Don't be fooled by Forbes Best Companies status! - Anonymous employee REI Employee Review

1.0
11 Apr 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Your coworkers will be some of the most talented, dedicated and wonderful people you'll ever meet

Cons

The company consistently underpays, understaffs, and consistently undermines any chance of success. We are constantly set up for failure. There is basically no communication - and when management does talk to you, it's always negative. The company still functions under severely antiquated technology and management style. Favoritism, ageism and many other 'isms' are abundant. HQ is the ivory tower and retail stores are the serfs that keep the kingdom afloat. Corporate rides high on PR stunts and high pay on the backs of the low paid retail and distribution center employees. Store employees are slowly starved of hours until they are forced to leave. There are just a handful of coveted full-time positions, and unless you're a favored daughter/son, forget it!

Explore other reviews about REI

5.0
21 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Open and nice to work for

Cons

Didn’t like that you won’t be able to take time off during sales and so people call out

3.0
20 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Excellent coworkers - REI does a great job of hiring enthusiastic and personable staff - Slightly better pay compared with other retail in the area - Prodeals and discounts - Flexible hours - Good (although rapidly diminishing) healthcare benefits

Cons

- Once a (better) company known for its investment in knowledgeable and friendly staff via extensive training and investment, the company has been slowly slashing away at most of what makes it special since the pandemic - Hours and benefits are worsening, proper employee training is becoming hard to come by - lots of mediocrity and sometimes questionable ethical calls made by management - Punitive disciplinary policies that seem to be designed to create higher turnover (advantageous to them given the gradual pay, benefit and policy changes)

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