Big Lots workers can use reviews to ask for raises, hours, promotions

Why the review matters now

A performance review can be the one meeting where a Big Lots cashier, stocker, or supervisor turns daily work into a case for more pay, more hours, or a real shot at promotion. Indeed says reviews are typically annual, usually happen in a one-on-one conversation with a manager or supervisor, and are meant to spell out strengths, areas to improve, and what comes next.

That matters even more at Big Lots because the company is still moving through a major reset. Big Lots filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2024, was purchased out of bankruptcy in 2025 by Variety Wholesalers, and says the new company will operate 219 stores in 15 states. Variety Wholesalers says it runs more than 400 stores across 18 states, and reporting in 2025 said Big Lots planned to reopen 132 stores across 14 states in May 2025. In a business that is shrinking, reopening, and reorganizing at the same time, workers who can clearly document their value are better positioned to defend their place in the store.

Turn your day-to-day work into proof

The strongest review conversations do not stay abstract. They connect what you do on the floor to what the store needs, which is exactly how Big Lots’ own jobs page frames the path from store team member to cashier, assistant manager, store manager, and district manager. Big Lots says opportunities for “employment and advancement” are available to qualified individuals, which means a review is one of the few moments to put your name inside that path.

Cashiers should bring specifics: low error rates, fast lines, strong customer service, clean handoffs at the register, and any moments when they solved a problem without slowing the lane. Stockers can point to aisle recovery, freight speed, neatness, and how often the floor was ready when the store opened or after a rush. Department associates should talk about successful resets, accurate signage, product knowledge, and how well they kept displays and inventory in order.

Supervisors need a broader story. If you covered schedules, coached newer workers, reduced shrink, or kept standards steady through a busy weekend, that is not routine work. It is operational leadership, and it should be described that way. The review is the place to say: this is what I handled, this is what improved, and this is why I am ready for more responsibility.

What to bring into the meeting

A review goes better when you arrive with receipts, not just memory. The goal is to make the conversation concrete enough that a manager cannot leave with only general praise.

Bring:

• A short list of your biggest wins from the last review cycle
• Numbers when you have them, such as lines moved, freight put away, schedules covered, or weeks with strong attendance
• Examples of customer service, teamwork, or problem-solving that went beyond your normal assignment
• Notes on any extra tasks you took on, such as opening, closing, coaching, or helping new hires
• A clear ask, whether that is a raise, more hours, a cross-trained role, or a path to promotion
• A few examples of where you want to grow next, such as cash control, scheduling, shrink prevention, or leading a department

Big Lots workers should also bring availability changes, training completed, and any feedback they have already received informally. If a manager has praised your speed, dependability, or product knowledge during the year, write it down before the meeting. Those details matter because reviews are often the only formal record that follows you into the next staffing decision.

Questions that turn feedback into a plan

The most useful review is not the one that ends with “keep up the good work.” It is the one that ends with measurable expectations. Instead of asking, “How am I doing?” ask questions that force the conversation toward the next step.

Try these:

• Which metrics matter most for the next step in this role?
• What does strong performance look like in this department week to week?
• Which behaviors would make me stand out for more hours or a promotion?
• What training or cross-training would prepare me for additional responsibility?
• If I want to move from cashier or stocker to lead or supervisor, what should I be doing now?
• Which tasks, such as opening, closing, cash control, scheduling, or coaching, would show you I am ready?
• What would you need to see from me over the next 30, 60, or 90 days to consider a raise or promotion?
• When should we revisit this conversation?

Those questions shift the review from vague evaluation to a development plan. They also make it harder for a manager to hide behind generalities. If the answer is “do more,” follow up with “what exactly?” If the answer is “be more of a leader,” ask what leadership looks like on that team, on that shift, in that store.

Why the stakes are high in retail

The bigger labor market helps explain why Big Lots reviews matter. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says cashiers typically need no formal education and are trained on the job. It also said the median hourly wage for cashiers was $14.99 in May 2024. For retail sales workers overall, the BLS projects about 586,000 openings a year on average over the decade because so many workers leave the occupation or exit the labor force.

That is a blunt reminder that retail advancement is often not automatic. McKinsey has reported that many frontline retail workers were still planning to leave the industry in large numbers, which means stores cannot assume loyalty will hold without a visible path forward. Harvard Business School research on a “good jobs” strategy argues that better retail employment practices can reduce turnover and lift productivity. In plain terms, clear expectations, fair pay, and real advancement do not just help workers feel heard. They help stores run better.

For Big Lots, that makes the review conversation unusually important. A store with 219 locations in 15 states does not have room for wasted talent, and a chain rebuilding after bankruptcy cannot afford to let strong workers drift away because no one translated their daily work into a next step. If you want better pay, more hours, or a promotion, the review is where you make the case, name the metric, and ask for the path in writing.