Used like a Tissue Paper - Retail Manager Souled Store Employee Review

Used Like a Tissue Paper Some companies build departments. Others find people willing to build them, extract every ounce of value, and then question their worth once the foundation is complete. When I joined, the function I was hired to manage barely existed. Every process, structure, module, deck, workflow, and operating framework had to be built from scratch. I handled not only my own responsibilities but frequently compensated for gaps across multiple departments. Despite discussions during recruitment, no team support was ever provided. Today, the very systems I created continue to be used by the organization. Ironically, the workload once managed by a single individual has now been distributed across eight people spanning four separate departments. Apparently, the work was significant enough to preserve, replicate, and expand—but somehow not satisfactory enough to appreciate. Performance reviews and appraisals were equally fascinating. There was a strict expectation regarding when I should arrive at the office, but no apparent philosophy regarding when I was allowed to leave. Weekends became a suggestion rather than a benefit. Recognition became a myth. The defining moment came shortly after my father passed away. I took five days of leave. During my absence, a task was reassigned but remained unfinished. Upon returning, I was informed that the reason for my absence was irrelevant—the task was still pending. It was a remarkable lesson in corporate efficiency: grief may be temporary, but spreadsheets are eternal. An organization reveals its character not during growth, but during moments requiring humanity. In my experience, empathy was treated as a liability and people as consumables. When leadership teams across departments are consistently walking out the door, it may be worth asking whether the problem is talent retention—or organizational culture. I cannot recommend this organization to prospective employees. Not because the work is difficult, but because respect, recognition, and basic human decency should not be considered premium benefits. Some companies invest in people. Others use them like tissue paper—valuable when needed, disposable when not.