Unbelievably Poor Management With Such Great Potential - Business Manager bareMinerals Employee Review

Sales goals are arbitrary and generally designed so that they cannot be met. In department stores, sales goals are not in sync between BE and the store; BE goals are often much higher than the store goals. Department store inventory is aligned with store goals and not BE goals, making BE goals impossible to achieve. Since BE sales goals cannot be achieved, BE doesn't have to pay any bonuses. BE employees do not receive commissions on sales and the bonus program is kept out of reach by assigning arbitrary goals rather than same store increase (percent over LY). Wages are depressed even for the best salespersons, and without motivating goals. Management policies are inconsistent; changing frequently without logic or reason. It's like working for an "experimental" company. Upper management cannot decide on policy and direction, so they just keep experimenting. Availability policy is inconsistent with attracting motivated people. Example: If a sales associate wants to go to beauty school to improve his/her skills and knowledge, the reward will be intense pressure to keep full open availability or lose hours. The same goes for second jobs. BE expects a person to dedicate a 24/7 life to a job that promises no hours, but might provide 12-24 hours per week, maybe. The word "Manager" should not be applied to the Business Managers. They are micromanaged to such a degree that even the most miniscule decision requires checking with the District Manager. I have been tempted to call my DM and ask if I can go to the bathroom. Personal time doesn't exist in this company. Be prepared to beg for time off to go to a family funeral or to make even a minor change in your schedule. Even then your District Manager will give you a guilt trip. Don't even think about taking two days off in a row or having the same days off each week. You are expected to have a full rotating schedule with split days off. Sales associates who are scheduled for 20 hours or more are expected to work AT LEAST 5 days per week. This provides an effective block against school, family, or additional employment. Business Manager paperwork requirements in department stores are numerous, time-consuming, and duplicitous. Instead of emphasizing sales efforts and hands-on training, they emphasize talking about sales and writing reports about sales. They are attempting to manage by email, statistical reports, and telephone conference calls. Business Managers can expect to be criticized publicly in group conference calls with other Business Managers and your District Manager. This company does not believe in face-to-face management. In 2009 they withdrew health insurance from all full time employees except for managers, and they dropped this bombshell in a conference call. The wage structure is below average for the industry. Many people have skin allergies to BE products, expecially those products that have bismuth as an ingredient. Although bismuth is the least toxic of all heavy metals, it is still a heavy metal and irritates the skin on many people.