BAE Systems Land and Armaments Reviews

Pros

Despite getting laid off shortly after the S&S business unit closed, I highly recommend anyone to accept a position with BAE Systems if offered the opportunity. It was by far the best company I've had the pleasure working for over my 26 year career. I consider the contracts leadership committee to be comprised of the best and the brightest in the business. Employees at BAE Systems are wonderful to work with. I am proud to have worked with such an upstanding team.

Cons

None. I recognize that BAE Systems has no choice but to cut costs during these difficult times in order to be competitive on the global market.

Advice to Senior Management

I can only wish you the best during the toughest economy we've encountered since the Great Depression.

Pros

The type of technical work. Hybrid tank, how cool is that. the company/management seems to think that they can move the work to anywhere they want and the workers will follow or they will find competent workers in that new location. That has proved to not be the case.

Cons

Benefits have gotten worse and worse over the years. Health insurance premiums have gone up and up as coverage has gone down. BAE has laid off a significant portion of its workforce that had the years of knowledge that it takes to make a successful product.

Advice to Senior Management

Management has a real credibility problem that is not going to go away as soon as the lay offs stop. Once hiring starts again the people that are still around will have no trust in management.

Pros

Fair opportunities for growth and fair compensation

Cons

Limited opportunities to transfer across divisions

Advice to Senior Management

look into improving career planning and and transition planning for employees

Pros

I liked my expereince at BAE because
-Rewarding work
-Employees were open and helpful to interns
-Good place to learn/ start a career
-Interns got to to technical work

Cons

Massive lay off announced in my last week of work. No prospect to be hired on full time upon graudation.

Advice to Senior Management

There were too many people not working hard enough to support their cost. The people hired were good people but they didn't have enough to do.

Pros

Pride in the products and services offered
Competitive Compensation
Great technology portfolio

Cons

Business first people second
Do not hold leadership in business units accountable for how they are managing beyond financial reporting
Lacking vision

Advice to Senior Management

Review the operational aspects of the business units in a more granular manner and significant improvements can be made to benefit the corporate financial and human resource aspects of the business.

Pros

Good training, good benefits, fair with salaries and promotions across peers, flexible schedule, supportive with educational goals, and good bonuses based on company performance.

Cons

Matrix organization is disorganized and confusing, hiring binges resulted in mass layoffs, leadship positions change too often, bulk of work was not very technical.

Advice to Senior Management

Projects involving rapid fielding must have a specific protocol for release that streamlines the process to release the TDP with little resistance.

Pros

Retains some talented and knowledgable staff who are motivated to do their best.

Cons

Downsizing reveals the true character of an organization. BAE Systems demonstrates the typical (and worse) characteristics of a large shrinking organization where people are too worried about their own backs to a) allow data to move unfiltered or b) engage in any form of innovation which involves risk of failure.

Advice to Senior Management

Through both incorrect action and inaction, you've done too much damage. The employees have no trust in their senior leadership, and do what they are told out of fear, not respect. Bail out, and let the organization rebuild itself anew.

Pros

-Very flexible in balancing work/home life
-Good people/work environment

Cons

- Availability of technical work declining.
- Political/Financial climate does not foster innovation.
- Poor forecasting lead to mass hiring and then mass layoffs
- Program/Functional leaders are selected more for their willingness to relocate rather than their skillsets. Losing valuable experience/knowledge because of this.

Advice to Senior Management

Consider allowing employees to furlough while on overhead. This would allow BAE to retain talent with significant cost savings.

Pros

Great benefits and employees.
Opportunities for advancement if you can survive the re-orgs!!

Cons

Constant re-organizations in an industry on the downturn

Advice to Senior Management

Give a little stability and offer more compensation based on performance

Pros

Hi technology field, doing interesting work

Cons

Low number of programs, providing few opportunities to advance