Fine if you don't want to be managed - Anonymous employee Brooks Running Employee Review

3.0
Aug 10, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There used to be plenty of pros at the company, flexibility, opportunity, good work ethic, decent managers, however things have changed now there is a new management team in. So there arent any pros

Cons

The new management should not be in the positions that they are. Many people have left due to the way the company is now run.

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Brooks Running Response
7y
Hi – thanks for taking the time to give feedback even though it is a tough read. Now in the fourth decade of my working life, I’ve come to the conviction that life is too short to spend 40+ hours a week on something that does not feed you in some fashion. I wish you well in finding a place that is in sync with your goals. At Brooks, like every other company, our success over time will depend on our ability to satisfy customers, nurture a culture that attracts and retains great people, and deliver long-term value to our shareholders (in our case Berkshire Hathaway). From a leadership point of view, we will never be perfect against these goals every day on every team across Brooks. But in 2018, we’ve never been more successful as we are the fastest growing brand in running with results at the top of our industry. While Brooks is winning on all fronts and attracting customers, talented employees, and shareholder support in record fashion, no company is a good fit for every person. Again, I sincerely hope your next chapter holds what you’re looking for. Jim

Explore other reviews about Brooks Running

5.0
Jun 16, 2026
Anonymous contractor
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- excellent employee perks - gorgeous HQ office buildings with amenities - free lunch - supportive and passionate team members

Cons

- parking is not free for employees, but there are commuter benefits to offset that

2.0
Jun 7, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

PTO and benefits are good. There is free lunch and an onsite gym. Employees are encouraged to run and stay active, with office next to the Burke-Gilman running trail.

Cons

The culture is presented as fun and healthy but in reality it is fairly toxic within specific departments and feels very “high school”. It is also very hierarchical with lots of corporate bureaucracy. The company caters more to middle and upper level management, so expect limited growth and development opportunities. Unclear, constantly changing expectations and overlapping job roles are a common theme. Leadership is not held accountable within the organization. People who play the game and assimilate to the culture are rewarded and perpetuate the status quo way of doing things. This leads to a lack of diversity in thought but also diversity in general especially at the leadership level. There is an added complexity to everything that makes even the most simple work difficult. Everyone is overwhelmed by too many meetings and yet there is not a lot of cross-functional collaboration, as all of the teams work in silos and compete for resources. The company is trying to become a more global, but there are a lot of growing pains associated with this. For a growing company with headquarters in a location like Seattle, the pay is low and not competitive enough to attract and retain top talent. The office buildings also face local area constraints like expensive parking which is passed on to the employee. The company incentivizes alternative transportation but it can be difficult to figure out the best way to get to work. There has been reduced flexibility to work from home with more emphasis put on being in the office.

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