material handler

lumber associate

sales associate

customer service representative

truck driver

Home Hardware

In the morning when you start your shift, most people will arrive about fifteen minutes before shift starts. That gives you time to go back to your locker and get ready for the day. When you arrive on cash, you are expected to count your till, and be ready to start by the given time your shift begins. You serve customers with respect, and a huge smile on your face. At the end of the day, you cash out and count your till. Then you're on your merry way.
While working at Home Hardware, I learned that "The customer is always right, even though they might be wrong." This means, you always try to keep the customer happy at all times. I also learnt how to file invoices properly, and the process of a return and a special order. 
Overall, my management is pretty great. They all know how to have a good time, and they're not always serious. They are all pretty understanding when you need days off, or if you need something. However, everyone has their days and they're not always rainbows and sunshine. 
My co-workers are amazing. They're really friendly, and they always make you feel welcome. They are also really patient and will help you whenever you need it, no matter how long you've been there. I love working with the people I work with, and they will never fail to be there to lend a hand.
I find the hardest part of my job is having to take responsibility for everybody's mistakes. When something goes wrong in any department of the store, I find the customer always comes back to you because you're the last person they seen before they left the store. Also, learning the process of return, special orders, and customer service weren't overly hard, just intimidating with the amount of things you have to remember on a day to day basis. 
In my opinion the most enjoyable part of my job would definitely have to be the experience, working with the public, and the people I work with. On cash you get to serve many people of different countries, provinces, cities, religions and cultures. You get to actually communicate and talk with them for a little bit, and it's a great experience. Also, the staff I work with helps a lot. They try and make sure if you're having a bad day, that your bad day won't last for long. They're always there if you need a friend, or a cheering up.

Until aug -Sept 2016 while under corporate the local home hardware was a great place to work. Moral was high and we all worked towards a common goal.  When we achieved our targets we were rewarded with a small bonus. Being from a small community in southern nova scotia where unlike halifax there are not many job opportunities. There are jobs but home hardware was just a cut above the rest. Friendly employees,  great service and never a lack of customers supporting a local business. 
Fast forward to the changeover.  
As the changes were in progress, spirits of the employees were changing. We found that sometimes change was not for the better. Through tighter restrictions and micromanagement several employees have left.  Some sighting new job opportunities, others finding out what the future held working in the 2017 home hardware era.  And of course those who were flat out terminated. 
As customer service became less knowledge-based and some regular clients lefr, the owners decided to shake things up and fill the gaps with friends or hiring someone who they know won't speak their minds because if you were to mumble any discontent, you were met with harsh words ( in front of you and mostly behind your back) from top management.  
There are a few other choices for your hardware needs in the area and to be honest, if it was not for the employee discount (which has changed its restrictions under new ownership) i would have taken my business elsewhere. The majority of the overpriced items are available elsewhere.  
If you are planning on working for them please be aware that behind the fake smiles and everything rainbows and unicorns, the only thing the owners are concerned about is how much they can get out of you with minimum in return. Everything is done with their bottom line in mind. Dont expect a raise or bonus. You are just a number to them.

There was a scanner downstairs that made it super easy to clock in and out. We were expected to clock in only AFTER counting cash in the morning, and to clock out BEFORE counting cash in the evening. This meant that as a cashier, every day would have close to 30 minutes of unpaid work, depending on how quickly or slowly the process went that day. Every Friday also had 15-minute meetings before the day started that all employees were expected to attend (also unpaid of course).

When  they had you on the floor instead, you didn't have to worry about not being paid for your time (except on Fridays), but the work you would be doing was gruelling and very monotonous compared to cashier work. You push a cart around all day and put items on a shelf. That's it.

For a company that refused to pay you for a small part of your day in the morning and evening, they were also very stingy about breaks. This isn't a job where you'll be able to spend much time socializing, nor will there be any fun team-building activities or anything of the sort. You work down to the minute (even though you aren't paid to it). Little extras like that aren't required for a job, I know, but Home Hardware certainly isn't winning any bonus points in this department.

Workplace culture was fine as far as I could see, but there was that toxic "this job is like a second family to you" tagline that management liked to throw around. Coworkers were usually friendly, no problems there, but supervisors were quick to get mad over relatively small mistakes.

This was well and by far the most tedious, unrewarding job I have ever worked.

I rated this workplace a 3/5, the points given were mostly for the people around me. I loved most of my coworkers at Home Hardware. They were wonderful people with happy personalities, they really made the workplace a cheerful and great experience. Though, the management was not very professional, and the employees were sometimes asked to do things we did not deem safe. Overall, that was my ultimate reason for leaving. Along with that, I felt as though room for advancement was not very prosperous, and the environment was only alright (minus the employees, who again, were great!). The training you received varies on who was training you. Some people were properly trained, others complained that they did not know what they were doing due to lack of proper training and lack of help when they asked for it. The fact that the store was severely understaffed made this make more sense, but it is not okay to throw someone on till without training, or put them in a department without help first, nor to expect them to understand certain tasks if they are not shown. The salary was OK, and the benefits were great but only if you stayed there for quite a while (which I understand). Working full time left little room for a home life, but you were home every night as the store closed at 6, 9 on Thursdays, which was nice. It was definitely a great place to learn new things, as I was from a far different background than lumber and building supplies. Would I go back? No. Am I glad I worked there? Yes!

Working for an independent owner gave me the chance to think outside the box. It gave me the chance to learn what your staff and customers needed on a daily basis. Creating a positive culture was very important as the reward = long term employees. Staff enjoying there job and coming to work is a profitable solution for any business.

Being a hands on manager gave me the opportunity to learn about each staff member and help them grow with the company. Using people to there strength helps them to achieve there goals. Mentoring and coaching is a daily process to empower your staff is to trust in them as they would you.

Being able to be flexible with staff and getting them to buy into the reasoning of the day to day job requirements is a positive achievement. One that again = long term employment.

The best part of my job is people enjoying what they do, it sets the culture for the store. These people will come to work do there job be happy and show pride and accomplishment.The hardest part of the job would be those that don't want to be there or like there job. This creates a negative culture to those who don't want to be there. And unfortunately it can cause the complete structure to crumble if not handled properly.

In the end you can have many leaders in your business but you must have a cooperative TEAM to succeed.

As the warehouse manager my typical day included getting to work before anybody else to open, unlock the doors and gates, inspect and start all 3 delivery trucks and both forklifts.  I'd then go over the schedule for all outgoing delivery's for the day and ensure they have been picked and are ready to go.  Throughout the day I would ensure the safe unloading of all incoming delivery trucks, completion of all receipts using the online tools, preparation of upcoming delivery's for later in the day or later in the week, and overall safe operations of all warehouse activities.  I learned that the key to enjoying your job is to have a really good working relationship with your fellow co-workers.  If the camaraderie is good it makes the work day very enjoyable.  The management was really good, and very approachable, and my co-workers were very easy to work with.  The hardest part of my job was being understaffed.  As the warehouse manager, continually losing the few yard staff I did have to other priorities within the main store which, in the end, left me with no yard staff and lots of work to get done.  The most enjoyable part was definitely the people I worked with and the overall flow to working outside with the constant action of outgoing and incoming trucks.

A community in many ways, and a toxic high school culture in others... many of the employees were lovely to work with, however the owner was mostly absent and management were prone to toxic work behaviours (gossip, inability to make mistakes, resulting in scolding in front of customers, shaming when asking for assistance, etc). I enjoyed much of my time working in this store, however, as many of the customers were some of the sweetest on average that you will meet. I would have liked to learn more, and have more responsibility. During my interview I was told I would have a section to work on when cash got slow, and that other days I could be trained to work on customer service, the sales floor, or in paint. After over a year of only standing behind cash, I realised that they just had no intention of training me elsewhere. Sometimes the hardest part of the job was just having to stand there with nothing to do on a really boring day (so if you don't get figgitty it might be for you). Other difficult parts to pick up tend to be learning the register (very old) and learning how to close (paperwork). The most enjoyable part of the job is speaking with regulars and sweet customers, as well as interacting with many employees that do foster a welcoming work environment. Focus on the good stuff and just don't worry about the grouches! 

Wage is at minimum, with a raise every couple of years, maybe according to long time employees. Work and home balance are not considered. Staffing levels are far lower than they should be due to poor employee retention measures. In fact there aren’t any. People with years of service and experience are simply let go with no discussion about what the company can do to keep a valued employee. Computer programs are out of date and are often inaccurate regarding stock levels requiring a physical search for an item. On line systems are no better, with inaccurate counts again due to an antiquated system. The owner has not invested in current technology to keep pace with today’s sales demands, this makes the sales staff and indeed the company in general look like hey have no idea how to treat people or run a business. Safety concerns are brushed off with little to no regard to any provincial safety guidelines. Meetings are not to standard, fire equipment is out of date, safety measures for staff are woefully lacking and training is an afterthought. Concerns raised with management go unanswered for months on end. Bottom line is greed and profit. 

I started working last December and it was magnificent. It was very busy during December, I remember when I first started working it was very busy. Many people came for looking for gifts and for their personal use. It was great to learn about what certain hardware parts are used for and it was very interesting. It was a smaller store compared to other home hardwares which made it a lot easier for me to give better customer care. My typical work day was opening the store with another one of my co workers, bringing out certain products for outside store display, counting the cash in the tills before beginning the day (to make sure the cash matches last night cash count), kept myself busy even during times weren't busy such as moving products to the front, cleaning shelves, taking out old products and putting up new products, heavy lifting when delivery truck comes, etc. The management was great and we had a small staff. Including me and four other employees were the only actual employees. It was a very amazing experience with co workers and also having one on one communication with fellow customers. I loved the job!

Central Builders Home Supply was the worst job I have ever worked under. They give very little information about the job if you have never worked as an employee under their position, Answer Desk Clerk, and basically leave you to fend for yourself - the only time you are helped is when push comes to shove for customers asking for help. Learning as you go is not a bad conception when it isn't a fast-paced job, but Home Builders is a fast-paced job that provides very little security for its employee's. 
Pretty much everyone who works there is obnoxious and very pretentious - especially the managers. They may come off as friendly and helpful at first, but then their true side comes into light. I have never been in such a toxic workplace environment until this one. 
I do not suggest anyone to work here unless they have experience in plumbing, electrical, or very good experience in retail. Otherwise, they will have you let go because they will say, "you're not the right fit in retail, or possibly anywhere."
I wasted a good portion of my year working my behind off for this company; never again will I work for such a despicable company, or step inside the store for any particular reason.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Material handler 9 salaries reported	$24.84 per hour
Lumber associate 4 salaries reported	$20.75 per hour
Sales associate 5 salaries reported	$19.90 per hour
Customer service representative 2 salaries reported	$19.13 per hour
Truck driver 8 salaries reported	$105,000 per year

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