Working at Godiva Chocolatier — Reviews by Employees

The company is a good one if you are starting out in a management role. But as far as growth and huge turnover the company is behind in retail enviroment. The stores shoulkd be growing and opening stores that will fit with new retail strategies and take risks. Secret shops if the best company can get is 83 then there is something wrong. The stores are tiny so service should be an issue but agree that shop should be restructured. Have to say that chocolate is not that complicated. This company is trying to catch up with the rest of retail is a good thing. The turn over is scary even for managers all levels because it rate the leadership and people management, as far as going somewhere else in retail coming from a dm you would maybe be considered for sm somewhere else or sm to asm in another company. But the labor laws don't match the rest of retail for california so hr does need to improve as far as the 40 hr then ot for sms. But its not a horrible company its good for someone beginning a career in management.

The DM (smoke in mirrors guy) was absolutely the worst ever, if you did not come from GNC you did not matter to him! After 4 LONG hard years turning a dead store around he let me go due to lack of sales....maybe b/c the my store had 5 empty locations surrounding it in a dying mall. But thats my bad, I should have just got customers in by holding a gun to their heads and forcing them to buy! Now matter how hard you work it will NEVER be enough! I remember the MANY O/C's I pulled BY MYSELF (22 in a row) b/c I did not have a staff (I had to fire a girl and the other 2 went back to school) and "Mr. Wonderful" (the DM) REFUSED to help me out...wait I take that back he "agreed" to let my best friend from a different location work a morning shift so I could sleep in 1 day, and even then he did not even give the o.k til' 8:30PM the night before (I'm sure hoping it would be too late for us to still meet up and exchange keys so that I would not have the morning off---DID NOT WORK we still met up!!! Ha Ha Ha MF! What a JOKE! The company would not be bad and maybe even great to work for if corporate would just find out how the DM's and RM's were running things and get them the hell out!

There are many great things about Godiva, but... well there is much need for improvement. I am concerned with the lack of respect to the laws that are clearly violated. I hope that the direction is to go in a respectful, professional direction for the company.Time will tell.

This company has such legendary history standards. Its sad that the turn over is so high that even the new managers hired do not make it for very long. The turn over understand on restructure of west region but its still going on, and on and on!!! Most companies strive and HR department strive for not high turn over rate. If you keep firing people even if they making bottom line is a big problem in management. Meaning no development or growth. Hr is also participating in high turn over which has been an issue for years now. there is no way these leaders that are involved in these actions will ever be getting a job some where else in retail based on so many that they have been wrongfully terminated or quit. What comes around goes around treat people that way expect that same energy back!!! This regional is crazy and now Hr is involved as well very sad!

in Summer 2005 I started working, Pay I started at when min wage in ohio was $5 per hour, I was started off at $7. per hour as cashier key holder, mind you minium wage in Ohio was raised to $7. in 2007. In 2007 I was raised to a whopping $7.10 per hour still key holder cashier.in 2008 I was given a floor supervisor job and was paid $7.30 per hour, I found out there was no such position only the manager trying to keep me

As for co-worker competence, good and bad and in-between, though I felt that it was an easy job, I did work hard as well as my co-workers worked hard, When I interviewed people, I had felt the need to level with them and told them that you were lucky to get a .10 cent an hour raise, usually it would be a nickel, (Lordy, a Whole Nickel) pretty much for the pay we had some swell people.

environment, once there was something that was missing from the store, My manager and Disttict manager told me to get to the bottom of this, I was just a key holder at the time, I interviewed my co workers and truly believed that each was innocent, my DM at the time told me that I find the culprit or I find another job, she said if I had to Frame someone, My blood turned cold. I was not going to do that, at the time my boyfirend was a Detective, I had him come in and talked to the girls, I told him not to go hard, he told me that he also believed that no-one was involved, he however believed that one girl knew something, she quit two days after.

another time a co woker was stoned and I told her to go home the next day it was my word against hers,

I truly had passion for Godiva and actually had seen myself there in the long run, alas my manager did not see it that way she would constantly change my goals at the end of the week I was platinum, on monday when she revealed the scores I was red.

after being low payed and low balled I quit and now I am appreciated and successful. the sad thing is that my godiva closed January 2010 and that a lot of good people lost their jobs, the manager stinked to high hell but the employees were fantastic,

I truly miss you all, good luck if you are still there and good luck if your not.

Why are key holders making the same amount of money as the part timers?? I was making 9.75 an hour (next to nothing!! but over min wage by a quarter) and min wage is now 10.25...I should make 10.50 an hour!! Yes! Sounds silly. I am upset over 25cents an hour but I am fed up with the company and have taken as much BS as I can handle!

Consider this 2 weeks notice! Actually, why even bother? Godiva won't give references!! WTF?!

To those of you so ready to bash the company, ITS RETAIL!!!!! For those of you in California, the complaints you have are funny.Those of us in the other 49 states, those are normal working hours and expectations.You need to go work at a bank or some other 9-5 job. It is what it is. retail is hard work, you do it because you love it. Life is too short , move on and find something you love. Its not easy, but some of us are dedicated to it, and your moaning is ridiculous!!

Tell me how do you put someone on action plan with even though they are top comp in company beating the district with no prior cad or coaching make a mistake on even writing the plan. That was loyal to corporate partners reg dm and would work long hours alway came flat to payroll topped dipping had the top consistant numbers that quit and gave 2 weeks. This Rm has lost her mind or is it Hr. Would understand if not making sales ect but forthat and no coaching or follow up no audits from within a year or store visit or even a cad. At least was offered other postions by customers who were dms and executives that clearly saw my potential. The dm didnt even know what to say because this direction came rm. I was nice and silent and just took the paperwork and other people in retail that shopped at my store corporate clients knew what happened and say what I am thinking in shock that there must have been many mistakes made and is potentially illeagal. I hope that this company fixes this for that reason. Its pretty unbelievable that if you tripple comp holiday top in co vday and up over 111percent for easter and then fired for visual perf nothing else no lp or anything without any date on plan. Thats just crazy. I truly enjoyed my customers 100 shop scores , brand ,top sale and team for down sizing but you know why fire top perf doesnt make sense and have to keep retraining. If you put someone on plan I suggest you date it properly or even date it period. you follow up with a visit on plan and offer feedback not ignore someone maybey you know that going to fire someone anyway. Then tell the person on phone that they are not going to be fired and then fire them. I turned down many offers because I enjoyed the brand, but now the door is wide open for many opportunities. Cant say I will reccomend anymore people come here just by my experience of never been coached written up and made top sales in everything consistantly beating dis co and reg. it got me fired.

Even if youve made your numbers each year and were one of the only stores that made ly for Valentines Day. And have an action plan thats not even dated nor ever recieved a review or signed one as many others on what your supposed to develop and improve never did ever recieve a CAD or never was even audited or had a written visit for anything always worked 50-60hours a week. Always came in line with payroll only one who made corporate goal year after year beat the goal yet put on a plan with no date. Loved company was offered other jobs and turned down I know I am getting fired before my review this year which was asked about which will be a meets based on I made highest sales everything! So there will be no raise. It is sad that this regional is that crazy to think thats ethical and a Dm whos now on leave and will probably not come back based on everyone eles doing her job or lack of,....Its sad that my case and others which have no grounds and have been questioned and documented. She has opened up so many lawsuits making huge mistakes. the Dm who took over called the Rm then told me I made every month but I didnt make feb I had to tell him to look at the numbers twice and his eyes popped out I was one of the highest in company. Ok now come on now... This a company that I believed in and comped year after year beating district region and company in every catagory very sad too see that now just trying to find something or somebody else for cheaper. Enjoyed meeting president and svp they all saw my excellent performance thats the only good feedback I have recieved this year. I have had numerous offers from retailers. even other regionals that have shopped my stiore for years and like my performance. I am too traumitized and feel I have been harrassed for just doing my job.

I thought, sure a chocolate store - how hard can it be, right? It wasn't hard work, but it was demanding. The goals and rules change constantly. The paperwork changes constantly. The schedule changes atleast once a week. I haven't had some of my entitled breaks due to scheduling. I do like my co-workers and our store mgr. But the dm has ridiculous requests. There's a class action against Godiva? I'd like to join that one.