WORST COMPANY TO WORK FOR. UNFAIR TREATMENT OF STAFF. - Retail Assistant Cotton On Employee Review

1.0
10 Aug 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

50% discount. That is all.

Cons

Cotton On Group is the worst company to work for. I worked for Typo for 3 years, which is a brand people seem to differentiate from Cotton On, but they are the same company. I have witnessed myself and so many others been poorly and unfairly treated by managers and senior management. The reasons I left are the following: • Expected to work overtime without pay • Bullied to sell products and belittled when targets are not met • Closing the store alone • We are trained to force items upon customers and trick them into buying products, most often than not you are abused by customers because they see right through the scam • No toilet breaks as you are the only person in the store and regionals wont allow you to close the store to go to the bathroom • Working more than 5 hours without a break • Being alone to work for an entire day with only someone covering a 3 hr shift, expected to serve customers on a busy day and get all tasks done alone • Confidential hotline is not taken seriously and is not anonymous • Fair work rights are not taken seriously and nothing is done about poor treatment of staff • Required to drive around after hours to pick up a store key without pay, because managers refuse to organise a key for your open/close • Hurt my back on a ladder and was forced to work even though I asked to go home, no report was filed and I was left alone in the store • Managers often call in sick and casuals are required to find someone to fill in the shift • All hard work is criticised and then credit is taken by the manager • Casuals work harder than managers, even taking on their jobs • Sending in head office to spy and report back that tasks aren’t completed when you’re the only one working • When asking for help and extending someone’s shift because the workload cant get done alone, even with a wage percentage as low as 7%, they refuse to give you the help you need • Head office, managers and senior managers talk about colleagues behind their backs and I find this highly unprofessional The best advice I can give is not to support a company that treats their staff as disgusting as Cotton Group TYPO. The turnover is so high and I believe this supports that.

Explore other reviews about Cotton On

5.0
1 Dec 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The store manager is amazing!

Cons

None that i can think of

1.0
26 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

1) Easy physical job- low labor, not physically taxing 2) Discounts- employee discounts are higher here than other retailers

Cons

1) Hours- Schedules will be inconsistent, directly contradict your given availability, shifts will change within the same work week, you will be written up or reamed out for calling out sick 2) Culture- Uneven workload, unprofessional conversations violating privacy between management and team members, blatant disrespect and scapegoat tactics to whip other team members into submission due to fear of retaliation, will plan with other associates to fire employees without word, favoritism is at an all time high, scheduling favors manager and their current favorite team member, you will be stuck with the majority of the workload for both team members and manger work. If done right, thank your manager for thinking of the bright idea. It was all “their work”. If done wrong, you will be thrown under the bus to upper management and told you are incapable of working at a “understanding the job or working at necessary pace.” 3) Workload- Since it is a “108 store” (meaning only 100 hours per week) there is usually only one person on a time. Management and their favorite associate usually get mornings to unpack new clothes to try on in dressing rooms while avoiding customer engagement, or say, sit on the floor in front of the mirror to blow dry and curl their hair since “it’s the morning and it’s slow” then all of the daily workload is pushed onto the closer. But don’t you dare stay late, the store goes over hours and “makes the manger look bad” BUT if you don’t finish all the work for the day, you will either be treated with less respect or just directly written up next time you’re in. 4) Upper Management- favors store manager and their word over all else despite having no proof of proper task completion or delegation. I have seen the store manager scream at guests while on a ladder, publicly in front of the entire store. Have also seen the same manager run out of the store to threaten a women to “shut her crying baby up” but in upper management’s eyes, “I see a lot of myself in them and I don’t think they would do that. Are you sure you’re not making it up because you’re just upset?” Will bury reports made by associates and tell others the associate is “acting out of line” and “bringing the vibe and culture down” all while cutting hours and utilizing write ups excessively to regain submission. Will then later use your name as a threat to any other associate that advocates for themselves for fear of retaliation (“are we going to have another ‘maggie’ situation?”)

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