Thread regarding Staples Inc. layoffs

Staples corporate office is a toxic environment with zero culture. RS took Staples to its knees by continually losing money in international; over $100m a year (which was eventually sold for only $50m). His global ego was far larger than his brain. He was the typical Napoleon complex guy, short in stature and giant in ego. He ruined Staples and he is the one true reason why this company won’t exist a few years from now.

That said SG ‘s gullible enthusiasm along with lead board director BS from CBRE took the company down for ever by selling to SP. SPs only plan is to riddle the company with debt, cash out and watch it burn down.

It is such a shame. Staples was on the verge of greatness until RS got too big for his britches and declared JW (the international leader) a “force of nature”. RS maimed the company and SP put a silver bullet in its head.

I left a few weeks ago and I have never been happier.

@YaGBTMY-1nrk Yes, they hired a consulting firm...after seven straight years of not knowing their asses from their elbows and driving the company straight into the ground. Part of the reason we had to sell was that we were operating in an echo-chamber of group-think and NOT seeking outside advice.

Sales people are not underpaid, they literally write their own paychecks! Those who favor a high base salary over better variable compensation options in a sales role are those that know they can't hack it and are the reason OP has decline for so long. Hopefully they are finding a nice home at Depot so they can add to their downward spiral and make our jobs easier.

@YaGBTMY-iuq Customers don't want a relationship with the person that sells them office products. What rock do you live under!? They want to be challenged in a way that helps them be seen as innovators within their own organization and only want to have conversations with people who can give them that. The id--tic "if I take care of them they will take care of me" days are long gone and the entire reason we saw continuous YoY declines for so long.

All these people on this thread defending how we conducted business prior to Sycamore are completely disregarding how sh--ty this company became at doing ANYTHING well for our customers, not to mention the results.

Yes, I just received my new Staples Newsspeak. I will be implemented immediately and only goodspeak will be accepted on conference calls or in one on ones.

There was thought of eliminating oldspeak but they’ve determined that termination is an easier way to make former associates a nonperson and root out on opposition to the new ruling class.

Curry killed Staples!!!!!!

I can name one of the core values - curry!

It use to be

“Say it like it is”

Now it’s

“It is what we say”

1984 is coming to life at Staples

When was the last time anyone recited the five core values?

At least two years, hmmmmm corresponds with SP.

Are you out of your mind? What business unit do you represent? The culture and straight line to the top is completely fractured. Filled with individuals who would rather accept what a consulting firm suggests without knowing our business. There is no room for collaboration or individual thought. It's Staples way or the highway. There are hard working sales people who are under paid and under appreciated. This is a company that continues to hire/promote losers. Ask any manager, regional or VP to sell and watch what happens. Managing from 20k feet will never work. There is favoritism, lies and lack of ownership from MGMT and above.. Lets revisit your insane comment in 90 days.

Get back to work! If that's what you call it.

Honestly no company is perfect. There is more to life than this nonsense. And there is nothing wrong with people venting on this site. Staples is a poorly run company and has been for years. But if they pay you and you like it then that is fine. If you don't then find another job.

No amount of complaining is going to change the fact that Staples is run by Venture Capitalists and managed by soulless goblins masquerading as leaders. Anyone who has met or interacted with people like (to name a very few) SK, SS, TR, TH, WM, JG, TH's glorified executive assistant, BP, PS or that Paul Blart look alike out west knows this. Life is too short to stress about them or Staples. Collect your pay and make peace with it or leave. Either way it doesn't make you a bad person. And just because they are bad people doesn't mean your check won't cash.

From my perspective

@YaGBTMY just got schooled!!!

(although there are still too many relationship builders) ???

This is without question, a Staples Manager writing this c-ap.

Sure- take relationships out the the equation with customers.....

That is just beyond STUPID! Go back to Harvard you fool and the year 2011

"challenger type salespeople" lol

“Sacked leaders who played favorites instead of focusing on results“

I can agree with this statement. If anything favorites were played over competence.

Let’s take the Furniture division since it has already been mentioned. SK choose SS over EB. EB has more integrity, knowledge of the industry, contacts, grasp of the market than SS could ever dream of having. In fact, SS admits he has limited knowledge of furniture. EB was one of the smartest individuals in the company. SS has worked with SK for years so he was chosen over EB. That’s favoritism over competence.

Slide one step down, TR had more knowledge of Prj Mgmt, the industry and how things really work in the field. Developed the Prj Mgmt team into the best in class organization. He has three times the years of experience in that field than VM. But VM was chosen over him because SS knew her, that’s favoritism over competence.

In fact, you could even say that TH choose SK over EB because of favoritism, since SK was rising golden child of TH. Yet, EB was a division President for South Atlantic, GM for a large Charlotte Steelcase dealership, worked in Steelcase dealer development for a number of years, AVP for the east etc. his furniture resume far surpasses anything SK could ever dream of having.

So favoritism is no longer a determining factor? I think you are sadly ignorant. EB was always focused on results and held others accountable for results.

So one division still plays favorites and furniture is diminished by the loss of two individuals.

You could almost look out a see a great purging of the final vestiges of Corporate Express Legacy employees.

I can agree with some of this. Definite RS, NR, SG had their hands in the plummeting business success, but you left out TH and a multitude of LOB Senior managers that are still entrenched. Not holding sales accountable for years to aggressively pursue business.

Take Furniture for example, the sales team does not know about a fraction of the business opportunities in the market. They are defacto order takers. The local Furntiure dealers laugh at Staples trying to be a player in the furniture market. Yet Staples holds up the banner of $400 million as a huge part of a $16billion+ market. One Steelcase dealer in NY alone does $200million, where the Staples furniture team in The old TriState region is lucky to do $20million. The new GTM region Atlantic Coast is a $750-$1billion Furniture market but struggles to break $30million.

As much as Old Sr leadership were a problem so are the current lack luster sales people. The problems are not only leadership but infrastructural, processes and market reputation.