Harmony by Earthwinds

The best part about working for Harmony was the team in store that I got to manage. It was a very fun environment with staff and customers. You also get a 40% off discount as a manager which is nice but benefits don’t start until 8 months. The pay isn’t worth the stress and pressure you’ll be under from upper management.  The turnover for managers was high but the turnover for sales associates was even worse across the company. Upper management will smile to your face and come across as very kind however they are manipulating, condescending, untrustworthy and fake. You cannot confide in them without other managers finding out- open door policy that they claim to follow doesn’t exist. There are no proper policies, they change day to day and don’t follow any of their policies. They are known for firing staff without cause and are very heartless about it so don’t expect security from Harmony. The values of Harmony don’t match the actual experience you’ll have. Head office will belittle you and treat you poorly as if they are above you. The communication from the owners, district supervisor and head office is so poor. They will blame you for things without investigating the issue with no communication. There is no HR, it is the mother of the owners so there is no support. The training is null, as a manager I received a week of training and was thrown in after all previous staff had just quit and wasn’t retrained until 5 months in. They won’t provide proper training hours for Sales Associates and expect them to be ready to go after 3 shifts. If you care about your mental health, avoid working here. It seems like a great place to work until you are actually employed then after 1-3 months you’ll see the transition. Im disappointed that I gave my time to this company. 

The owners of Harmony by Earthwinds are kind, generous and optimistic people who want the best for their employees and their customers. They hand-pick every item that goes in to the store with sustainability and ethics in mind. 

Management is flexible and willing to work with you to set hours that make sense for your schedule. You are given independence to work on your own at times, and other times you get to work as part of a great team. The manager is always willing to answer questions, provide feedback on performance and is a positive, refreshing person to be around. Sales associates are not on commission. There is a nurturing atmosphere between staff members and management. 

I learned a few brand new skills working here, including how to engrave, how to print designs on to mugs and I also learned a great deal about jewelry care and handling. The store has a ton of variety: clothing, jewelry, gift ware, pillows and plants. Many of the designs are customizable making it a perfect place to find something unique. The store has a serene and warm vibe, too. 

During certain seasons and sales, the store can get quite busy, however the manager is always a phone call away and will not hesitate to come help if you need it. 

I genuinely enjoy coming to work at Harmony and I'm thankful to work for such loving and considerate people.

I think the owners of the company are good people and well intentioned but they lack organization and good communication with their staff. Managers at some of the locations can be bullies and cause more stress than needed instead of working as a team with their staff.  As the assistant, I felt very taken advantage of by my manager. This included the schedule, and workload. 
 There are a lot of good people who work there but unfortunately there are some who cause a negative work environment and make work more difficult than needed. 
  I didn’t feel like my concerns were taken seriously by head office, and even though they say you can come to them about anything, I didn’t feel a lot of support from the owners. Again, I don’t think it was intentional because the owners had a lot going on but I think it would be a benefit to the company if they did check ins with staff individually (including both full time and part time). I don’t think they are aware of some of the things that go on in their stores, and sometimes it is hard for someone to speak up when they don’t want to cause more issues at work. 
I ended up leaving for a more positive work and my mental health was struggling because of that.

I would recommend when applying for a position, take the initiative to go to the website and read about how Harmony started. There is a lot more to the company than what meets the eye, and we are all proud of where we work and who we work for. 
It has been such a privilege to work for the owners for over a decade, the benefits are endless. The heart and soul of the company lies within the wholesomeness of the family and they make each employee new and old feel like you’re apart of their family. 
The family and employees have moulded my heart and soul, taught me what is really important in life and has been nothing more than supportive in every decision I have ever made and I have done the exact same for them because they only want happiness for everyone.
The wage for the positions in my opinion are fair due to the fact that they are a small business that has massively grown over the past 4-5 years. If you believe in this company like I do, I know they’re going in the right direction and the future is very bright for improvement in that area, although like I stated I think it’s completely fair. 
I’ve been a very loyal and honest employee and I deeply cherish my everlasting employment with Harmony.

The girls who work here are the main reason the store is still doing so well. They try very hard to maintain the energetic and fun atmosphere that Harmony once had. 

Management is where the trouble lies for this company. As the other post also mentioned, they are perpetually stressed and tend to take this out on their staff members. They spend little time in their stores but have very high expectations. The turnover rate is very high, and they seem to let many employees go with little notice or reason. Their point-of-sale system is extremely outdated and unreliable. The information you receive from each location will vary as there isn't much consistency between stores with pricing, staff training or inventory. 

This company also preaches about being sustainable and how they don't use plastic in store (every piece of clothing will come individually wrapped in plastic...). 

PROS
- fair trade clothing, decent quality jewelry with large selection 

CONS
- lack of organization and communication from owners, no job security or opportunity to advance

Fun work environment and good ethics behind the products, but that's about it. 

Management is a mess, they're CONSTANTLY hiring (because they drop so many people for no reason), and the pay is minimum wage with no benefits. Because of the high turnaround, everyone seems to be "in training". The point of sales system is awfully outdated, and communication with the owners is impossible since they're always abroad. When they do return, they're perpetually stressed and can't seem to manage a business properly. 

The coworkers are all nice and friendly - but ultimately in terms of job functionality, the cons outweigh the pros.

This is the only place I have worked where I look forward to coming in for my shift! I am always greeted with smiles by the owners when they are in the store, they take the time to talk to you and follow up with any concerns you may have. Management is also so kind and helpful in training, assisting with difficult or stressful environments (when there is a rush, they always step in to help!) and educating on the history of the store & its products. I felt confident as a new hire engaging with customers for this reason.
My fellow coworkers are equally as pleasant to work with! I feel very connected and happy in this workplace because it aligns with my personal values and I am always learning so much while working here.

A very special place and it's LOCAL! :)

I enjoyed working here at the start of my job but then quickly noticed that the owners create a toxic environment. They are constantly testing there staff and will fire you for any slight mistake without even speaking with you about it first. They pay less than most part time jobs, even though you practically have to run the store as the owners are never there. You are also expected to close by yourself and if the till is not balanced you cannot leave until it is. Overall this was my most negative job experience I have had. Big corporations care more about there employees than this small business does.

The Harmony team was a fantastic thing to be a part of, the work environment was always very warm and welcoming. The staff were always helpful and fun to work with, and the management staff were very accommodating and easily approachable, and were a pleasure to work with as well.

My manager at this job was amazing. She made the job really fun and the work days went by really quickly. The organization of the company could have been a lot better. The point of sale system they used was terrible.

Working at Harmony by Earthwinds: company overview and reviews

Harmony by Earthwinds

Harmony by Earthwinds ratings

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected