Pros
Fast paced environment. People were friendly, and company made efforts to try and improve the culture. Fun and laid back environment overall. Casual dress. Office parties for birthdays and holidays were fun. People really care about you on a personal level. As an assistant designer I was given a lot of ownership---which I did not find at my previous apparel jobs. Learned and worked with amazing cross functional partners. Learned the most from other teams I was able to work with, and I feel that I learned more at Belk than I have in the previous years working for several other apparel companies. Super nice office, cafeteria, and facilities. The barista knew me by name and so did the facilities manager. I was able to do work from home at times---which is always a plus. I truly loved what I did, which is why I give Belk such a high rating. I loved the product I worked on, and I felt really confident in my abilities when I was let go. When I think about the work I did, I feel proud & inspired. We truly believed in putting the customer first, and I could see major improvements in store. I would have probably stayed much longer if I was not laid off---if you are able to stay on board through the changes and growing pains, then I think it would be worth it. Some employees have been their for 20+ years, which I think indicates how great the experience can be for some. I think the experience really depends on who you end up working with on the day to day.
Cons
Little work life balance. High pressure. Did not feel appreciated. I loved what I did, but the environment and poor management made me dislike coming to work everyday. High stress effected my mental health poorly, and moral was not good in my area---a lot of complaining amongst colleagues that they were unhappy and wanted to leave. Lots of "re-organization" which I see now as a red flag.