Arizona Public Service Company Reviews

Pros

Every department seems to be its own animal, but if you're lucky enough to be in a group unaffected by the politics and nepotism, it is a great place to work. The pay is good for contractors.

Cons

Lack of security being a contractor is concerning, as is the politics should you be ensnared. The nepotism is a negative and part of the politics which can trip you up.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't let a relative of a long-time worker just exist because of their relation, but make them pull their own weight.

Pros

Pay and benefits were great they offer a pension and a 401k with a match. lots of time off and almost every holiday off.

Cons

It will be hard to get hired unless you are related or good friends with someone that works there. You will notice that everyone who has been there for a long period of time has family who is in management or has family that is good friends with management. So when work does get slow you will have a tough time keeping your job.

Advice to Senior Management

It seems that there is a tremendous amount of politics that go into making decisions. If there was less nepotism the company would be more efficient.

Pros

Employees are working hard and want to do a good job.

Cons

Organization is complacent and willing to live with status quo. They lack strategic foresight and seem unmoved by a changing industry. Leaders complain that employees are unwilling to share ideas or express opinions but there are political ramifications when they are. It is a highly, highly political organization. There is a lack of trust and hidden agendas.

Advice to Senior Management

Be open, believe in your people, and take a hard look at the future of the utilities industry in the upcoming years from a people and strategic perspective. It may also be time to examine what's really happening in HR.

Pros

The company is good, but it depends on the location you work at, they are doing some job title changes with decreases in pay grades and employees are being displaced.

Cons

Women do not get the same opportunites as men and they still are paid less than men.

Advice to Senior Management

Give employees chances for advancement. We go do school, get degrees, and still we are not promoted. Give the frontline the chances you told us you would.

Pros

Solid workflow. Never overwhelmed but typically something to do. Good to great upper management. Fairly competent direct lead(s). Great personalities in the workforce. Great opportunities for advancement with a little drive and initiative. Many employees are simply happy and content to work for APS and standing out in a crowd is easily achieved with ambition.

Cons

Many employees not pulling their weight entirely and simply collecting a check and great benefits. A lot of politics in the workforce that can be either be used to your benefit or work out the opposite if you have a black sheep personality. Entirely too long of a process / wait to go from a contractor to permanent employee in IT.

Advice to Senior Management

Re-evaluate contractor growth and development plan(s) and put a solid foundation in place for contractor advancement. I know that the pool of contractors can sometimes be difficult to invest in for many reasons, incompetence / lack-of-drive mainly, but work with your key players that are contractors to get them in the right role. I had to create my own advancement through hard work and networking.

Pros

The place is really a great place to work and lots of opportunities for growth

Cons

Sometimes the inter department fighting gets annoying

Advice to Senior Management

they need to reduce middle management staff

Pros

Benefits, Work - family balance, Flexible schedule, Good environment

Cons

Routine duties. no scope for R&D

Advice to Senior Management

Improve mentors program for new engineers. Senior management is paid too much vs trench level employees.

Pros

The Benefits are teriffic if you are an employee. But the company only seems to hire contractors in IT.

Cons

The front line and mid level management is pretty bad. disorganized, political, etc.

Advice to Senior Management

Clean out your front line/middle management in IT.

Pros

Benefits, work-life balance, best company I have worked for.

Cons

Routine duties. Narrow job responsibilites makes the job boring.

Advice to Senior Management

Sr mgrs are overpaid

Pros

Arizona Public Service company is the kind of company a good family man can work for. The benefits are great, the work is reasonable and rewarding and the opportunities for growth are reasonable. They do a decent job of managing the requirements between federal regulation (I worked at the nuclear plant) and common sense. The total compensation package is really good, with many bonuses available, annual raises, plenty of paid vacation and a good overall health plan. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend anybody for employment at their company. They seem to recognize problems in advance and honestly strive to fix them when needed.

Cons

Having worked at the nuclear plant, I can say that they hire a lot of "dead weight" - or employees who can't pull their own fair share. Being a large company, it seemed to take a criminal offense - sometimes not even that - to get a person fired. Many many folks who never deserved to have such a great job have worked there too long, and there is a general sense of apathy towards the work by other employees. This varies from department to department but still permeates the entire workforce in general. Recently there has been some very talented people leave and it didn't seem that management was too concerned.

Advice to Senior Management

Be careful who you hire.