Disparage, Dismiss, Deny

THREE D

Depot employs a 3D approach to any employee that sees or says anything. The response almost always follows the same pattern of Disparagement, Denial and Dismissal. If the employee persists, they then may receive star chamber treatment. They are summoned to the store manager’s cubicle, berated, and job threatened. Tends to put a damper on seeing and saying anything.

The Exhibits included in this Button focus on this process in action against an employee for reporting unsafe conditions, making suggestions for improvements or even dare to ask why they are being treated in such a manner. Many of these Exhibits may fit other Buttons and vice versa. The goal here is to present them in the context of how things are done, and employees are treated, especially employees who wish to improve customer relations, make the store safer and create potential revenue for the company.

The lines blur at this point. They do tend to merge into a greater pattern and tapestry. Some of the Exhibits are detailed and lengthy. The discussions are more than a bit complex but despite these limitations, the reader can see for themselves the pattern that emerges, and it almost always comes back to the 3D treatment.

Depot had two employees killed in the same month in 2021. Hazards ignored as a result of this closed ear and blind eye system, probably contributed. Store 0884 incurred a customer fatality from an auto accident. The condition that increased the danger had been reported by this author before, during and afterwards. Totally ignored by every manager in the store. That unsafe condition continues unabated. Had this been responded to, would the event still have happened? No one knows. But when unsafe conditions are ignored and those that have the temerity to report are given the 3D, then the certainty of an occurrence becomes more probable. Indifference induced by management actions and conduct breeds loss. When institutionalized more so. Depot extols their culture. Here is that culture in operation.

Exhibit 1. The photo depicts a blue trimmed pallet hoisted and left unbalanced on shelving rack. The reader can note it is not properly centered and stressing the steel support beams on the shelf. The author reported it to numerous people in the department and management. Only a week passed before the unsafe condition was corrected. No one else bothered to even mention much less report. One ASM Assistant Store Manager indicated that it was no big deal.

Exhibit 2. Pallets abandoned in front of a candy display. Note the jack remains attached creating an additional hazard. They also block access to the metal cabinet that frequently contains merchandise that is awaiting customer pickup. Kids are attracted to candy shelves and that further increases the hazard. Despite my repeated complaints this condition continued, and others followed. Also note that if the customer had direct access to the candy the cashier with money has their back turned. Easy for a thief to sneak up and grab register funds or hit a female cashier over the head. Fortunately, management did finally move the candy display and ended this hazard.

Exhibit 3. What happens when the Open Door is used. Another dead end promulgated by the company.

Exhibit 4. Here is an example of potentially a FES Front End supervisor possibly removing a complaint letter. Melanie is the HR person.

Exhibit 5. Here is the concern letter referenced in Exhibit 4. This letter demonstrates a good faith effort by an employee to be of increased value to the company. A discussion ensued and nothing changed. Nada. Zip. Why employees quit trying very quickly or choose to leave.

Exhibit 6. Realizing Open Door led nowhere, an attempt at another department met with similar useless results.

Exhibit 7. Employees that saw this document referred to it as a book. It was submitted up and down the chain of command and even to Craig’s List himself. The reader can see from proverbial soup to nuts what happens when an employee attempts to act. It is pretty comprehensive as a case in point. And now the reader can easily grasp why most employees ignore most everything. It also explains what happens when a frustration level reaches an apex triggering anger and depression.

Exhibit 8. Picture of a bag holder detached from housing. Created injurious exposure to casher hand while attempting to pull bags and fill them. Condition reported and nothing done for months.

Exhibit 9. Some pictures simply need no narrative. Here we have a heater fan perched on a plastic bucket in Garden with the electric line running to an indoor electrical strip. Although not present, water was also frequently present.

Exhibit 10. Another example of a display being situated behind a cashier increasing the hazard of robbery and possibly injury to that cashier. The author requested a secure panel put in place and was ignored as usual.

Exhibit 11. Overhead light fixture not replaced in five months. This fixture almost directly overhead at PRO services which caused a gloom in dealing with customers. Tracks with the parking lot lights often not functioning and the infamous exterior store sign that is the book cover. At least the company is consistent.

Exhibit 12. A gurney with plywood creating a major hazard in an aisle. Customers loaded with their own merchandise prone to run into it. Impeding aisles also problematic in the event of an emergency. Notice the drywall to the right. Try and access. The author moved it out of the way after taking the photo. It had been there for hours on a busy Saturday.

Exhibit 13. When arriving at a register in PRO housekeeping normally required a lot of cleaning up. When this photo taken this had just been finished by the writer. The buggy contains a failed attempt to key locks by an employee. And then abandoned. It blocks access to the display behind it.

Exhibit 14. Document that author had to sign. The problem is most of it had little to do with a cashier or their register. An example of one size fits all top down mandates in which depot specializes in what they call Orange Life. The registers on the floor were treated in humorous manners. For instance, updates are constant but to receive them the registers had to be re-booted. They were never re-booted and always left on except when they quit functioning. The author suggested turning them off and unplugging them each night at store closing. He also suggested they swap out scanner gun batteries on a rotating basis. Completely ignored. Registers tended to have problems during peak use times i.e. Saturday morning. The wiring connected to the registers looked like mounds of spaghetti and the surge protectors left overs from 1990. One intrepid ASM vowed to clean that up. After spending a shift on one register the attempt ended.

Exhibit 15. Main traffic aisle all but blocked by a ladder then abandoned by an employee. Note the empty buggy that completes the blockage. The employee returned an hour later and placed a small American flag on the ladder. The ladder was not moved until the next shift.

Exhibit 16,17 and 18. Wiring from the register strewn across the concrete floor. That created a hump which was a big trip hazard to the unwary cashier. The mats were employed and only increased the hazard. Tired of watching the author remove and hurl then they were taped down. Our oldest cashier tripped and fell one day. Cashiers have to move around in checking out customers. They constantly have to contend with this unsafe condition. Reported endlessly and nothing ever done.

Exhibit 19. The trailer houses wheat and pine straw. Note the pallets leaned up against it that are a hazard to employee and customer.

Exhibit 20. Depot is proud to provide the Homer Fund. Here is how they require it to work. Ever been audited? ha ha ha.

Exhibit 21. Wanted to end this Button with a bit about life outside Depot. Taken from a brief mission trip years ago.

Exhibit 22. Itemized list and short form referencing the various topics covered in this Button and in some of the others.

Exhibit 23. The future of Home Depot presented. This author has seen this reel before and knows the outcome. Even too big to fail will not in the end prevent the occurrence. As certain as death and taxes.

Think of this Button as a box of sample chocolate candies. The problem is they all turn bitter in the end.