production operator

retail assistant manager

retail sales associate

store manager

associate manager

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Pendleton is the type of company that offers a unique retail working and customer experience; something that cannot be easily replicated in the same manner within today’s job market.

When you ask someone what you love about Pendleton, it is consistently the customers and the product. You can make a career at the company, and many have held various positions with a tenure that has cultivated a working environment involving real people making efforts to turn issues into real solutions.

As a team - everyone is doing their best to try and make a better tomorrow; as far as my experience over the years has been - regardless of what position someone holds, someone is always willing to extend a helping hand to help you along the way, as long as you are willing to offer solutions through the problem solving process. Attitude is essential, and it really determines how your journey plays out, (even outside of the work place.)

I have enjoyed my experience thoroughly, and have been challenged numerous times in my career to consider alternatives with the intention of making a difference in the next generation of people who work for Pendleton. While some may feel stifled in their experiences, I question where some may have also asked “What can I do?” Vs “What should you do…” 

My supervisor offers this positive feedback for me and I hope that I can share this with others… so we can have more optimistic conversations and takeaways in general about how we can be better. 

While there are not always perfect days, I appreciate learning through the experiences of imperfections alongside individuals that care about our entire team. That makes me feel seen, and hope others will feel this same thing in the long run.

The changes being implemented in the company have been a process but I feel thankful to be included along the way. I’d rather be on the side of offering a helping hand than blaming others for why things aren’t working, as it is a true waste of energy.

Thankful for this opportunity, because for me — the experience at Pendleton has always been about the people I’ve met and continue to meet — in all departments, but especially on the retail side in all positions. Everyone is valued, and essential to the business. I love that I feel proud and privileged that I can look forward to coming to work each day. 

Pendleton is a very traditional place to work. A good portion of the staff has been there for over 10 years, some even 40 years. At the corporate office, the staff is not very diverse. The company is over 150 years old, so there are tolerated "old boys clubs" and a lot of resistance to change. Slow movement for change and growth is "attributed" to being family-owned, however many people in the family "want" change (read: but don't want to lose their highly conservative customers by advocating for causes that go against conservatives - like ending DAPL, BLM, etc. A legitimate tricky situation which becomes a business decision). Their general education to employees about / contributions to indigenous communities falls flat for a company that uses pattern inspiration from these communities for their top selling products. C-suite has a tone-deafness about this, but lower management and employees do a great job trying to make up for this by educating themselves and talking about it. Like any work place, there are some amazing people that work here. They believe in the company and are okay with small incremental change towards a more well-rounded company. The roles that they play in making the company a better place is inspiring. As a company, they say they are working to try and be better about all these things (and it seems as though this is true) but the progress is painfully slow. 

When I began working with Pendleton, I felt a sense of pride to work with a legacy company. With high upper management/corporate turnover, however, the company has taken a nose dive into becoming a money hungry monster. This company underpays their retail employees and overpays those in corporate positions. They aren’t willing to pay fair market wage and they expect too much for bare minimum compensation and benefits. You do not work on commission, although employees are demanded to achieve very high and competitive sales goals. It is nearly impossible to advance your position unless upper management likes you, but it is a very biased and political climate.
Work/life balance does not exist. They will work you until you break and it is extremely difficult to get days off. Every day tasks must go through upper management leaving responses delayed, communication efforts strained, then ultimately exhausted. Management and HR will ignore pressing issues until they “go away” or the situation becomes escalated to an unnecessary level of seriousness.
This company used to be fun to work for, but it is now absolutely miserable. I would not suggest that anyone work here unless you are looking to be undervalued and overworked.

This was a production shop. The culture was the most diverse that I have ever encountered. Production shops are always busy. One's time is carefully monitored because every order has a deadline. The work was performed on commercial machines. There was usually an opportunity to work overtime. During the summer, for a couple of weeks, the facility closed for cleaning and repairs (if any), but employees could sign up to work on cleaning crews, maintenance crews, and a host of other things that were necessary in order to keep everything operational. 

I learned about different cultures, as the workforce was reflective of people from all over the world. The company has been around for many generations, is family owned and operated, and over the years has produced some of the most beautiful products one can imagine.

It was difficult for me to leave the company, but I had to relocate for personal family reasons. To this day, I remain in contact with some of the people I worked with during the 4 years that I was there.

This company is relentless!!! Corporate does not care about anybody besides themselves unless it's benefiting!! They're never on the same page!! This past September we got a new computer system, (which is the cheapest version) that's not made for a big company like Pendleton. It's more for boutique stores or small businesses. Ever since we had the system it caused nothing but problems!! I never seen a system that has so much glitch, booted off, and frozen screens. Where you can't ring any customers up. They really don't promote within, if they do it's always a lousy pay (no matching pay) and they'll work you twice as hard. Making you feel like you're working two full-time jobs. When it comes down to staffing stores, they don't hire enough people in stores especially for the holiday seasons. So, if you're working holidays, just know you're not going to have any seasonals in your stores. Which I never heard of, specially being in retail for many years. Even if you're out sick with covid, they'll go so far as trying to get you back working. Alongs you're not having any fever's ( Now, it's supposed to be if you're not showing ANY of the symptoms based on the CDC). Because they know they're so short on staff.

Getting a job working for Pendleton was a dream come true……so I thought. Pendleton is a company that has been around for over 150 years, and is just now working on trying to update their policy and procedures to the 21st century. They have new management who promises change and pretends to care about people, when they really only cares about themselves and people only in the higher ranks. . Some of them offer zero help, and/or support to staff members that hold a job title less than a Director. People with a hire position have more leniency in the protocols established and that is absolutely unacceptable, I saw that especially with COVID. I have felt uncomfortable with comments made from higher management.  Some of the upper management is quite respectful and amazing, I will have to admit that. My other concern was that people looked the other way when old timers who have worked there for many years got away with rude behaviors/communication style towards new staff and the thing is, they knew they can get away with it. Find a company that actually values positive work culture and all about empowering your employees.

Interesting company. They are trying to make the place more desirable for millennials (since they can't seem to to keep younger employees for more than a few months). They decided that millenials were leaving because of the office layout. So they decided to dump A LOT of money into making collaborative office space and remove private offices. The last thing people want during COVID is to work right next to someone else. 
This place doesnt appeal to millennials because they are underpaid, given tiny pay increases once a year, and don't hire from within. I heard they still measure skirts if they're too short. Theres only a few solid leaders in the corporate office. But most are indecisive, antiquated in their management style and only provide feedback when its negative. Better leadership is what millennials want from this place, not a different office layout. Its a shame because the product and legacy is amazing, but internally, they are without direction.

I would help prepare payroll when needed, balance certain general ledger accounts that were payroll related, prepare union reports, transfers to credit unions/transmit payroll to employees accounts, correct any payroll errors, help prepare tax returns and reconcile reporting.  I learned a great deal when I supervised the payroll department during a software conversion.  I learned how different software programs differ and how to make the necessary adaptations. There were approximately 4 members of the payroll staff that I supervised.  The culture was friendly but corporate.  The hardest part of my job was managing the department in the conversion and making sure the employees were paid what they should have been while trying to integrate the old system with the new.  The most enjoyable part were the coworkers.

There were several large and small perks to working for a small family company such as Pendleton:

Employee store right on campus, open 12-2pm daily.  50% off.
Many employees had stayed with the company long term, ie 40-50 years.
Friendly environment.
Yoga was offered at lunch twice a week.  At first employees were charged for the service.  As time went on when I worked there, the company decided to pay for it as a new benefit.
There is a parking garage, however, I am not sure how it is determined who is given a spot (there is not enough lots for all in the company).  I had to pay for parking daily at $14 a day.
There was always someone available to help you find the answer you were looking for.  Always someone there who cared.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The customers and their stories about their inherited merchandise ie blankets and board shirts 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Micro managing, it come from the top down

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment from day to day is great I get along with my manager and coworkers. Work culture is horrible.
They make you afraid to bring anything to their attention and HR,they micro manage, there is no work-life balance, and if you mention that, it is frowned upon. There is no sense of comroderide, especially from corporate office and area manager. Anything more than small talk amongst coworkers is frowned upon. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It's mostly customer service, receiving shipment, and some paperwork

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Production operator 1 salary reported	$21.64 per hour
Retail assistant manager 5 salaries reported	$15.78 per hour
Retail sales associate 51 salaries reported	$18.08 per hour
Store manager 1 salary reported	$69,320 per year
Associate manager 5 salaries reported	$23.16 per hour

Working at Pendleton Woolen Mills: Company Overview and Reviews

Pendleton Woolen Mills

Pendleton Woolen Mills Ratings

Popular jobs at Pendleton Woolen Mills

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected