Pros
- The people were the best part of this job. - I worked alongside hardworking, supportive colleagues who actually cared about delivering a great customer experience. We supported one another through difficult days, and those friendships were the biggest positive I took away from the role. - The products are exciting, and for anyone interested in K-Beauty, there is real potential in the job itself. Unfortunately, in my experience, the people working hardest to make the business successful were not supported in return.
Cons
- This was the most stressful retail environment I have worked. - The workload wasn’t the issue, the workplace culture was. - Communication often felt inconsistent, with new expectations introduced at short notice and existing processes not always followed. It became difficult to feel confident when expectations seemed to change regularly. - Over time, I found myself constantly worrying about making even small mistakes. Instead of feeling supported to learn and improve, I often felt anxious about getting things wrong. Looking back, I underestimated just how much this affected my confidence. - The feedback process also lacked consistency. Regular communication would have made it much easier to understand expectations and develop with confidence, rather than receiving significant feedback after long periods with little communication. - I also found it difficult to raise concerns. In my experience, employees did not always feel comfortable speaking openly about day-to-day issues because it often felt as though concerns were not received constructively. - Training was another area that needed improvement. Employees were expected to support customers with complex skincare questions despite receiving limited formal product training. This often placed staff in difficult situations where customers understandably expected more expertise than employees had been equipped to provide. - Support during challenging customer interactions also felt inconsistent, leaving employees to manage difficult situations without the level of support that would have benefited both staff and customers. - After moving into another retail role, I realised how different a healthy workplace can feel. My current employer places a much stronger emphasis on communication, development, teamwork and health and safety. Within a short period I have received regular feedback, encouragement to progress and genuine support from management. - Something that really stood out to me was that my current managers noticed I sometimes second guess myself despite receiving positive feedback. I recognised it too. Looking back, I realised how much confidence I had lost in my previous role. Former colleagues have even commented that I seem noticeably happier since leaving. - That has probably been the biggest lesson for me. I left believing I simply wasn’t suited to retail. My current experience has shown me that retail wasn’t the problem…the working environment was. - The staff turnover during my time with the company was noticeable, particularly for such a new business. Many talented people left after relatively short periods, which I believe is something leadership should take seriously if they want to improve retention.