Ameren Reviews

Pros

work life balance , stability of work.

Cons

very few growth prospect, stagnation.

Pros

Exceptional compensation and benefits-premium pay package with very little effort required
established company; secure in what they are doing-no pressure to always do more

Cons

Disparate treatment for employees on regulated vs unregulated sides of business; unregulated side treated as poor step children-don't have funding to maintain equipment but are still required to participate in all company programs-even to the point that they layoff people but still participate in employee safety fair that costs thousands--for a 1 day "picnic"

Advice to Senior Management

Try to focus on making the business better; investing in equipment and people instead of always working on ways for you to look good, win awards based on work of others and regularly enhancing your own pay, bonuses and perks.

Pros

I like the flexible work hours, nice work-from-home policy, friendly colleagues,job security and constant challenges from different projects. Ameren is very conservative compared with other utilities.

Cons

The cafeteria is horrible. I mean, I don't understand why they can't lease it out to McDonald and KFC to have some competition. The food is expensive, code and terrible. People have to bring their own lunch.

Advice to Senior Management

Change the way we do business. Due to the monopoly on UE side for years, Ameren is like a dinosaur with huge body and little head. The head is little because it doesn't make all decisions based on market, but rather on "old school" ways. Dinosaurs are extinct now.

Pros

Good work/life balance, it was not uncommon to see fellow coworkers arriving at 7AM and leaving at 3PM each day. Most people in the company are nice and easy to get along with. Good benefits and a decent match on the 401k. Compensation was good for the amount of work required.

Cons

For those trying to challenge themselves, Ameren might not be the best place to work. There are very few projects, which is partially a function of the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" mentality that is common among utilities. There is simply no urgency to improve processes or look for efficiencies. Along those lines, there is very little room for creative thinking. Workers are expected to do what they are told and nothing else. Promotions are usually based on seniority rather than merit.

Advice to Senior Management

- Be more transparent -- "regular" employees don't really know what management is trying to accomplish
- Be more open to new ideas -- the company is conservative, but that doesn't mean it should be closed to new ideas

Pros

salary and benefits are good

Cons

vacation and sick leave policy is too restrictive

Advice to Senior Management

A degree does not ensure a quality hire..

Pros

Amazing Work Ethics. Senior Management to look upto

Cons

Very Slow Culture. Need to be self motivated to keep going. Very slow coordination between various groups

Advice to Senior Management

Get out of the way

Pros

Pay is good for the area.

Cons

Slow to change direction. Doesn't understand customers or changing expectations of the customer for product delivery. Ineptness at addressing relationships with regulators and governmental bodies has resulted in deterioration of profit margins and degraded financial ratings. Company's mis-handling of transition to market based rates in Illinois was a major disaster that may be downfall of whole company.

Advice to Senior Management

Unload the coal, embrace environmentally sound technologies for generation of power. Hiring a pretty face (Karen Foss) for PR will not cover up the previous poor decisions that have been made nor regain the customer's trust and respect.

Pros

Pension, Benefits, 9-5 workstyle, stable, Easy commute

Cons

Poor Leadership. Rampant Nepotism, Slow to Embrace Technology, Affirmative-Action run-amoc

Advice to Senior Management

Get out of the way and retire.