Build-A-Bear Workshop Employee Reviews

The actual workshop vibe is amazing. Just serving and helping kids is amazing. But the corporate blunders back to back with such rapid frequency really makes the ship feel like it's poised to sink. Resting on COVID sales and putting out greedy hikes and promos do not pass the vibe check at all.

I love my coworkers and I have lots fun stuffing the bears, but the pay is too low and I feel like management hasn't been very understanding about my disability so I feel guilty asking for accommodations.

It's alright just the pay isn't well

Monthly bonuses and discounts on in store and online goods

My diector supervisor is a bully and lies to me about company rules. She plays favorites denying me requested time off weeks in advance for women she is friends with. She continues to give me 3-31/2 hrs a week only on Saturdays when i have given 5 days of availability. She has been openly rude to me

My direct manager is the best manager I've ever worked with. He feels more like a close friend than a boss

Wonderful team to work with

They are very professional and easy going

The communication to bear builders

They really care about the company and the people.

Getting in touch with consumers and inviting honest communication instead of rewarding people for buying into the kool-aid to enter the bubble. The movie was one of the dumbest ideas of all time. The price hikes in a recession is out of touch. The old school micro managing is backwards.

Treating us like human beings. Maybe try threatening us less and being a kind. They could also get better at hiring people that actually do work.

Communicating with one another, handling disagreements within the store

Taking accountability for their actions and holding proper HR investigations

Trsining and putting what matters most first

The bonus because that's what pays my rent..

There are good bonus opportunities and benefits.

Affordability and choice of benefits packages.

Review from Sales Dept

The paid time off policy is very generous.

The option for medical covergae

Review from Sales Dept

The issue is that lack of autonomy makes every position worth about minimum wage. It also invites hiring the lowest quality people because that's what their skills are usually worth. So being an employee who works and has a functioning brain feels punishing as if the company wants them to leave.

I feel completely undervalued as an employee. Management and others do not talk to me unless to harass and make me feel incompetent. I have tried to discuss this with her, but she does not acknowledge my concerns.

Currently a manager talked to other stores in mall they make almost $10 hour more than me as an out of high school candidate than I do with multiple degrees and years of experience when asking for a raise im told I already make too much when they hire on new employees for more

More money. But even if just the sales associates and assistant managers got paid more, I'd be happier, because then we'd be able to retain people. When people stop showing up or quit because they got a better paying job, its the managers who are forced to work overtime to keep the store operating

Getting paid to match my responsibility

I'm friends with my coworkers. They're the only good things getting me through this job. That and maybe SOME pleasant customer experiences

I love everyone I personally work with, it feels like I go to work with a group of friends instead of coworkers.

My workshop team is full of go-getters, inclusive and cheerful people. Most of them are easily coachable and work together perfectly whenever motivation is high.

Fantastic attitude, smiles and desire to be actual friends, not just punch a clock. That said, that historically is rare for us.

My coworkers are wonderful and supportive. We are a very close-knit team.

For the entire time I have worked for this company we have not had any meetings or collaborates. Communication needs to be greatly improved and policies should be discussed regularly.

Communication between associates needs to improve

An HR chat to fiscuss bullying and appropriate speech.

The other bear builders are great. Management is a nightmare

They need to work on doing their part. The store managers run around like bear builders and the sales lead are stuck to do everything with little pay.

Review from Sales Dept

Everyone's generally pleasant around eachother. Like I said, we're all friends

My immediate team. Anything above that level is micromanaged to death. And beware if you're a man. This company is a girl's club and they're proud of it.

The good employees that show up and get things done

Even in the occasional pressure situation, we are encouraged to remember that we make teddy bears/make people smile.

Having fun at work is normal

Everything. We can get paid better and also treated like human beings. Maybe have my opinions and concerns taken seriously versus looking at your apple watch every minute i am speaking.

Give back some success to the people who earn it.

They NEED to pay better. I am paid horribly. I only stay for how much i love kids, my managers are verbally abusive and manipulative. My Assistant Manager degrades all her workers, then cries because she does not feel that we respect her.

New managment and well paid staff go a long way.

Follow our company philosophy and try and make the employees as happy as we try and make customers.

Review from Sales Dept

The welcoming environment and personal questions

I was hired at a low point for my store, so I was hired easily

Easy and hired on the spot

Being rescheduled 3 times due to human error of supervisor.

They were honest and gave good feedback.

Remove the bureaucracy and learn some basic social skills. There's more to life than pondering how every waking moment would work as a Facebook post.

the questions don’t apply to the position

Review from Sales Dept

My coworkers, the occasional 50% discount and christmas time

My coworkers are the highlight of any shift

I love talking to customers and helping them stuff their bears.

Giving children the experience and the wonder I had as a child walking into build a bear

Review from Sales Dept

Seeing little kids and grown ups enjoying stuffed animals

Guests feel that the products they want are never in store. There's constant corporate mandated upselling and forcing socially shy guests into uncomfortable social scenarios. There's a lot of settling of differences through exaggeration, innuendo and passive agression and spiteful career sniping.

Better staff and management of said staff

We are understaffed every single morning. There will be a line. You will be yelled at because you are the only person on the floor. You will also have to use the washroom but cannot as you are babysitting the store. I would say the only way for improvement is to have the bathroom stall on floor.

I am part-time. My manager does not give proper breaks, does not let us go home if we feel sick, goes on her phone in the back during rush. Turnover rate for workers is very high, and three people have quit in the past two weeks alone because of said manager.