ARAMARK Reviews in Chicago, IL Area

Pros

If you focus on your work and try your best you will be recognized and rewarded.

Cons

Sometimes it can feel micro-managed.

Pros

That i got a paycheck with benefits. The work was always changing. The people in the office were polite and curteous.

Cons

The work load was too much. The work that i had to do was the work of 3 or 4 people. I was only one.

Advice to Senior Management

You need to listen to your worker and make things more tolerable. That way you will have continuity with the staff.

Pros

My Area Manager was a straight shooter about changes that would be happening within the company, especially during the economic downturn. He was very clear about changes in job responsibilities & when people needed to accomplish certain tasks. My Area mgr was respectful off my family demands and as long as I had coverage was ok with me being late or missing work if needed.

Cons

A lot of micromanagement. Lack of emphasis on quality and using the team members skills to be creative in menu design. Unfortunately losing accounts for various reasons so growth opportunities are dwindling.

Advice to Senior Management

Just as I was told by my Area Mgr, use my resources to help me focus on other things they should do the same for menu design. Go to accounts, place a lifeguard chair in the middle of the cafeteria & watch customers. They are bored by a 3 week rotation. Don't take in house foodservice for granted.

Pros

Work Life balance is ideal: I've never seen a better place from that aspect
Lower level management is always willing to listen
With the team I'm on, there is plenty of work and it seems to be growing

Cons

Management listens but nothing ever seems to get done; a big show is made of Employee Satisfaction complete with a Gallop Poll survey, but that's where it ends
The compensation is below average
Zero recognition or employee appreciation

Advice to Senior Management

Bring the compensation up to market standards and stop complaining about the National Healthcare Plan causing problems for Aramark. If you have the money to travel all over the country, surely you have the money to show some appreciation to the employees by having a lunch once in a while.

Pros

flexible work hours
11.00 per hr pay
great employees
innovative settings
room for advancement
excellant employee relation
okay full time benefit
free foods during lunch break
christmas gifts from corporate

Cons

late hours, especially for evening part-time employees
have to lift a lot of items at once
can be overwhelming
busy sessions require a lot of energy and performance

Advice to Senior Management

promote more of a work-life balance, educate servers on chances to advance within and outside of the company, offer more training

Pros

Offers internship opportunities to high school and college students

Cons

Pay is not competitive and they treat you like you should be thankful to have a job

Advice to Senior Management

Invest more time in current managers and try promoting form within

Pros

Peer respect, benefits, working hours were beneficial to living a semi-normal life, really developed a rapport with the clients and other chefs

Cons

never felt respected by middle management, had to perform culinary miracles that went against basic culinary training, given reviews but no raises in compensation, only more responsibility!

Advice to Senior Management

respect ALL of your employees, pay more for experience and education! Promote those that demonstrate expertise in subject matter and willingness to adapt to their environment!

Pros

The lower management people form a cohesive network that is a great support system for other managers. The front line employees make the company run.

Cons

Total lack of respect from upper management for the compentent managers and chefs. They make broad judgements on accounts with out actully spending any time in the field seeing the daily issues faced by the front line employees.

Pros

flexible hours, no expericen neccessary, and free food for lunch.

Cons

dead-end job, no skills to learn. very disorganized, no room for emergencies, lack of respect for others, and no communication.

Advice to Senior Management

put yourself in your employees shoes, communicate more, and have a better understanding of your work srroundings.

Pros

Decent pay and benefits.
Free meals..or subsidized.
Paid off holidays.
Regular schedule...unless they want you to change at a moment's notice.
Bonus time off for perfect attendance.

Cons

Small raises in wages and very hard to advance.
Highly political environment....it's "who you know."
Great performance not adequately rewarded, just expected.
Typical corporation mentality..."you should feel lucky to have a job."

Advice to Senior Management

Talk to your employees, they are your greatest asset. Drop the insider club. Really try to implement what you teach in management training seminars.