Pros
The first thing I was told upon hearing about Harris Teeter is how well they pay their employees. Admittedly, this was the only thing that drew me to the company, and I was not disappointed - for someone with absolutely no experience they hired me on to work in the Fresh Foods department at $9.00 an hour, which was bumped up almost two dollars after six months when I was made full time. Being paid on a weekly basis is also a big plus. If you show the right initiative and ability, they will quickly offer you the opportunity to become a BBT (trainee department manager) so there is a great opportunity for career advancement. For those who like a quick-paced job, there is certainly always something to do in Fresh Foods. The twice annual profit sharing bonus check is also something everyone looks forward to, and it is roughly equivalent to an average weekly paycheck.
Cons
There is a lack of communication between store management, department management, and employees, and this seems to be a common theme throughout the company. Tensions often run high given the stressful nature of focusing both on customer service and food preparation, so there is a commonly hostile work environment. There is also the issue of company policy focusing so closely on customer satisfaction that it sacrifices the quality of the work experience for many people that I know. These are the main issues that I, and many others, have with the company, and why I find the job to be a major source of stress. Scheduling is also a common issue, as management will find loopholes in laws that make it possible for people to work fifteen, sixteen hours in a day or back-to-back closing and opening shifts. (For example: One of our coworkers frequently closes at 10:30 but comes back at 6 in the morning to open, when in actuality you are supposed to have 8 hours between shifts.) The only reason many people choose to stay is because Harris Teeter offers high pay for the level of experience/skill necessary for the job. It's almost like they purposefully rope you in with the promise of a decent paycheck in return for eight hours of migraines.