material handler

farm intern

seasonal associate

grounds crew

supply chain specialist

W. Atlee Burpee Company

My experience at Burpee was not positive. I voluntarily left in April 2024 because during the previous five months, I had been working in crisis mode: constantly putting out fires, doing urgent busywork that consumed all my energy and made it impossible to work on my important goals. I had no work-life balance and felt greatly unsupported and patronized by my supervisor.

Burpee has a lot of manual processes; departments often work in silos; and their data isn't stored very well, so it's important to have patience when making requests of other teams, and be willing to accept "very good" instead "excellent" and "perfect," for the time being. It's very easy to get frustrated here.

Fortunately, Burpee has taken steps towards positive change: they have brought in senior leaders with successful track records at Fortune 500 companies; they have brought in a new human resources vice president who exudes an aura of positivity, beams with optimism and openness, and seems willing to do the laborious, often upsetting work Burpee needs in order to effect positive change; and Burpee has formed the BEET (Burpee Employee Engagement Team) to coordinate events intended to let employees let their hair down a bit.

Whether Burpee succeeds in becoming a great place to work depends on the ability of the senior leadership to foster an environment of psychological safety, promote a culture of interdepartmental collaboration, and automate tedious processes.

As I told the VP of HR in my exit interview, Burpee is not a great place to work right now; but it's taken some steps that - if senior leadership is truly committed - can make it a great place to work three to five years from now. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The company didn't hold it against you if you spent a few minutes in the bathroom to destress. I think they understood I was a temp and the only person who survived my training without bailing mid-way through, so they kind of let me have that peace xD I'm not even kidding--I really appreciate how flexible they were. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It was the call volumes, and the fact that this job was only seasonal. 
:( I wish I wasn't on a timer to find something permanent but they were an okay place-holder, a source of decent income while I found something I could do all year round. But in the dead of gardening season--it was CONSTANT calls :( 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Honestly? Everyone was pretty chill. There's only a few people who stay year round, so the rest of us kind of went in knowing it wasn't going to be long term. I kind of just went in, did my job and left. :) They were all pretty polite though. I definitely recommend this for anyone who just wants to get into the call center field. It's a decent start and it shows you all sides of customer serivce and without the work drama. I also really liked helping the cute elderly clients who needed call backs for the out of stock seeds <3 sweeties, all of 'em. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I went in, 
Took like 50 calls or more, and then went home :) 

There would be breaks in the bathroom when it was particularly stressful. One of the reps was broken down by a rude customer, but the management team was VERY good about it. They offered her time to collect herself and told her she could leave early if she needed <3 super nice team I gotta say.

Cons
- If you are a lower-level (full time) employee your work and efforts are hardly appreciated and management will use you as a scapegoat for their shortcomings.
- By the time benefits were deducted from my pay I was only making 20 dollars more per pay check than I did in a seasonal position for triple the responsibilities. - There are often times you work unpaid before your clock in time and after.
- The procedures change so frequently and are not formally updated with their staff across departments creating tension between who is right and who is wrong.
- Labor is stretched thin during peak season and the workload is often unmanageable for one person.
- Your workday can vary and change between one break to the next and oftentimes you will not be aware resulting in uncleaned workstations and misplaced belongings or equipment.

Pros
- One of the more enjoyable parts is the team you work with. Individually you will work with some great and diverse people (both full time and seasonally).
- The close knit culture is great for those looking for an inclusive environment.
- You will learn something new everyday

Ultimately I departed because the workload and mental strain did not equal out with the pay and treatment from management figures.

As a order picker or packer, the entire shift is spent on your feet. I liken it to being paid to workout instead of you paying for the use of a gym. You are constantly reaching, picking up and moving items of various weights. I am proud to say I lost weight over the 3 months I was in this position. 

As a Burpee employee, I was paid a little more than the temp agency employees there, however they were eligible for a monthly attendance bonus of $160 and I was not. Burpee seasonal employees are eligible for a seasonal bonus, but from what I've heard it is not equivalent to getting an attendance bonus for 3 months so overall I feel that a direct employee is under-compensated.

I really enjoyed working 2nd shift for the month it was offered. I learned a lot about shipping live plants and one of the perks was that we were offered free plants before they were thrown out. Employees, including the temps, are also given an employee discount on plants when they order. The seasonal position is great for a fit retiree or anyone who has another source of income.

The job culture is terrible . Poor management , the work is very easy keeps you busy the entire shift but can be tiring standing for long hours doing the same thing over and over . Every Monday they bring in about 10 - 15 new hires , the next day only 5 Max out of the 10-15 return . I started with12 people started an only three of returned the next work day . Overall the job just needs structure an to treat there employees like they’re humans. When I first started they had us doing something similar to putting eggs in a egg carton the entire shift ( instead of eggs we did seeds ) but literally you would fill the empty carton with about 12 seeds then just keep doing that over an over until you clocked out , so the work wasn’t bad at all but that’s just one part others were doing other things such as one person just applying a piece of tape to close a box so the work is relatively easy just tiring 

What is the best part of working at the company?
They have good schedules, the labor team mates

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management is ridiculous, they only promote white people, they talk about communication and how it’s so important but they barely communicate because they feel more important than others

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
They preach they want a environment where we are a “team” but really they only cara about making they money, cutting costs and don’t care about he employees.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
First days were nice, after the month I started noticing how unprofessional, uncaring people where.

While I worked at the trial farm, I loved it! Great people, awesome management, a real family away from family! The office is a little different though. I Worked a temp job in the office during the winter, and the temps were treated horribly. I felt like I couldn't go to the bathroom or go get a drink without being judged. The phones rang non-stop and I didn't get breaks like I should have because I couldn't get off the phones. Most of the customer service reps had limited experience with plants. I went to college for plant sciences, so I was ok, but it was weird having people ask me basic questions that were covered in training or asking me questions like I was an expert.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Job satisfaction and management support.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Bad weather conditions that delay, and shorten  the growing season.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The company is committed to excellence; starting with the products it brings to the marketplace; and the team of people it provides to service it's customers.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
At 76 years old, a typical day working for W. Atlee Burpee is pure-joy!

What is the best part of working at the company?
Brand new to this industry as a merchandiser, but so far they’re great

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Assignments being assigned to you and then the retailer decides they don’t want the product or shipping problems

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
They have great managers and just great team effort

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Receiving information setting up planograms conducting audit, meaning making sure all the seeds that have been ordered by the retailer or vendor is correct

What is the best part of working at the company?
Flexibility of schedule. Enjoy the work servicing the stores.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
No stress compared to other jobs.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Casual, professional and friendly

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Territory manager servicing accounts in area. Scheduling areas to cover for the week, setting up displays, replenishing stock, straightening display to provide order for shoppers,  taking pics and sending info to management on work in field. Boots on ground for sales.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Material handler 1 salary reported	$16.00 per hour
Farm intern 2 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Seasonal associate 3 salaries reported	$15.00 per hour
Grounds crew 2 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Supply chain specialist 2 salaries reported	$78,319 per year

Working at W. Atlee Burpee Company: Company Overview and Reviews

W. Atlee Burpee Company

W. Atlee Burpee Company Ratings

Popular jobs at W. Atlee Burpee Company

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected