We’re still living in the age of the Big Box stores, but those behemoths are facing tough times, and sooner or later may be disappearing from the malls and intersections of America for a permanent home as online shopping destinations. We looked at five of the most popular big box stores in the industry – Best Buy, Kohl’s, Walmart, The Home Depot, and Costco – to see how their company cultures are faring as this major sea change continues to redefine the U.S. economy. Comparably’s employee-submitted ratings and reviews can tell us what their advertising never will: How is morale behind the scenes? How satisfied are the employees? Would you be happy working there while going to school?
OVERALL CULTURE
First little gold trophy goes to Costco, where the culture was rated with a collective A+by its employees. Second place goes to The Home Depot, who also have a fine reputation in terms of culture. Kohl’s and Best Buy were neck-and-neck for third place, and Walmart landed in the caboose position with a flat C.
Best Buy: “Everyone is willing to learn and teach. We have a big focus on being human, and that carries over to the work environment.”
Costco: “I really believe in what our company does and feel great about being a representative of those values. I also just like the standards I hold myself to at work. I honestly do the best I can to take care of people. The values I carry at work are the ones I value most in life.”
The Home Depot: “I have fillled many roles and I enjoyed them all. The company has a clear vision and a great overall culture.”
Kohl’s: “They truly do care for their employees. How many businesses do you know that treat their employees to lunch, slushees, cupcakes, cook offs, and contests randomly all year long and celebrate all holidays with small tokens of appreciation for each employee?”
Walmart: “The feeling of mutual respect for each other is quite different than anyplace I’ve worked before.”
CEO & LEADERSHIP
Costco’s Walter Jellinek was the most popular CEO of the five we looked at, with a score more than 10 points ahead of runners-up Hubert Joly (Best Buy) and Craig Menear (The Home Depot.) Kohl’s Michelle Gass was about ten points behind those two and about that many points ahead of Doug McMillon, Walmart’s CEO and our last place finisher for this round.
Best Buy: “What I like best about the leadership team is although they follow strict guidelines they always incorporate fun in the workplace.”
Costco: “The employees think very highly of the CEO. There is an excellent open door policy. Any employee can contact him at any time.”
The Home Depot: “Menear is someone who wants to make the Home Depot the best hardware store in the world.”
Kohl’s: “The higher ups need to treat the managers better. It’s like the higher ups never actu*(ally worked the floor by the impossiable demands they make.”
Walmart: “Our management has an open door policy. We can talk to any upper management about any issues and there is no retaliation.”
COMPENSATION
It’s Costco again with a sterling A+ for their Compensation package. Home Depot again places are runner-up, but lags almost 20 points behind Costco in this category. With nearly matching C scores, Kohl’s and Walmart hold down last place.
Best Buy: “I get paid a lot more than other companies offer for the same type of job.”
Costco: “It’s extremely fair and the best I’ve ever been offered.”
The Home Depot: “Commissioned salespeople should be paid a base salary, or at least given a draw for the first 6 months to a year. It would reduce turnover!”
Kohl’s: “The work is tedious, given the need to push credit card offers on every customer. Yet, despite being expected to learn specific legal terminology and use sensitive customer data routinely the pay is minimal.”
Walmart: “Pay is based on hours with no reflection on quality of work or previous experience.”
PERKS & BENEFITS
Costco wins again, and the other big box stores are getting nervous. With an A-, Costco takes the trophy for their perks & benefits offered. The rest of our stores offered little resistance, with Best Buy and Home Depot both granted Cs and Kohl’s and Walmart hanging back with D+ scores from their employees.
Best Buy: “Recently they added a benefit of child daycare to help you so that you don’t have to call out of work due to childcare.”
Costco: “Company match for 401K. Outstanding network for outside resources such as counseling, finding daycare, legal, in home care to name just a few.”
The Home Depot: “Life, health, dental and they have the Homer fund that helps associates that need financial assistance.”
Kohl’s: “On site medical clinic and very affordable dental, vision and health care plans even for part time employees.”
Walmart: “The most unique thing I can think of is that if you’re a forward person who is not afraid to speak up, Walmart offers amazing flexibility. You can move up, down, change shift, show up later, come in earlier, take a lunch when you want to, get help from other employees and learn new things.”
DIVERSITY
Okay, Costco, we get it: your employees love you. Another category, another trophy for the 770-store b Costco, this time for Diversity, which tracks ratings by employees of color. The Home Depot again proves it might have won any other competition with another b showing in 2nd. Respectable scores for Best Buy and Kohl’s in third and fourth, and a not-terrible C+ for last-place Walmart.
Best Buy: “It is all-inclusive and diverse.”
Costco: “There’s a good mix of backgrounds with plenty of stories to share.”
The Home Depot: “In some cities, very little diversity.”
Kohl’s: “There is no discrimination. One big happy family.”
Walmart: “I appreciate the diversity.”
OUTLOOK
Best Buy: “I think the connected home department is really going to take off soon.”
Costco: “I have worked here for 8 years, since I was 18. It’s the only company I want to work for. I have moved up to supervisor and am very happy with the work I do. I feel like there is no limit to where I will move up in the company.”
The Home Depot: “Home Depot will do well, but if Home Depot want to be GREAT they have to diversify their talent pool”
Kohl’s: “I moved up relatively fast in this company and enjoy teaching new hires the ropes and watching them grow with the team.”
Walmart: “I work for a multi billion dollar company that will be here for a long time.”
With one final A+ for Outlook, Costco wins the whole thing in a clean sweep. The other four stores behave as they have all competition long, with Home Depot coming in for a solid 2nd, Best Buy and Kohl’s fighting over scraps at third, and Walmart dead last.
