draining.

3. Inadequate Compensation: The remuneration offered was far below industry standards. Despite promises of competitive salaries, I found myself struggling to make ends meet. Moreover, the lack of performance-based incentives further demoralized the workforce and hindered any motivation to excel.

4. Lack of Growth Opportunities: Grand promises of professional development and growth, but these were nothing more than empty words. Opportunities for advancement were scarce, and when they did arise, they were often given to those who played politics rather than demonstrated actual skills and abilities.

5. Unsustainable Workload: The workload was unreasonably high and unrealistic. Constantly understaffed, employees were expected to take on excessive responsibilities, leading to burnout and a compromised work-life balance. Despite expressing concerns about workload management, no meaningful changes were ever made.

6. Ineffective Communication Channels: Communication within the company was a continuous source of frustration. Emails and messages often went unanswered, and when they did receive a response, it was often vague or lacked the necessary information. This hindered productivity and created unnecessary delays in completing tasks.

8. Ignoring Complaints: Despite numerous complaints regarding instances of bullying, NOVO consistently turned a blind eye to the issue. Reports were met with dismissive responses or brushed under the rug, leaving victims feeling unheard and unsupported. This lack of action allowed bullies to continue their harmful behavior unchecked.

9. Promoting Toxic Behavior: Shockingly, NOVO seemed to reward individuals with a propensity for bullying. Instead of addressing their behavior, these individuals were often given leadership roles or positions of authority, reinforcing the toxic culture within the company. This not only perpetuated the cycle of bullying but also sent a message that such conduct was acceptable.

10. Lack of Accountability: Rather than holding bullies accountable for their actions, NOVO often made excuses or shifted blame onto the victims. The burden of proof was placed on those affected, forcing them to endure additional stress and anxiety when seeking resolution. This lack of responsibility only emboldened bullies and further victimized those already suffering.

11. Inadequate Policies and Training: NOVO lacked robust policies and training programs to address workplace bullying effectively. The few existing policies were vague, leaving ample room for interpretation and allowing bullies to exploit loopholes. Insufficient training on recognizing and addressing bullying only perpetuated the problem and left employees feeling defenseless.

12. Failure to Foster a Safe Environment: Despite claiming to prioritize employee well-being, NOVO failed miserably in creating a safe and supportive work environment. The prevalence of bullying fostered an atmosphere of fear, anxiety, and constant tension. This not only negatively impacted morale but also hindered productivity. 

13. Frequent Downtime: It seems that hardly a day goes by without experiencing system downtime. Whether it's servers crashing, network failures, or software glitches, the constant interruptions have become a frustrating norm. These disruptions halt our work, causing delays and creating unnecessary stress.

14. Inadequate Maintenance: It appears that the IT department lacks a proactive approach to system maintenance. Rather than addressing potential issues before they become significant problems, they consistently react to crises after they occur. This reactive strategy only exacerbates the frequency and severity of system failures.

15. Slow Response Times: When system failures do occur, the IT department's response time is disappointingly slow. It often takes an unreasonable amount of time for them to acknowledge the issue, let alone provide a solution. This delay further hampers our productivity and leaves us feeling unsupported.

16.  Lack of Communication: The IT department's communication regarding system failures is subpar. We are often left in the dark, unsure of the cause or expected resolution time. Clear and timely updates would go a long way in reducing frustration and enabling us to plan accordingly.

17. Inefficient Solutions: Even when the IT department manages to address system failures, the solutions often feel temporary and prone to recurrence. Rather than implementing robust fixes, they resort to quick patches that do not address the root causes, leading to a vicious cycle of repeated failures.

18. Impact on Business Operations: The constant system failures have a significant negative impact on our day-to-day operations. We are forced to divert valuable time and resources to address technical issues instead of focusing on our core responsibilities. This not only affects individual productivity but also hampers the overall success of the company.

It is disheartening to witness the IT department's consistent inability to provide a reliable and stable technology infrastructure. The frequent system failures and the subsequent disruption they cause have become a significant source of frustration and hinder our ability to perform our jobs efficiently. NOVO must urgently address these issues and invest in improving the IT department's capabilities to ensure a smoother and more reliable work environment.

In addition, It is deeply concerning that NOVO has not taken adequate measures to address workplace bullying, thereby fostering a toxic and harmful work environment. Potential employees should be aware of the company's negligence in dealing with this issue and carefully consider the potential consequences before choosing to work for such an organization.

Overall, my experience was disheartening and left me feeling undervalued and unappreciated. The company's lack of professionalism, poor management, toxic work culture, and insufficient compensation make it an undesirable place to work. I strongly advise potential candidates to thoroughly consider their options before accepting any offers from this company.

This typical day consisted of going into my accounts and checking inventory, culling bad material and giving store credit for those items. Also stocking the materials I ordered for the store and helping customers with purchases. The other position I had there was more consistent of traveling to the east coast to service stores that needed updates on materials and on signage. It also consisted of a lot of customer interaction and paper work, but over all it was a good job.
The management at this company was amazing, they really took a lot of pride in the employees and the work that needed to be done.It was hard communicating to everyone all the time so a lot of wires got crossed. I had a lot of clerical skills while working in my home office sending and replying to important emails and sending in expense reports as well as weekly field service reports. The co -workers I worked with were great people and took their jobs seriously they had a great deal of professionalism and knowledge to bring to the table. The hardest part of the job was mostly the travel. Being away from my wife and kids for five days a week was a very tough thing to deal with.
The most enjoyable part of both of my positions was working with customers and store associates I really enjoyed the relationships that I was able to build in those years of service.

Are you tired of working at a company that only cares about its bottom line? Once a promising career opportunity, this company has become a cautionary tale of what happens when upper management puts profits above people.

At first, the job seemed great - with drive time included as part of the work day and a bonus for stocking stores. But slowly, the company started taking away these benefits, along with a good 401K match and more, all while being secretive about the changes. And when HR tried to deny a worker continued employment over a disability from the intensive labor it became clear that the company had no loyalty to its employees.

Middle management tried to make the job bearable, but there was no one above them to stand up to upper management, who was allowed to run the company into the ground. And let's not forget that the company no longer cares about its footprint on the environment, with products no longer FSC certified. In part their major home improvement customer also does not care about keeping sustainable products on their shelves.

If you're looking for a job where you're not paid for a couple hours out of your day, have a million hats to wear, and the pressure of knowing there isn't enough time to do everything, then this job is for you. But for those who value their time, their health, and the environment, steer clear of this unsustainable company. 




I am a former supervisor at Novo and from my experience there it is absolutely the WORST job I've ever experienced as well as having the WORST management team I've ever worked with. No one is ever held accountable for their actions there is favoritism the employees have more power then the managers do it's a cutthroat backstabbing unorganized no structure type of environment with ZERO communication. The employees do whatever they want whenever they want and there are no consequences whatsoever. The Operations Manager is a joke along with the rest of the management team. They are actually scared of the employees and its actually sickening. This is definitely a job you wana stay away from. They also have no respect for the employees which in turn makes the employees have no respect for them. If you're an individual that speaks your mind and doesn't let people walk all over and you stand for what's right then this isn't the place for you but if you're a yes man and like to turn a blind eye to bad behavior and ignorance then this is the place for you.

As a TSR, your role ends up being far more than what you are hired to do. You are expected to count, merchandise, stock, break down displays, and constantly adjust to whatever corporate decides that week. Most of the time you are not even given the materials you need to complete the work. There is a long list of extra duties that should not fall on this position.
The company recently froze pay increases and the benefits are not competitive. NOVO works inside a major big box retailer and there are major communication gaps between the two companies. When the retailer updates its systems, you are often left to figure out a solution on your own.
Corporate at NOVO feels very disconnected from what actually happens inside the stores and the disconnect is clear.

As a Stocker, They do not train you well enough to complete daily tasks expected of you in the stores. HR is another significant issue, they are absolutely lazy in the hiring process. I submitted all my due paperwork as requested, and HR gave me trouble about a form that was done correctly, but apparently it was incorrect to them. It made the onboarding process way longer than it should have been. Management is lazy and inconsiderate of personal Issues that prohibit your ability to work some days (they almost use it against you). The lowes employees make the job a lot worse than what it should be at times as well. There were countless times i waited around for hours, waiting for my shipment to be stocked onto the lowes carts. On one account, an employee permitted me from doing my job. And the management of Novo/Empire Does absolutely NOTHING about this. If you’re a busy college kid with a lot going on with classes and outside life, stay away from this company. 

Empire Company was sold to a large equity firm in New York called Blue Wolfe (NOVO) Upper corporate management changed and the problems begin. People that had a track record of failed business management of other companies were now in charge. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY type attitude by these people ran off all the braintrust individuals of the company. A totalitarian/dictatorship type management style was adopted by these individuals that slowly begin to erode all the years of hard work and trust. Middle managers that were once great leaders and trusted individuals became YES MEN to keep there jobs, and pushed the failed agenda of upper management.

Probably the best and most rewarding job I ever had. I started as receptionist answering 12 line switchboard and mailing customer invoices.Also worked on price proposals for new customers.
Then was moved to inside sales where I learned about stair installation & column placement & how to sell door frames, wood moulding & stair parts to retail lumber yards. We did order entry and customer service calls.
Shipping and receiving clerk was my last stop for the company. I would handle all company driver paperwork and delivery scheduling. All L.T.L or out of state orders. Inbound shipments,& corrosponding with warehouse workers & outside salesmen.

What is the best part of working at the company?
They’re a great company to work for. They treat you like family from my experience. Not a lot of turn over. Most people stay once they get in. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I was a stocking representative. The most stressful part was the stocking just because we relied on the store to get the moulding ready. That was a hassle at times. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment was good and the company culture was great. They always looked out for you. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
At 8am you would checkin with store employees and start your day. You are to cycle count and cull out products. Then stock your stores.

Lower management folk are not team players. Very cut throat and do not work well with others. Upper management is non existent. Has no idea about work flow and issues on the floor. Hides is the office. There are no expectations given until something is perceived wrong. No one on ones with manager ever. Lazy communication alway through email - not even a phone call. Management keeps distant so when something goes wrong they can do the blame game. Alway negative communication, not once as I was there were there a positive. Has no clue who the great employees were. But the brown losers with all talk no action would always survive.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Stocker 89 salaries reported	$22.22 per hour
Order picker 45 salaries reported	$19.09 per hour
Truck driver 18 salaries reported	$25.61 per hour
Territory representative 55 salaries reported	$21.47 per hour
Forklift operator 44 salaries reported	$19.04 per hour

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