Our Values
What Does It Mean to Be Great Place To Work Certified™? Harbor Freight’s Mission to Be the Best Place To Work and Shop
What Does It Mean to Be Great Place To Work-Certified™?
Harbor Freight’s Mission to Be the Best Place To Work and Shop
Dan S.
Senior Director of People and Culture at Harbor Freight
From “Great” to “Best” – Our Mission
Harbor Freight opened its doors in 1977 to provide tradespeople and DIYers alike with the tools to do the best job at the right price. We have an unwavering commitment to the products we make and the individuals who make us the best place to work and shop. We’re incredibly proud of what our championship team has accomplished, and what we will aim to achieve in the future, which is why we updated our Mission Statement to reflect that aim:
At Harbor Freight, our mission is to be the best place to work and the best place to shop.
For the third year in a row, Harbor Freight was Great Place to Work Certified™, a recognition that is given to employers who create an outstanding employee experience. This certification is based on actual Associate feedback and independent analysis, which is why we’re feeling especially honored to celebrate this win. Our people-first culture is something we will never compromise on and will continue to uphold for years to come. This recognition is a badge of honor for Harbor Freight, and it’s symbolic of our greater mission to not just be good, or just be great, but to be the best — because that is what our Associates and customers deserve.
To help us learn more about our certification and our mission, we enlisted Dan, Senior Director of People and Culture, to tell us more about what he finds most inspiring about Harbor Freight’s culture and how he supports Harbor Freight’s commitment to be not just an employer of choice, but the employer of choice.
Meet Dan!
Could you tell us a bit more about your career journey here at Harbor Freight?
I was hired in 2016 as the Director of Talent Acquisition and have been promoted twice: first into the Director of People and Culture, then into my current role as Senior Director of People and Culture. The focus on our people and culture in my current role has been highly rewarding, challenging, and fun.
Why did you join Harbor Freight, and what are some aspects of Harbor Freight that you love now that you’re nearly a decade in?
I joined Harbor Freight because of the culture, which is usually a buzzword that companies overuse and don’t mean, but that wasn’t the case here. Every Associate and leader I spoke to during my interview process made it clear that the culture at Harbor Freight was special. I have stayed at Harbor Freight because of the team I have been able to build, lead, work, and grow with over the years. I work with the smartest people in retail that love what they do and love helping people.
We appreciate your commitment to making sure Associates find joy within our team culture, so we’re curious – what brings you joy outside of work?
I love to be outside – when its warm. I love to hike, kayak, and visit zoo or botanical gardens. In addition to being outside, I also love to spend time with my 8 nieces and nephews. Lastly, I love to go on adventures – whether that is local or somewhere in the world – to learn about people and their cultures.
to support the people in his local community.
with his nieces and nephews.
Learn About Dan’s Perspective of Harbor Freight being a Great Place to Work™.
The 2025-2026 certification marks the third one in a row for Harbor Freight – what are some elements about us that you believe allows us to continue to get such positive sentiment from Associates year after year?
Whenever I visit a store or one of our distribution centers, I always ask our Associates two questions. First, ‘what initially attracted you to Harbor Freight’? The answer 9.9 times out of 10 is “the culture.” Next, I ask ‘what keeps you working at Harbor Freight’? The answer 10 out of 10 times is, ‘the people I work with’. That is why we continue to be recognized as a great place to work – Our People and Our Culture.
This certification puts us in the same arena as other employers in the industry. What are some ways in which Harbor Freight differs from these employers?
It’s interesting because when we decided to pursue getting certified as a Great Place to Work, the organization that runs it told us that most do not get certified their first year. Not only did we get certified the first year, we had 91% of Associates saying they considered Harbor Freight a great place to work and shop, which is similar to or greater than companies who have been recognized as great for years. I do not share that to brag, but to give our People and our Culture another callout. When you take care of your Associates, they will take care of you, and at Harbor Freight, we are all about People.
Is there a good memory or story you have where you witnessed our Great Place to Work certification exemplified?
One of our values at Harbor Freight is collaboration. When most think of collaboration you think of like-minded people in similar positions – brainstorming ideas to fix a problem. At Harbor Freight we do it differently. Our executives collaborate with all levels of Associates on all things – our executives leave their titles at the door. Big decisions are not just for executives or senior leaders at Harbor Freight. We find solutions, own the outcomes, learn and grow, and then celebrate the wins – TOGETHER.
We know there’s always room to grow and develop here at Harbor Freight – in the spirit of Continuous Improvement, what are some initiatives that Harbor Freight plans to improve upon in the future to build the best place to work and shop?
I will celebrate my tenth year at Harbor Freight in August of 2025. The company has done so many things to improve, it’s hard to point to just one. In the ten years I have been at this company I have seen so much progress when it comes to people initiatives. Whether it is how many hours we offer part-time Associates or guaranteeing said hours. Providing flexible schedules, upgrading technology to make jobs easier and better, or offering competitive health benefits. We never settle when it comes to taking care of, recognizing, and rewarding our people.
You deserve to join a championship team that puts you first! Don’t just take our word for it — Follow our social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to discover our commitment to people straight from real Associates who built accomplished careers with us. Don’t miss out!
We offer positions at our Retail, Distribution Center, and Corporate teams nationwide — both on-site jobs and remote work opportunities are available. If you strive for excellence in everything you do and want a long-lasting career with unlimited growth, check out our latest jobs using the button below and apply online today.
