Allstate Reviews in Chicago, IL Area

Pros

Work can be interesting and impact people's lives in a positive way
Collaborative work culture
Good benefits
Telecommuting options
Nice facilities

Cons

Leadership seems unable to grow the business
Budget shortfalls result in work stoppages
Reduction in force imminent
No assurance of job security as in days gone by
Off-shoring, off-shoring, off-shoring

Advice to Senior Management

Be accountable. Be smart. Enough of the new-age, touchy-feely pschobabble initiatives that cost millions of dollars and mean nothing. Listen, but lead.

Pros

If work life balance is what you want than Allstate is the perfect company to work for. Salary is not good here.

Cons

Growth is not well here at Allstate... It is really difficult to get into senior positions. Insurance industry is boring.

Advice to Senior Management

If you really want to retain the best talent than the salary needs to go up and not giving more work

Pros

The atmosphere isgreat and the employees are really nice. The customers ca be a little rough at times, but that come along withthe territory. Overall the pay is decentstarting off and there isroom for advancement.

Cons

More feedbac from upper level management about work production. not too much favortsm, however from time to timeis doeshappen and it is noticeable.

Advice to Senior Management

The atmosphere isgreat and the employees are really nice. The customers ca be a little rough at times, but that come along withthe territory. Overall the pay is decentstarting off and there isroom for advancement.

Pros

Work life balance is fantastic, PTO program for days off is great, people are skilled but leaving in droves for numerous reasons

Cons

new pay structure is the same for everyone (no "hot" career fields are rewarded in IT despite tons of outside opportunities), managed by fear, always waiting for the next negative announcement, entry leadership positions are with little to no decision making ability or pay increase - merely write reviews for team members and take the fall if they screw up, morale is at rock bottom, leadership is clueless that talented people are leaving in droves and has been defensive when the subject is discussed, outsourcing is a priority and helping the company to increase outsourcing is something employees are reviewed on, company has a culture of regular leadership changes (in short time intervals) so continuity is non-existent, I have witnessed 8 oranizational changes in the last 10 years - it's like trying to hit a moving target, company has a culture of NOT using lessons learned for the benefit of future efforts. Was one a company with some dysfunction (like most large companies have) but had great people who made things work extremely well. In the last few years, it has become a company with SEVERE dysfunction and many good people with talent and options are leaving willingly because they see the downward spiral.

Advice to Senior Management

Empower your front line employees to make decisions on the work they do (processes, organization structure, etc) because they are the experts. One size fits all does not work. Changing the entire organization to fix one or two broken processes breaks other things that worked! Continuity is important. Managing with a constant state of fear does not foster innovation because employees with low morale are not typically as productive. Make decisions based on the presence of DATA and FACTS, not because an important situation just needs a change. Constant reactive decisions are not a way to run a business. When making changes, ask "what problem am I trying to fix" instead of just making changes to put a management regeme's stamp on the organization.

Pros

Big company. Long history. Solid change.

Cons

Company has cut back and let go of many folks. They advised them they can retire or get fired...new processes seem to only impact older employees. Newer employees typically don'g last more than two years these days. This job is not fun. This company is committing suicide.

Advice to Senior Management

You wont have a job come retiring age. Make sure you keep your resume updated.

Pros

Flexible schedule, autonomy, reasonable hours

Cons

Constantly changing comp structure, no control over drivers of incentive comp, poor communication from senior management, confusing strategy.

Advice to Senior Management

Have the guts to reprimand people who are abusing company policies, vs. penalizing everyone with draconian policy changes. Pick a comp structure and stick with it.

Pros

Good family friendly environment
Immediate management was solid.
Solid pay when working on projects no one wanted to touch.

Cons

Upper management out of touch with the reality of the work place.
Double standard when doing good work. They will not advance you because you can not be replaced, yet will look to fire you because you have never advanced.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper management get a clue and help your managers get the support they need to help people advance their careers. Stop hiring consultants to figure out how to out source jobs when the cost of lost buisness sky rockets when said positions are moved overseas. Look at the long term goals more than the immediate money saving. It always ends up costing more in the end.

Pros

- great time off (if you have been there a while)
- great people (although morale is low)

Cons

- morale
- crappy work
- lots of pitting of vendors vs. employees

Advice to Senior Management

stop outsourcing - the system is well and truly broken. you need to stabilize it before you cannibalize it any more than you already have. make a commitment to a system... honestly how long can a migration take? When I started, I was told Alert was being shut down. It's over 15 yrs, ALERT is still around. You need to look at why.

Pros

coworkers
benefits
bonus structure in the past ( but no longer)

Cons

unrealistic goals
incompetent management
internal distrust and hatred between departments, call center sites and local agents
constantly taking away and cutting from producers and front line employees and giving to incompetent upper management
always behind and copying competition

Advice to Senior Management

lower rates, insurance score and prior insurance history are not the end all be all of risk management
promote qualified not yes men

Pros

Work/family flexibility, wonderful people, solid benefits

Cons

Zero prioritiazation of work and budget

Advice to Senior Management

Replace some of the members of the SLT