Great mission and products, indecisive leadership - Anonymous employee REI Employee Review

3.0
Aug 8, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

REI is an excellent heritage brand with a long history of providing great outdoor gear to adventure seeking customers/members. The benefits, discounts and profit sharing are terrific and competitive. Lots of wonderful co-workers who are passionate about the outdoors and the products sold by REI.

Cons

There has been a lot of indecisive leadership in recent years that has steered an-ever growing company in one direction and then another. This has resulted in a lot of re-work and stress for many employees, particularly at the HQ in Kent, WA. The work/life balance heavily promoted with PR and by recruiters is not a reality for a number of individual contributors and managers. The upper management team is rather insular and the atmosphere overall at HQ was less collaborative and much more competitive and ego driven than one might expect for the reputation that REI has in the media and amongst customers. Executive pay levels seem out of whack vs. that of front line employees and middle management. A common problem in the USA.

Explore other reviews about REI

5.0
Jun 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good managers, deals, coworkers, products

Cons

No cons, I really liked my time.

3.0
May 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Most coworkers, some managers, discounts, outfitting people properly without extra nonsense

Cons

Some truly horrible managers, pressure to sell credit cards is a morale killer, the union people. Employees drinking the union kool aid fail to see the company’s position, REI cannot give higher pay, better benefits , consistent hours, etc… with the erratic revenue stream that comes in , if a 5 year average is X in revenue and 5 year average is Y on wages and costs, how are they supposed to increase wages and benefits? It’s numbers and they don’t line up, if REI gives the increases which increases the expenses greatly, they will cut staff, a lot fewer employees which will eliminate a bunch of union supporters, an REI job is not supposed to be a lucrative deal, when you get hired the part time , part time plus and full time options are there and you choose what you want fully understanding what hours you are going to get at minimum, they will hire those positions on a need basis, to cry later that you don’t make enough money is your fault, the terms were clear and you signed off on them. The union is promising rainbows , reality will be far different, careful what you wish for

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