Pros
Great salary and salary progression especially if you are on an old contract like me and this is the main reason why I have not resigned yet. I still have bonus in my contract while new store managers do not. It is hard to find a company that pays as much as Aldi for a Store Manager nowadays. The colleagues in store are hard working, good teamwork and collaboration. We are all on the same boat.
Kontras
Where should I start? From Area Manager and above it is a very toxic environment. As a Store Manager you have so much pressure from above even if you are already working like a donkey daily. It is all about KPIs. No care about people. Area managers do not care how you achieve KPIs, you just have to achieve them in any possible way. You have to put yourself in grey areas to achieve them because they are so challenging and unrealistic. If you achieve them, the Area Manager is ok. If you do not, the intimidation and bullying behaviours start. They basically push you to even not follow the company policies to achieve them. But if an external audit comes well then they throw you under the bus pretending they do not know anything and sack you. I personally know 4 Store Managers that have been sacked or ill this year for stress or depression or bullying behaviour by their boss. It is just ridiculous.