retail sales associate

mechanic

department manager

merchandiser

visual merchandiser

I worked 5days a week at MEC for 5 full years. During that time I learned SO much and have friends from that time to this day. 
It is not a perfect place but when it comes to retail there is literally no better job. (I'm not kidding) the management were attentive and willing to have honest and clear conversations and even more amazing, they were willing to admit when they were wrong. 

I rated "mobility" at 3 stars because yes I saw people succeed and grow at MEC I personal stagnated and didn't see any meaningful growth as far as status or courier. In fact, about a month before the pandemic my hours were cut from 5days to 2days a week because of a weird contract issue that put me further behind than I had been in years. Luckily I got laid off shortly after. 

Despite that horrible month MEC was my home, and community for 5 meaningful years. 

The pay was good, and the mandated raise structure which rewards staff with a 50¢ raise every 500hours of work took the pressure off of staff and management. (In my view no one, least of all retail staff, should be expected to be good negotiators in order to be paid fairly) 

I think the only thing I regret is that I stayed too long. One thing I saw which could have been a coincidence is that staff who had been at the job for 2years or less tended to get a promotion. Anyone who had been there longer  than two years and hadn't been promoted to a higher paying/status position would basically never see any meaningful growth. 

If you need work and you don't mind learning one or two new things I can't recommend this place more. But know that this job is a stepping stone, NOT the destination. 

Since the take over, the business has become very corporate. Managers and permanent staff are forced to have an irregular schedule with split days off, late finishes and early starts with no consideration or consistency. Little to no weekend time and little lead time to plan a life. If you have a family or want to plan anything there is little to no balance to allow for that outside of taking vacation. Almost like some vomited a schedule each week and put it out there. 

The awards that are being won for best employer must have been bought as tenured staff are leaving in their droves and new staff are all short term with Limited working hours. Lack of staff is leading to mass burn out, staff moving on and over stressing, and very poor customer service.

Some areas of store are jammed full to the point you can not find anything and others empty with lack of stock. This makes it a very inconsistent experience for customers.

Manager try to engage staff but the message from above them is make money or they are out, as seen with the number of management positions that are always open on their careers site. The fact that the flagship store in Vancouver has no manager and 1 assistant manager shows how ruthless they have become and scrambled approach as to who they hire.

Most execs are from big box companies and this shows in how they see the future of MEC, make as much money as possible from every sale and this never ending focus on growth rather than sustainable business practices. 

MEC is an interesting case study in expectations - in some respects completely authentic and exceeding prior expectations, in others deeply disappointing. MEC advertises itself as a progressive, inclusive workplace that values work-life balance. That much is certainly true; possible benefits and possible rewards are generous. However, it also promotes itself as an "employee's workplace," so to speak, in a broader cultural and attitudinal sense, and that descriptor is a charade. Upward mobility is extremely difficult, and no one is particularly forthcoming about new frontline employees' almost exclusive status as "casual" (as opposed to part-time or full-time) workers until after hiring and onboarding. There are some terrific people in management at the store level, but also some major egos. The bike shop culture is an unfortunate reinforcement of common stereotypes about a "boys club" and "jock shop" vibe in the cycling industry. The full-time and master technician positions at the GTA location I worked at were unfortunately - with two noble exceptions - awarded to older employees of dubious leadership and interpersonal abilities. MEC is also numbingly more "corporate" (a pejorative term here) than its self-conscious image-making lets on. Join with caution - or be prepared to work in a cliquey atmosphere and check your prior hopeful expectations at the door.

Everything is great when you start out.  Everyone is friendly and there is an almost family-like atmosphere among staff. You learn a ton of information about gear and outdoor activities, and get to meet the reps for various brands.  The pay is also pretty great for a retail job, and goes up every six months depending on performance. Work life balance is respected as long as you give lots of notice for days off you need or changes in schedule.

However, after a few months, you get to know how management works, and it isn't always pleasant.  Store management plays favorites and senior staff is like a clique.  There are no advancement opportunities, and if you are having trouble understanding certain aspects of the job, you will be instantly in management's bad books and will be passed over for any opportunity that comes up. You will never have a constant schedule and it is mandatory that you are able to work at least one day on every time slot.  Weekends off are very rare, but they do cycle. Turn-over is extraordinarily high.

What is the best part of working at the company?
You get to workout your lips because of the extreme levels of butt kissing you need to commit in order to have a good productive day.

You will have fuller, stronger, rock hard lips.after all of the butt smooching

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Mismanaged warehouses, toxic work environment, egotistical management which is lesser skilled in contrast to the employees (warehouses only). Work environment is akin to the worst high school one may have been in. Managers hold vendetta. Require weekly sessions of butt kissing by favorite butt kissing employees. Easy work is assigned to experienced butt kissers. Bring a chapstick when you start your shift & buy Costco size supplies of chapstick. You will need to purchase a 24pack, every 2nd week if you want to survive this sincity.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Toxic, immature, vindictive, high-school like culture

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Refusing to kiss butt of managers and lead hands, thus getting the hardest tasks throughout the shift. (Warehouses)

It is an interesting place to work, due to the type of activity the company is engaged in. The workshop has enough infrastructure and all the tools needed, although unfortunately these resources are not exploited in favor of a quality service. 
The work environment in the workshop is a "Wild West", based on the exact words of one of the oldest mechanics. You must be prepared to listen behind walls, rude treatment against customers, co-workers and against yourself. 
Above all, be careful if you belong to a minority, you might not have the same treatment as others. Some mechanics have a lot of interest in climbing positions and salary, regardless of the means required. The managers don't do much to change this, on the opposite there is a lot of issues regarding schedules, vacations and troubles balancing the workload.
There are amazing employees that the company does not protect, as well as good elements that the company let go. Intimidation and rude treatment in the workshop, could actually have first and last name.

A typical day at work for me looked like showing up, checking in, planning MEC staff field courses, training staff, answering new staff questions, then perhaps going out and helping customers on the floor in departments I was trained in. 
I believe I learned how to budget money, I learned a lot about gear and how to pair the right gear to the right person.
Management right now is great. The DM's are amazing, and the two Store Managers are wonderful. 
The culture at MEC is unmatched, truly. If you love the outdoors and any outdoor sport, MEC is the right place to work and make friends who want to go on adventures with. All levels of management understand burnout and stress and are always available to talk. 
Hardest department to work in is Footwear. It's fast paced, can be demanding and also complicated. A good team is what gets you through the day in that department. 
The best part of the job is the people you get to work with and the lasting friendships you make!

Indeed, I am incredibly glad to have had the chance to work at the Downtown Calgary MEC. During that time, I met some of my best friends, whom I have kept to this day, and with whom I still get outside with as often as possible. 

There are many perks to working at MEC. There are staff gear auctions that allow staff to buy back gear at cents on the dollar. 

Likewise, the unpaid (but subsidized) field courses were fantastic, and set me on a trajectory to move to BC for a year and become a kayak guide. 

The people you work with, for the most part, are fantastic. The exception is that some of management can be quite cliquey... they choose their favorites in the first week and ignore you otherwise. 

I recommend that prospective staffers do their contract term, but stay realistic about their odds of getting a permanent offer or contract renewal. If you leave prior to the end of contract, you are not eligible for rehire for a number of years. 

Also, any 'lates' go onto your permanent file, (even if its by a minute) and will be considered against you if ever you apply at other locations. ;)

The people at MEC are awesome. Managers are relaxed, not overly nit picky and they treat you like a human being, not a worker. There’s a great discount, especially on yard sale items, and tons of social club activities. They hire really nice people as well- very little workplace gossip or drama; compared to some places that hire people who are 18-22, there is little tolerance for talking about coworkers which was great. The pay isn’t great, and most of us agreed on that. They pay minimum wage, but definitely have more expectations re: knowledge and customer service skills. Busy summer days meant a line up out the door, and the ability to have discernment regarding the returns. Saying no meant dealing with an unhappy customer or getting a manager- so naturally we’d try to avoid getting managers when possible. The pay should have been 19/hour imo. Definitely can’t live on the coast with 16.75/hour, and it doesn’t match a job that requires slightly more than your average customer service role. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Floor Staff and old Field Courses (No longer provided).

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Management (delegation without knowing the job or working along-side colleagues) , lack of growth, hypocritical behavior and merit based on groveling, as apposed work ethic/quality of work.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Team mentality is solid, with exception of some higher levels of managers or competitive, credit stealing colleagues. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Team meeting, hit the floor for customer service or plan out day in office. Work on visual merchandising strategies and implementation while multitasking customer service and store cleanliness. Communicate with incoming staff about any incomplete or upcoming projects and delegate prior to exiting. Tidy section/office. Communicate with management or have team meeting when ending day.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Retail sales associate 21 salaries reported	$19.20 per hour
Mechanic 5 salaries reported	$23.65 per hour
Department manager 12 salaries reported	$53,754 per year
Merchandiser 6 salaries reported	$66,575 per year
Visual merchandiser 7 salaries reported	$21.05 per hour

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