What you think about: Walgreens eliminating bonuses

Walgreens recently announced that it plans to eliminate bonuses for corporate staff and reduce bonuses for pharmacy and store managers this year, citing weaker-than-expected financial results.

The slashing of bonuses comes as pharmacy workers at both Walgreens and rival CVS have protested their heavy workloads and staged scattered walkouts at stores around the country.

Here’s what you think about the move:

Al Lemoi, CEO at Toro Foods Inc.
A company should share profits when the company does well however it should never be guaranteed

Matthew Powles, Store Manager at Amazon Fresh
The phrasing here makes it sound like it’s asking if it’s OK to take them back AFTER they’ve been paid. It goes without saying that the answer to that would be a resounding no. I don’t even think that’s legal. Before they’ve been paid is also a no, at least for the current year. It is too damaging to morale.

Pat Daniel, Driver at Danny Herman Trucking
Bonuses based on performance to exceed specified goals are promises to employees from the senior management. To take them back in the same year as promised destroys trust in the senior management. Management at all levels should be monitoring results and adjusting to make bonuses. If monitoring and adjusting aren’t done, that’s who’s bonuses are affected, not rank-and-file employees.

Carole Kaufman, IT Leader
I have worked in retail orgs who effectively used poorer-than-expected financial results as a rallying cry, getting associates fired up, and turning things around both from doing new or focused initiatives and by uniting and firing up the troops. I have also worked for the "getting worse day by day," the drudge of being a victim to (name it: economy, labor woes, supply chain issues...). No action, just hope for better days. If the latter, bonuses won’t help. The ship is sinking. If the former, bonuses send mixed messages and dilute focus. In that case, bonuses shouldn’t be given except for the most heroic and compelling reasons until things turn around. Then celebrate and thank. You made it. It’s retail.

Vic Savanello, Produce and Floral Executive
Taking bonuses away is a horrible position to take! Restructuring them to award success is the way to move forward!

Raymond N., Field Service Technician 
If the staff and managers bonuses are taken away because of business then the higher ups bonuses should also be taken away or cut down.

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