warehouse associate

directeur de magasin

chargé de recherches

assembler

adjoint de quart

DAVIDsTEA

I was hired as a manager for this company when it was a fairly new company, and felt like I was in a fantasy world. I couldn't believe I was going to be a part of something SO magical. To me, it felt like pure and utter MAGIC. I opened my store and felt fireworks exploding in my world. At a conference, David created a standing ovation for me - as I'd had the most successful store opening in the history of the company.

When my store opened, my staff had been hired previously. Therefore, I had no say in my staff. The issues with hiring and staffing persisted for the length of my stay with the company... I was given far too many amazing staff members who all wanted to work, but was given no hours to share with them. I had staff who worked 3-8 hours each week, because my hands were tied. And about 15 staff. My staff was infuriated with me, because I was the one to bear the weight of their displeasure. Even though I had a solid 2-dozen staff who would have KILLED for hours; the company still made me hire seasonal staff to the discontent of my solid crew. The company itself seemed to boast so many perks, but because my staff was working so few hours, their unhappiness outweighed many of the positives of this workplace. Because of working so few hours, training was almost impossible for them. Often, I found that new Tea Guides would be in "learning" mode for months... Never quite grasping product knowledge - because they simply couldn't get exposure. Which was NOT their fault, NOR was it mine.

I'm not sure from a "Tea Guide"'s point of view, but from mine, there was a lot of frustration and confusion from a human resources perspective. The district manager I had seemed so warm on the outside, but much like the company, was completely chaotic on the inside. Visits from this individual left me feeling sick and panicked; and this individual would ream me out in the middle of our store to the curious eyes of customers and staff. I was constantly belittled. After feeling this way, I had gone to our Human Resources department to report my frustrations in dealing with said person. Rather than working on a solution and coming to an agreement, they breached confidentiality behind my back, telling my district manager what I'd said. In a week's time, I was fired - accused of discount sharing - something I'd never done. 

The main issues with this company stem from above - from Head Office - in which there were too many close relationships to create a neutral work environment for those below them on the pyramid. Something I came to discover much too late in the game. 

So for those who've read this far and are curious:
- For Tea Guides, in interviews, you will likely be promised unlikely hours. For your sanity and financial stability, I caution you to tread lightly or to get what they're promising you in writing. My staff couldn't afford to live. You will however enjoy the free tea on shift, the 50% discount and talking about tea all day. The best part of the job.

- For those thinking about applying for Management positions, you will have a hard time pleasing your staff because of unhealthy demands from your higher-ups. Therefore, you'll find it nearly impossible to create a healthy happy work attitude. You will find that you lack some training (particularly when it comes to administration - inventory specifically). You will, however, enjoy the benefits, the pay and the tea :)

I had wished with all my heart that I could have flourished with this company. I wasn't given opportunities to improve; and was not given support systems that I needed. These are things you should inevitably think through before committing yourself to a fantasy world, like I did.

I was hired on as a Key Holder right before the Christmas rush. Initially I was extremely excited to work with this company because it seemed so positive and upbeat. I learned a lot about teas and how they're made, and the customers were extremely pleasant compared to my past two years of experience at Starbucks. 

But it went downhill fast. I quickly realized that there was no in-store training. I was placed on the floor with the expectation to use my online training right away, without being able to see or practice it in the store. 
The company seemed to evolve from a welcoming and positive environment to a pushy and sales-driven organization. Customers were constantly annoyed by these tactics they had us use, and it made the experience that much more negative. They had one tactic where you were told to "multi-serve". This basically means to try and serve as many customers at once; which left many feeling ignored or forgotten about.
The management was extremely disorganized; I was taught all my responsibilities quickly in between the rushes of customers and the multiple cleaning and store maintenance tasks that had to be completed throughout the day. This made it extremely difficult to fully understand what was going on, and I constantly found myself confused and flustered because of this.  
Most of the other staff members were extremely unfriendly and unhelpful when I had questions. It made for a very tense and uncomfortable work environment. (There were some helpful staff members, but they were few and far between) This may have been due to the fact that we were constantly understaffed, and there were many new seasonal staff members that were also learning their roles. 
My first shift alone as the supervisor was a closing shift, and I also had the responsibility of changing the merchandise and signage that night. I had never done this before, so they paired me with a seasonal team member who also had know idea what to do. I was given a quick run through earlier, but none of the other management team members were willing to stick around to help out. We were so understaffed that evening, and that made for one heck of a night. 
The irresponsibility and disregard in this workplace was so astounding to me. I have had many different experiences in many different workplaces and this one was by far the worst. I would never recommend this job to anyone!

I was so excited to begin working at DAVIDsTEA because they seemed so fun, and I had worked at one of the highest performing stores in the area! (At least they said...) I was so happy to learn that I got the job that I shed tears.

I'm just going to say it bluntly. As a seasonal worker, THEY WILL treat you like trash. Managers and permanent employees alike. I don't know if it's because of the decline in the company (they're not doing too good) but expect to work the stress and pressure of a commission wage while being actually paid a fixed hourly wage just twenty five cents over the provincial minimum. The company is in a serious rut and it shows, and the last thing you want to do is throw yourself into the centre of it. 

The online training doesn't matter, so just throw it out of the window now. You won't use it.
During my miserable time working there, I played the part of the most polite, respectful employee that I could, but no matter what, DESPITE being told in my interview that "employees and managers share the work equally"I was always being used to do the awful cleaning work and sampling that the permanent employees didn't want to do. 
If on the outside. DAVIDsTEA seems like a fun, hip place with employees who enjoy their job, then good. The facade is working, because we are forced to act SO MUCH unlike who we really are to get you to buy so that we could meet our ridiculously-high, rarely achieved sales goals. And it varies so much per day it's insane. 
An employee is supposed to sample a maximum of 3 times a day. Sampling is when you stand outside of the store, extremely uncomfortably might I add if you're new, and call out to people to try tea. It hurts your back and your ego and yet, I was sent to sample 5, 6 SEVEN times (trays) a day to carry the load of the experienced employees who didn't want to do the gritty part of their job. Yeah no, that's not why I exist nor why I came here. Don't even get me started on employees going nuts on you about "staying in your zone"...
It truly sucks, because once there's a rush period you don't know what to do because your only experience at DAVIDsTEA is from not actually working inside the store, therefore you inconvenience everyone... Oh yeah. Expect to be given 3 hours a week and then be told it's based on your "performance". Scheduling is beyond inconsiderate.

There's a lot more I have to say, but I'll leave it here. I'm writing this review so that a potential new tea guide can take it to heart and not make this same mistake I did of working here. You are worth more than this. 25 cents extra is not the cost it takes to make me stay in workplace so toxic.

There are many reasons why I wouldn't recommend you to work at David's Tea. Here are a few!

1. My Manager was rude, unhelpful, and disrespectful.
She was obviously somebody who isn't happy with her life and has a good time taking it out on her workers.
They had over hired at my location this year, which is nobody's fault but the managers, and were unable to give most seasonal positions a good amount of hours.
I personally, was booked for 3 shifts total in the whole month of November, and they were about 4 hour shifts. TOTAL 12 hours a MONTH.
This is unacceptable EVEN for a seasonal position, and I specifically was being treated very unfairly seeing that some other seasonal positions were getting up to 4 shifts a WEEK, being longer shifts.

2. It was obvious that the manager had a personal thing against me, considering I complained about the amount of hours I was getting. It is my right as a worker to ask for more hours and state how I am being treated unfairly. The manager did NOT accommodate my request of more hours, and was rude in the way she responded.

3. When I started, I had many questions and was only able to contact the manager over email, where she was very unhelpful and rude when I was entering my availability wrong. There was no step by step in detail process that she sent me showing me to do anything the RIGHT way. "You need to enter your availability, not the days you CANT work"
As somebody who has never used Dayforce before, I didn't know how it worked. Being at least helpful would have been nice.

4. If you feel like sampling for 2-3.5 hours of your 4 hour shift, then this is a great position for you. Being ignored by people in a mall when you offer a free sample to them is so much fun and makes me want to go to that job every day.
The managers expect you to know more about their brand and their teas, even though they don't give you the opportunity to learn about them. This is what I mean:
If you are a hands on learner, actually picking up the tins and reading, explaining and letting the customers smell them will help you learn best.
In order to sell their products effectively as a seasonal position, you have to know how. Being placed on the sampling station for half - almost your entire shift won't let you learn about anything except for the samples.

I didn't work at David's Tea for long, but dreaded every shift I was scheduled for.
I am usually a happy bubbly coworker and I love working in retail, but this experience was less than fun for me.

I hope this helps anybody who wants to work for this company :)

The average day at Davids Tea, Consists of three parts. The first of these is Opening. We start brewing our Teas of the Day for sampling throughout the day. Afterwards I plan out how the day will go by looking at our metrics from last week, this week so far and what other relevant information I have (Such as Holidays, Weather, Scheduling, Etc.) After this, making sure the tills are balanced and the store is in order I open to the public.

Throughout the day I ensure that staff are properly supported and that customers get the whole Davids Tea experience. We actively drive traffic through sampling and local awareness, promote the brand through showing as many Teas as customers will allow us and prepare drinks to go in a timely fashion. We also receive shipments, manage constantly fluctuating inventory, all the while maintaining a spotless and hygienic environment.

Management always has a constant line of communication with staff and provides instant feedback when able to help develop team members. We use a mixture of role playing, two way feedback and traditional coaching to meet areas of opportunity head on.

Due to the company culture and support from management, the in store environment is almost always upbeat and cheerful. Which is amazing to work in and helps us keep the Motto of Davids Tea, which is "Keeping Tea fun and Easy to do."

The hardest part of the job is ensuring every single customer gets the full experience during a Drink Rush. Davids Tea offers drinks, so that people may try our goods before taking them home. One of the challenges of the Brand is not to be viewed by the public as a Starbucks, which is a misconception as we are much more focused on retail and providing people the ability to make tea at home as opposed to going up against the To Go Beverage Industry.

The most enjoyable part of the job is the people. We are a down to earth Tea Company that is all about its people. I am happiest when I can teach and share knowledge and ideas with others, developmental and customer service focus of Davids Tea is really a treat to work in.

I worked at DAVIDsTEA for nearly a year at the third highest volume location store in the entire company. I absolutely loved the product, the company, the vision, and the culture. It was often an excellent conversation point in day to day life. I will tell you some simple facts in this review.

I adored my co workers, in fact, I had trained most of my staff personally and had very close bonds with them. I grew to know their life and dreams and coached them to push past their insecurities and exceed their previous expectations. Watching them grow was one of the most distinct pleasures of my working history. 

I learned some incredible skills working here, I credit this company for developing my leadership skills, problem solving, and time management much further than I thought possible.

However, you don't quit this job. You quit the manager. Our district manager terrified our staff and even when my co workers were on their best behavior, the DM often left our staff stressed. Our store manager was frequently absent and unprofessional. The SM unloaded an incredible amount of responsibility onto the staff while barely being present. Even when the staff was on absolute best behavior, the SM negatively criticized each staff member's performance. The SM also left early almost every shift, leaving our staff feeling very without direction. 

I do not regret my time at DAVIDsTEA but the incredible amount of barriers I encountered when I attempted to give feedback to my management is indicative of some pretty severe communication gaps. 

If this is your first job and you don't care about advancement, I would recommend working here. The benefits are low and the management is very resistant to feedback but you will learn and be pushed further than you believe you are capable.

*Written in reference to a former location now closed. Experience could be different post pandemic*

Started out as a Tea Guide and left after 3 years, ending as an Assistant Manager. Had an AMAZING team of hardworking and fun people. The company gives you lots of product knowledge via training and on packaging. Expectations set at the very beginning to keep the store clean, stocked and inviting - everyone shares these expectations and works towards them (managers and part time staff alike). You clean EVERYTHING each and every day (even before Covid), so the store is a great place to be for staff and customers. Sales goals are set, but achieved together - sales will come naturally by learning about the products and trying to serve with honesty and integrity. Depending on location, the job can be fast paced or slow, but there is always something to do or a cup of tea to enjoy. Majority of customers are a pleasure to serve . The company gives employees (no matter what level) the ability to solve problems and fix a situation without needing a manager.
Quality of experience will depend on location and of course the effort you put in. If you don't enjoy tea, socializing, learning, cleaning or keeping busy, you would be better suited elsewhere. It does require taking the time to try the product, do some research, read the labels, and take initiative to ask questions. If you try and have a good attitude, you will enjoy your time and the staff you're with. Had my location stayed open, I would have stayed on as an employee.

Downfalls: lack of hours for anyone under management, miscommunication from corporate, fluctuation in product quality, difficult to get & expensive benefits, mismanagement by corporate, lack of locations due to restructuring during pandemic, the way staff were kept in the dark about the store closures, etc.

I was hired to be a seasonal tea guide and I loved every single shift. Not only are the staff extremely supportive and kind, but so are a majority of their costumers. We maybe got 1 or 2 cranky or overwhelmed costumers but they weren't awful. 

You learn lots about the different types of tea and the products (which are super cool). I also learned that DavidsTea is very pun-friendly (you will learn this when you start training) and they definitely encourage it! 

The manager was really awesome and understanding. Unfortunately they over hired staff due to thinking there would be more business, so there was some issues with scheduling and shifts that I had, but I don't think this effects the rest of the year. 

There was never a shift where I come in in a bad mood and was still in a bad mood after work. The atmosphere is so positive and welcoming. It's very organized and they place everything perfectly so that it doesn't look messy and items are easy to grab. They do not hire on looks, just attitude. I had no experience with any of their tea or products before I was hired and they were 100% okay with that fact. 

Hardest part of the job was remembering tea names and what their ingredients are, as well as how their items functioned. It's not a must that you know everything about their products before you start working there, but it does definitely help and will make your life easier. Don't stress about this too much, the staff is there to help you whenever they can. It's better to ask questions, instead of guessing and being wrong. 

There were so many things that were enjoyable about the job. The location that I was at was so amazing to work at. Unfortunately this is not the case for all of the stores but I do encourage you to apply and try it out!

Honestly, everything seemed fine for the first few weeks and I enjoyed my new job. Then I started hearing horrible stories but decided that they had nothing to do with me. Until I realized management truly is horrible, has completely unrealistic expectations as to what an employee should do, and are just generally cold people. This company is obsessed with metrics and the epitome of micro, terrible, and insecure management (the company is not doing well). There's backstabbing and upper management does NOT have yours or your managers' backs. They will literally drive employees insane/too stressed/paranoid and force them to leave. Then talk badly about their ex- or current employees to each other and think word doesn't travel. But the icing on the cake is, even if they knew they wouldn't care.

The micromanaging is so severe they will literally outline each phrase you should say in each instance/customer interaction. They'll consider it training (at first it was nice) until you realize they will come up to you and ask you to say it word for word at each interaction. You'll get to interact with several managers and at some point you'll start to wonder if they're all clones of each other (some of them are chill, but there are these ones that are just....beyond).

Great place to learn about teas, but then you figure out almost every drink has flavouring so it kind of takes any integrity out of the company. 

Truly a marketing hoax. They capitalize on trends, great packaging, and positioned marketing. Usually that should be ok if the product they are selling is good. But it's not, the quality is appalling and their margins are insane. Cute designs though, I have to give them that.

I worked at DavidsTea as a seasonal tea guide and all was going well through the training. 1 month passes and I'm starting to get bad vibes. Boy... was I right.

The manager was newly hired, and she also decided to hire some chick because they are "best friends". She didn't interview her and gave her an advancement to being a supervisor right away. 

There were multiple times where the two of them would be working together and take a "break" then show up an hour later. We were aloud 30 mins. On black Friday, the two of them left at least 3 times to go shopping when the store was absolutely crammed with people. 

The supervisor is snappy and even yelled at me in front of a customer and was talking to me like I was stupid by saying things like "you heard what I said, now answer the question" and "its really not that hard" *que eye roll* 

I recieved the majority of my shifts by covering them or taking them when employees needed them covered.  I was told part time but was only getting MAYBE 10hrs for two weeks. I was told repeatedly that I would be given more shifts, but they kept decreasing. That's what happens when you hire 20 people for the one store.

The management is terrible and the staff is a huge clique. I'm sure they've changed managers since then because they're always hiring which I find ironic. If you're wanting a happy, lively, and fun work environment, apply somewhere else. This place was terrible for my mental health. 

I will never recommend this place.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Warehouse associate 5 salaries reported	$16.50 per hour
Directeur de magasin 3 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Chargé de recherches 4 salaries reported	$17.50 per hour
Assembler 1 salary reported	$17.50 per hour
Adjoint de quart 1 salary reported	$19.00 per hour

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