retail store manager

retail sales associate

retail team leader

retail assistant manager

senior technical designer

Ariat International

There's a lot to like about Ariat: very diverse work group, lots of opportunities to learn new skills (including free access to Lynda.com!), cross-functional open door policy (I could talk to people at every department and level about what they do, and was treated graciously and seriously), a growing list of perks (company match on the 401k, medical and dental coverage, paid leave for adoption, dry-cleaning pick up and drop off, bring your dog to work!) and excellent discounts on products. However, this company is growing at a breakneck pace (double digit growth, year after year since 2009) and that means if you are hired without knowing a certain skill that may be critical to your job, you are in danger of not getting trained ...which will lead to dissatisfaction by you AND your manager. This pace also means limited-to-no downtime between seasons, and you may get phone calls about work related items while on vacation. 

Despite being a medium-sized, successful company with many of the corporate rules and hierarchies associated with it, in many ways it can still be much like a start-up, where entrepreneurial skills are still valued. Departments can be silo'd, so there can be miscommunications and different expectations when collaborating (and I highly recommend team leads to be in constant communication about expected outcomes and deadlines before and during such collaboration).  

Understand that LOYALTY is highly valued here, so long term employees are treated well, including a couple of managers that should not be managing people. Collaboration is incredibly vital to one's success here - make friends as soon as you can here, have lunch with them (you may not be able to leave for lunch, so the company lunch room will be your refuge), and get the details of department and company quirks.

Ariat International has been an exceptional company to work for. As an employee, I have been consistently impressed by the company's commitment to excellence and its dedication to creating innovative and high-quality products. The company fosters a positive work environment that encourages collaboration, creativity, and personal growth.

Ariat International truly values its employees and provides ample opportunities for professional development and advancement. The management team is supportive and approachable, always willing to listen and provide guidance. They promote a healthy work-life balance, recognizing the importance of employee well-being.

Moreover, the company's focus on sustainability and social responsibility is admirable. Ariat International takes proactive steps to minimize its environmental impact and actively participates in community initiatives.

The workplace culture at Ariat International is inclusive and diverse, fostering a sense of belonging among employees. Teamwork and cooperation are highly encouraged, leading to a harmonious and productive work environment.

Overall, my experience at Ariat International has been incredibly rewarding. I highly recommend this company to anyone seeking a fulfilling career with a company that values its employees and strives for excellence in all aspects of its operations.

Working at Ariat was truly one of my favorite jobs ever. The guests who visited the store were absolutely amazing, and the product itself was outstanding. At the beginning, my team was incredibly supportive and welcoming. However, over time, some leads made it almost unbearable to work there as they seemed disinterested in the brand and only cared about their paycheck. Witnessing employees being treated poorly due to the negligence of certain leaders in the team was disheartening. Unfortunately, I eventually started receiving the same treatment despite my hard work.

Overall, it was a positive work experience, but I had to leave for the sake of my mental health and to pursue my personal career goals. I would recommend this job to anyone who wants to work hard, improve their communication skills, and learn about sales. I hope in the future, Ariat does a better job at holding team leads accountable for setting a higher standard of excellent leadership. While this job can be a fantastic steppingstone, some people may give up on it due to the lack of advancement opportunities, which leads to only showing up for a paycheck and treating customer, and hard working employees poorly. 

Almost everyone lives in constant daily grind. There is little to no work/life balance and if "you're not a parent, then it shouldn't be an issue for you to make yourself available, right?" 
Not a healthy environment mentally unless you're someone receiving  favoritism from the Top. I was promised growth support upon being hired, but received little training and was then left to fend for myself, and I was not the only one. Workloads are heavy, hours are long and everyone takes their laptop home to continue working through the night. The most difficult part of the load was seeing your boss send an email at 2am and debating whether or not to answer. These things should not have to weigh on the minds of employees. It's just not healthy.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The customers are very brand loyal and look forward to coming into the store. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The store management’s style is outdated. They look for what you do wrong rather than train and support. Ideas are blown off and communication is poor. Good managers are not used to their potential and feel like sales associates. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The upper management believes they operate within the company’s core values but that is lost at the retail store level. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Typical retail apparel environment. Clock in, listen to mundane report about uncontrollable metrics and lofty sales goals. Fold and straighten merchandise. Help customers and watch the clock, avoid floor manager.

I've been with the company for 3 years now and I honestly can't see myself working anywhere else. the company culture is what I enjoy most. lots of traditions, activities, celebrations, and opportunities to come together as a company. i've never worked for a company who truly cared for their employees and their families. since covid started we have all been working from home, it was challenging at first since the nature of my role is highly collaborative. could use more direction from management. the upper management does a good job keeping us informed. i feel safe in the company

Productivity standards are mediocre, if any at all... succeed in your role, beware of criticism from the low-performing team, including management. 

Management on the operations side are biased and lack ethics. They offer "promotions" within department with more responsibilities, accounts, tasks without matching compensation. Leadership prefer to ignore the unhealthy, discriminatory workplace/personnel concerns of safety and leave it to the employees to "figure it out" on their own. Management also avoid addressing other labor/HR complaints until Labor Department is mentioned - beware of termination at this point. Turnover is high, considering the brand.

Upper management prefer to remain oblivious to operations/logistic teams.  Nepotism and favoritism also runs rampant here, as well.

Management sucks at Ariat. They have a great product but have been successful due to lack of competition.  Too much micro management and too many daily meetings that don’t allow you to your job. The staff is great but everyone is overworked without enough support. Management is very toxic within their own idea of where the company is going which trickle’s down to the team. Work/home life is non existent due to expectations of very long hours. 

If you want to have a life outside of work this isn't a job for you. First off the management sucks, they never have time and any problems you have get swept under the rug. If you have issues with your manager your SOL, any higher rank management either blows it off or gives them a tap on the wrist and everything gets dropped. If your not good with stress this also isn’t your job. Between long and late shifts with added on employee drama with no one to go about it you build up a lot of stress and have no self time get rid of it. The only good thing about working for this company is the pay and benefits, besides that there ain’t much else and the pay is on the line of not being worth it. 

Ariat International is a fun place to work. Products have patented foot bed technology and the material of their apparel is woven from environmental protection technology. See the new styles being placed on their website www.ariat.com. Ariat International original designs support the equestrian athlete. 
Career advancements are supported. We worked together as a team under excellent management. I liked that all the open door policy.The company held training and department meetings to encourage everyone to expand their knowledge and meet monthly sales goals. 
It is a fast paced creative environment.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail store manager 12 salaries reported	$28.50 per hour
Retail sales associate 24 salaries reported	$15.77 per hour
Retail team leader 11 salaries reported	$16.57 per hour
Retail assistant manager 9 salaries reported	$21.46 per hour
Senior technical designer 5 salaries reported	$122,100 per year

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