Prós
Generally consistant values.
Generally good, friendly, helpful, smart, hardworking coworkers.
Flexibility & understanding in scheduling and "extraordinary" life circumstances.
Constant continuing training/education about company, values, processes, procedures.
Sincere in expressing values.
Associates given relative freedom to accomplish work.
Promotes from within.
High priority in customer experience and service.
Generally loyal associates - not uncommon for associates to stay 10, 20, 30 plus years.
Grocery companies are very competitive, and margins are notoriously slim, yet Kroger (Ralph's parent company) makes some effort to do the "right" thing with it's $5 billion annual profit like contributing to charity, employee assistance, store improvements, and store level pay.
Kroger still supports DEI initiatives.
Store level staff are generally highly committed and hardworking.
Contras
Pay, especially for entry level associates is low, and incremental increases are miniscule.
Unions are weak, and Kroger fights all collective bargaining initiatives relentlessly.
Company seems like it tries to do so much that priorities, programs, tech, processes and initiatives feel a bit chaotic, constantly rolling out and changing.
Kroger earns ~$5 billion annual profit, but still pays store level employees poverty wages while regularly giving shareholders huge stock buybacks making some of the company's initiatives feel like performative lip service.
Directives come down fast and furiously, often seeming to contradict previous ones and often without explanations or rationalizations.
Stores aren't sufficiently staffed.