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The work environment is poor and there are times when one can't understand how some of the workers a) were hired and b) have kept their jobs. But these are merely symptoms of the disease. Management is at the heart of this problem.

In terms of corporate-level management, employees are viewed not as resources or assets, but obstacles in the way of profit. The policies handed down seem arbitrary, and woe unto the person that draws any amount of overtime.

At the store level, the managers' primary job seems to be preventing themselves from getting in trouble with the District Managers and Regional VP. They are ruled by fear, and so they in turn rule by fear. The sole motivation of the employees in fear of the write-up. Room to grow with the company has been eliminated. They now take the Gilded Age approach of hiring from the outside, grinding everyone into the ground and then replacing them. Managers are insulting and flippant in their tone. As a result, the workers morale is through the floor.

Before the Belgians took over, it was a good place to work. Now there is literally no reason to work there. The only good things I can say about the place was that the pay/benefits were good and the commute was easy. That's all I can think of.

Cons: Lazy, unmotivated co-workers, who don't hesitate for a second to talk back to you, ignorant, arrogant management who do not understand how to run a grocery store, no-training (no joke; there were whole aspects of my job that were never went over with me), but still expect you to do things you were never trained to do, out of control neptotism to the point where it harmed the store, no help from management/management sabotage (deliberately giving you bad instructions to follow to insure you failed at your job), more time spent complaining about work not getting done than just shutting-up and doing work, out of control ordering that made load sizes way above what they were suppose to be (who do they think they are, Market Basket?), load sizes that are so big that they can't possibly fit in the backroom given, (but hey, if they actually ordered correctly, the stuff should fit in fine), why are the load sizes the same size as they were this time last year despite the fact the store sales are down 10% year-over-year?, constant changing of expectations/priorities, constantly understaffed, every procedure is timed, but the times given aren't realistic and if you can't do the procedures in the given, unrealistic, time allotted, you can get fired, selective accountability, grocery department consisted of seven different departments working against each other, management that spoke badly of the night crew in front of the day crew given them added incentive to mess with the night crew, management giving day crew instructions that would make the night crew's job harder to do, lack of u-boats or any other type of equipment to help get product to salesfloor, not enough people certified to use powerjacks/forklifts, even in a "supervisory" role, I was not allowed to deligate work, "work plans" that were made by management the day before and don't take into account if loads arrive late/sick calls, etc. that may affect said plan, completely incomprehensible vacation time system, time not given to clean up backroom, but if the backroom isn't cleaned up, you get disciplined, refrigeration system that fails too often, inconsistent load arrival times, whole days where no one for the grocery department would be scheduled(other than night crew), inconsistent load sizes (again, ordering), mangement who spoke of "standards" (anyone who has worked here would know what I'm talking about), but don't follow such standards when stocking (strange how the rules don't seem to apply to them now does it?), front end associates being brought in to work in grocery department during the day with no supervision, no supervision in the backroom at all during the day, grocery items being intentionally dissorganized in order to "free-up" rooom out back, jobs combined that don't make sense together (the receiver doubled as the guy who filled ice cream for example), a manager of non-foods in a grocery store, but no assistant grocery manager? really?, managers who didn't even know where items went in their own department(no, ice tea does not go in the same aisle as the water, try again), glorified office workers doubling as management, associates who have an inflated, overly high opinion of themselves, disscontinued items intentionally being put on repack because corporate won't take them back, but they also can't go out on the salesfloor, so why put them on repack? it just creates more work, inconsistent expectations for associates and how fast they should be working (for some associates, its acceptable to stock shelves like an old lady, for others, throwing stuff on the shelves like a mad man is unacceptable), over reliance on "RE Sheets" to determine how much work should be done, over reliance on write-ups and other paperwork in order to get people fired/demoted ("if it didn't get written down, it didn't happen"), lack of communication between day/night crew, over reliance on useless, non-hands on, time consuming, computer training in order to "complete" training of associates, (like knowing the sexual harrassment policy is suppose to make you a better worker?), managment never really knowing what work has gotten done and what needs to be done even if you have all ready explained it to them (and it really only takes two minutes to figure it out themselves, but they still don't take the time to do it), management spending too much time in offices/cubicles instead of out in the aisles getting their "hands dirty" (if they ever have to, they usually complain) management whining about having to deal with customers (you're in retail, what do you expect?), management whining in general, management not taking enough time to get to know you or your background, mailing termination papers to wrong address, having to request that I be payed for a payed vacation, being told that I may not be payed for my payed vacation, having to do work for managers when they're too lazy to do it themselves even though I all ready have enough to do, pallets that come off trucks way too dissorganized and take forever to "sort," designated "sorting area" was too small even by company standards making "breaking down/sorting" pallets a nightmare, trucks that leave after trailer is unloaded and take trailer with them, instead of "dropping" trailer in order to use as extra storage, store manager who blatantly ignored my doctor's orders for me not work and told me to work any way, then being told by another manager that the doctor's note said I was "pretty much cleared to work at 100%" (are we even talking about the same doctor's note?) being told that I'm not getting enough done despite the fact I'm injured, complete with papers being thrown at me (apparently the managers here double as doctors), being written up for not reporting an injury where I tripped over a u-boat with no end-rail, because they needed to be made aware of why it happened, so they could prevent another injury from happening, but yet, when I come in later that night, there's u-boats with no end-rails on them (glad they took that so seriously) and no accomedations were made for me as it related to my injury (I couldn't bend my knees, but yet they expect me to scale a pile of plastic pallets in order to open a door?), mangement who accuses you of doing things you didn't do with no proof just becase in their mind, it sounds reasonable that you would do something like that (that's all the proof you need at Hannaford), signing write-ups that are filled with out right lies and conjecture by the party doing the write-up (while the offense may warrant a write-up, added details such as your motivations for doing such an offense are completey fabricated) expecting associates with obvious physical/mental limitations to do work that they are not capable of doing, "low spots" or "holes" not being top priority, but instead the priorities are arbitrary such as "whatever aisle has the most re-pack" or "whatever aisles sells the most stuff," no associates scheduled to block aisles or work re-pack during the day (that's the night crew's job), if something needs to be done, but is not a task you "earn time for" on your "RE Sheet", associates/managers will just not do it, if something needs to be done, but its not something that your part of the grocery department is "suppose" to do, associates/management just won't do it, told to call "trucking" whenever a load arrives exceptionally late, but never given an answer other than "its on its way."

Did I leave anything out?

What is the best part of working at the company?
Used to be a semi-relaxed setting allowing for employees to create their own work rhythm that best fit the day's pace, as well as foster more confidence & independence overall. Most coworkers were easy to get along with. The work in and of itself wasn't insanely difficult, and most customers were kind/appreciative. Sometimes it felt like a little workplace community, with certain employees making alot of effort to create experiences/events that kept morale up & encouraged more of a connection among employees.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Lack of necessary tools/resources to get the  tasks at hand done, let alone done at a high quality. Small spaces were not optimized to their full potential leading to complications for some employees in executing work tasks or manuevering around customers and coworkers alike. A handful of employees had difficulties with keeping personal and professional seperate, often creating unnecessary drama and an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere. Certain management seemed to have something to proove and began changing the unique work culture little by little until some employees no longer felt welcome nor secure in their position at work. Not to mention the important things that should have been focused on were fumbled and mismanaged. This created/resulted in confusion and disorganization for quite a few departments, and slowed production.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It used to be relaxed, friendly, and flexible. This fostered a good environment for employees to offer suggestions to improve department practices, exercise/execute assertive decision making on-the-spot to resolve small scale dilemmas, and kept a decent work-life balance. Everyone had time and energy to connect with eachother through occasional events that compounded team building and encouraged diplomacy between departments. Towards the end it changed to a high pressure, stringent setting - a kind of, "shut up and do your job", everyone for themselves kind of feel. Morale amongst everyone plummeted, it didn't feel like the company really cared about it's employees or the hard work they were doing or the efforts they were going to for the customer. The new environment has a way of quickly burning the most dedicated employees out in a matter of weeks, creating a high turn around rate.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You'd punch in, meet with your team for a break down OR be first on the scene to start up the day's production. Then it was usually getting your figures or your numbers, utilizing the tablets as best you could, and going about filling your department's needs for the day. If there was friction amongst your team breaks and lunches became a constant argument/issue. If your team worked well together, no problems. Alot of employees would end up staying over their scheduled time in their department just to secure enough was done for the rest of the day and going into the next day. Efficiency was hard to keep in practice with so many uncontrollable obstacles being thrown in the way, slowing employees down. If bigger problems arised during your shift, getting ahold of the proper management could be very time consuming. By the end of the day you were usually stressing about the next day's work lined up already. Not to mention if an employee had a passive aggressive problem with you, your whole work day was compounded into even MORE of a pressure cooker of stress.

I worked for Hannaford part time in the Front End department for over 4 years. The work got repetitive & mind-numbing after 2, but I got too comfortable and unwilling to look for a new job. The pay was OK and there were lots of opportunities to advance in the company or move to different departments. I just personally never used any of those opportunities because I didn't want to be stuck working for the same grocery store/company for the rest of my life. Other than that, my co-workers and most of my managers were really chill and laid back and it was easy enough work. I learned how to run register, push carts, clean the bottle room, clean my work area, run re-shops back, run damaged goods back, help customers, I bettered my social skills and gained retail/customer service skills in general.

Management was mostly nice, some played favorites and gave out unwarranted write-ups, but the district manager came in from time to time to ask the employees how things were going and would get things cleared up(you always had the option to contact the district manager if you felt like the store managers were doing something wrong). Often times, the store managers would put out food in the break room for everyone which was really nice(there was a TV with cable in the break room as well). They also would give out little coupons for a free lunch that was usually priced from $5-$7 on days that they noticed you working hard. They also really listened to employees and tried to work with us to keep us all happy as possible. They even would get on register or bag from time to time if we were under-staffed and backed up.

One of the benefits was the MyHannaford Rewards app that gives back 2% in all purchases for customers who use it and 6% to all employees who use it. In my opinion, this could've been at least 5% for customers and 10% for employees, but the prices in the store are some of the fairest I've seen and I shopped there regularly(also the app usually gave you good coupons). Another benefit was that you could save up your paid-vacation time(if you didn't use it to call out sick a lot) and use it up before the year ended. Occasionally the company would run events like BBQs outside of the store, picnics or bagging/cashiering competitions, but I personally never participated in any of them.

Without going into too much detail, I left shortly after the new management came in and started changing up things that didn't need to be changed. I'm sure they were just trying to see what worked and what didn't and in their defense, they did have a good communication with the employees including myself, but that's the straw that broke the camel's back for me at that job. I can't entirely blame them, as it was my fault for staying at that job for too long and stressing myself out after I had already mentally distanced myself from the job years earlier. All in all, not bad for my first job.

TL;DR: 
It's retail/customer service, you'll quickly get into the swing of things, but it's going to get repetitive & mind-numbing after awhile. Know what you're getting yourself into and plan for it. Ask yourself how long you want to be there for and form an exit strategy if you desire to leave one day.

To describe myself as a worker, I would describe myself as a fast learner who is willing to do any task given with no complaints.

It took 3 weeks for anybody to get back about my application. It took 2 weeks after my interview to send me any orientation information. It took 2 weeks after that for my background check to come back and another week after that to start. In total, it took over a month to start working. 

2 days into my job in the pharmacy, I got the hang of their computer software and was in the groove of things. I worked very quickly and very efficiently. I clocked in as early as policy would allow and stayed as long as needed to finish up tasks and help out more. Everybody seemed to enjoy working with me, and applauded me for my hard work and how much I learned so quickly.

From the start, I noticed some red flags but decided to move past them. I was told full-time hours were not available, which I was okay with as I could get a second job to make more money. However, after seeing the schedule I noticed that a few employees on my team were being scheduled copious amounts of overtime. Whereas I was only getting in 30 hours a week. That seems unfair, AND not very cost-efficient to me. It would have been cheaper on their part to allow somebody else to work 40 hours, then give out overtime to other employees. But - I looked past this, as I loved the job itself, and did not want to stir things up where I was so new.

One day I had some unprecedented personal issues regarding domestic violence that made it so I was unable to attend work. I called my manager as soon as I could, which unfortunately was only a few minutes before my shift started. She told me she hoped everything was alright and she would see me at work tomorrow. 

I took care of business and was ready to work again the following day. I clocked in, and got pulled into the ARM's office (essentially HR) and he asked if I had a minute to talk. He informed me that I was marked as a No Call No Show and was being terminated, effective immediately. I was shocked, because everything seemed totally fine the day prior. They could have told me this prior to driving all the way down Route 4, during road work mind you, to make me aware of this. 

Either way, it states in their policies that a "No Call No Show" would first result in a written warning. A second No Call No Show would result in performance counseling or discharge. 

This has outraged me; I worked hard and very well. I spent so much time waiting on this job, when I could have spend my time working for another company that was not going to fire me the first chance they got, and with my manager knowing I was in a situation with domestic violence. 


Job Responsibilities:
As a Produce Associate, my primary responsibilities revolve around maintaining the freshness and quality of the produce section. This includes restocking shelves, organizing displays, and ensuring that fruits and vegetables are properly rotated to minimize waste. I am also responsible for assisting customers in finding the produce they need, providing information about different products, and offering suggestions for meal planning.

Team Collaboration:
Working as part of the produce team has been a collaborative and rewarding experience. The team environment at Fresh Harvest Grocery promotes effective communication and mutual support. Whether it's coordinating restocking efforts or sharing knowledge about seasonal produce, the teamwork is integral to the success of the department.

Training and Development:
Fresh Harvest Grocery places a strong emphasis on employee training and development. I received thorough training on handling and caring for different types of produce, maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the department, and providing excellent customer service. The ongoing training opportunities have allowed me to enhance my skills and stay updated on industry best practices.

Work-Life Balance:
One of the notable aspects of working as a Produce Associate is the consistent work-life balance. The scheduling is flexible, and the management is considerate of personal commitments. This has contributed to a positive work environment, reducing stress and promoting overall job satisfaction.

Customer Interaction:
Interacting with customers is a significant aspect of the role, and it's something I find particularly enjoyable. Assisting customers with their inquiries, offering recommendations, and ensuring they have a positive shopping experience adds a fulfilling dimension to the job.

Feedback and Recognition:
Fresh Harvest Grocery values employee feedback and recognizes hard work. Regular performance evaluations provide an opportunity for constructive feedback, and the acknowledgment of a job well done is motivating. The company's recognition programs contribute to a positive and encouraging work culture.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, my experience as a Produce Associate at Fresh Harvest Grocery has been positive and fulfilling. The supportive team environment, training opportunities, and emphasis on work-life balance make this position enjoyable and rewarding. I am proud to be part of a company that values its employees and prioritizes both customer satisfaction and employee well-being.

I look forward to continuing my journey with Fresh Harvest Grocery and contributing to the success of the produce department.



If you are looking for short term work, Hannaford might be the place for you. On the surface it seems like a good place to be, but when you stay with the company longer you really begin to see it for what it is. The company provides a good culture for customers, but they do not care about employees. If you want to move up with this company you need to kiss the right person's butt. Hannaford does not value you as an individual, they only value those that are naive and become "yes men" going along with whatever the corporate spiel is. If you have an opinion of your own, it will be squashed and then you will be looked at as undesirable. The good news is it is hard to get fired at the company, but this also works against you if you are a good worker. Time and time again employees with horrible work ethic are allowed to skate by doing nothing and then all the employees doing their best are made to feel like they aren't doing enough. The company also does not operate efficiently and if you question things or offer suggestions they will not matter. The bottom line is if you are a hard worker, then you will have a bad experience at hannaford unless you kiss the right person's butt. If you are someone who wants to come in and just do your job to the best of your ability then you will be ostracized because you didn't kneel at the feet of those above you. 

Please head this warning and DON'T stay at the company more than 2 years maximum or you will begin to regret it. If you are someone who is all talk and no work however, you will fit in perfectly with the management team at Hannaford. Most managers do nothing and then wonder why things aren't getting done. I have been a manager previously and gave it up because if you are a good manager the company hounds you for more results. If you are a bad manager the company just lets you skate by with no recourse. 

I can't stress enough how bad of an experience you will have working at Hannaford long term. Some of the employees can make it a bit more enjoyable only in the sense that you know you are all getting screwed over together so there is camaraderie in that sense but this company has a long way to go before it can be recommended to anyone.

A typical shift as a night crew employee at hannaford consists of, 10pm, Moving u-boats in the backroom out onto the floor to make room to sort the product. Then we set up the backroom with empty u-boats to sort the freight into their respective aisles. This typically take an hour and a half. While the sort takes place we have other crew members work the frozen section. Once the sort is complete we wheel the boats out onto the floor to the aisles. People usually take their break once this happens around 12am. Then we all get to work the an aisle. We usually work the same aisles every night. taking break every 2 hours or so. Lunch is 30mins unpaid and two break paid. Once we complete one aisle we go to the next and so on until all the freight is on the self. We are required to dispose of cardboard and paper in the baler and retain our plastic until the end of the shift where it is sent back to distribution and recycled. 

Some associates are trained to use powerjacks and forklifts. We all must be trained to use the baler if 16+ years of age. The job can be tough in the beginning, but one gets used to the routine over time. For me the hardest part is working with some individuals that don't have a good work ethic and slack off. I think the best part of the job is that we can listen to our own music and work at self set pace. It is a solitary job for the most part. I really don't have a problem with the job per say, but I don't like the hours and scheduling, the  management can be frustrating and the pay could be better. If these issues were addressed and a compromise could be met, I may find the job more rewarding. Say, if I got paid a livable wage, I worked 1st or 2nd shift, and had a weekend, I would definitely say the job is worth it. But, because this is not so, I am choosing to move away from the company.

I feel like my work is unappreciated, and all my hard work goes unnoticed, firstly by the customers that shop there(they have no idea what it takes to make the store look perfectly stocked in a night, only to have it ruined and the cycle repeat every night), and secondly, by the management. We work harder than any of position at the store and are the least praised. We aren't allowed to get overtime either. As hannaford is a billion dollar cooperation, you'd think they a can afford to pay their employees a respectable wage and give thanks to their associates.

In the Customer Service Department of Hannaford Bro. Co. there is certainly no typical day at work. Everyday brings you some new challenge and something new to learn. While under employment with Hannaford Supermarkets you must learn to manage time, make sometimes difficult decisions, and make sure that the day and all transactions go as smoothly, and satisfactory to the customer as possible. 
While bookkeeping you must handle all the incoming monies that the store sees for the previous day and the week. All the information related to these monies must be processed and handled in an efficient and sensitive manner.
 When you are working as a Service Leader in the Customer Service Department your day encompasses a vast amount of duties. You must maintain the schedule for the day while carefully ensuring the customer flow through the store continues smoothly and efficiently. On top of these you must make sure all associates are adhering to standard procedure and are providing the best customer service possible. 
Management in both Hannaford Supermarkets I have worked for put a great deal of trust and depend greatly on the abilities of their bookkeepers and their Service Leaders to ensure the store is delivering the level of service customers have come to expect. The Customer Service Manager especially  depends and trusts the bookkeepers with the store's cash flow, including the management of and the recording of said cash flow. 
The hardest part of the job sometimes is making sure that the level of communication among all the employees is where it should be. With such a hectic and busy day often some information isn't passed along as properly as it should be. Thankfully, however, it is not a constant occurrence and happens most often when we are experiencing a higher volume of customers than anticipated.
The most enjoyable part of the day is seeing the associates you work with and along side learn something new, especially when it is something that you helped them with. It is extremely rewarding to see successful communication and interactions between customers and associates when you know you've played a part in helping develop the customer service skills that associate has.

- A typical day at work consisted of unloading pallets of freight from a drop trailer, sorting the freight onto carts which were then wheeled to the sales floor, worked to the shelves and backstocked if necessary which was followed by merchandising of the sales floor, a sweep of the sales floor and warehouse, warehouse organization, card-board bailing, emptying trash and recycling bins, ordering/order adjustments, office work and general management (making sure people were on task, ensuring jobs were being completed, ensuring breaks were taken, etc)
- In this job I learned not only my management skills but a new found respect for organization and time management.  Once I was in charge of other people I realized I had less time to do the work that I was required to do and learned how to delegate tasks in such a way that I could more easily complete the tasks I was required to complete as well as help where necessary.
- At times I had a lot of staff related issues but as time went on we were able to whittle our group down to five employees that were completely talented and capable of functioning with minimal direction.  A great example of this is that, in the past, we had an eight man team and actually completed less tasks then the team of five.  After eliminating four people and hiring on one new member for the crew we were able to function seamlessly.
- The hardest part of the job, albeit a required one, was having to talk to people when their productivity would dip.  We were all friends as well as co-workers.  The great thing about this setting, however, was that we all fully respected each other so often times telling someone that they needed to pick up their pace was a painless endeavor versus a tense argument.
- The most enjoyable part of the job was the company.  Towards the end of my time there we all worked as a well-ironed machine which made completing our job a relatively easy task to complete and an enjoyable one, at that, as we were all able to socialize while working at maximum efficency.  It was hard, fast paced work but wound up being fun in the end.

Decided to join Hannaford with multiple years of successful experience in grocery retail. Expected the job and career to go far but ended up being a waste of time. After awhile it got to the point where I never understood the point of my position. I was constantly being told what I was doing wrong from other people in the store that really should have been focusing on their own jobs and departments instead of worried how to do mine. Some of the managers were OK, but others always bragged about the store's accomplishments and forgetting the many associates who make it possible everyday. (You might get a $5 off coupon during the holidays as a "Thanks for all you do" gesture, how considerate).

Since my job was an overnight position, there was a very transient workforce of part-time and seasonal help. Very hard and frustrating to get decent help, as it wouldn't be unusual to train someone, just to have them quit one week later. Was also asked to be the receiver for a couple of months during the busy season, I wasn't notified until a few hours before. Really saved the day by being flexible, but again the effort was unappreciated. 

Productivity guidelines were realistic for stocking cases, but other tasks such as facing product in the aisles at the end of the night wasn't feasible for the time given at all. Deliveries would often show up unacceptably late from a distribution center that was only 50 minutes away, but still expected to get everything done on time. 

One thing about Hannaford is that it can vary from store to store. I just think I had bad luck from the get-go by joining the company at this particular location. Thankfully I've moved on to another grocery retailer and have been having much more success and far better compensation.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Deli associate 6 salaries reported	$20.15 per hour
Pharmacy technician 22 salaries reported	$20.29 per hour
Stocker 10 salaries reported	$1,550 per week
Bakery assistant 5 salaries reported	$21.40 per hour
Produce associate 2 salaries reported	$17.38 per hour

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