BC Hydro Reviews

Pros

Pay, benefits and hours worked are very good.

Cons

Repetition of job can get to one.

Advice to Senior Management

None.

Pros

They have adequate training for what is needed and are very safety conscious, the pension I understand is very good and when the overtime comes it is hard work but worth the double time. Some experience is gained by good work habits and credibility, merit is their key to promotion.

Cons

Some people are hard to get along with, you really need to watch your back and focus on the work, if you aren't careful the company will make an example (fair or not) of you. Knowing the right people and getting along with the others goes a long way, merit isn't the only credential to positive movement. If the company were to encourage more specific training in regards to specific fields, that would be an asset, but often specialized training is given to only a percious few who...again know the right people to talk too.

Advice to Senior Management

More equitable treatment of employees, remove the segregation of the regulars vs. the full time temps, and possibly a little more understanding on all sides would go a long way to making things better for everyone.

Pros

- job security
- benefits
- offices are nice
- overall people are great

Cons

- typical top down management style
- lack of leadership and ability to communicate vision
- accountability is touted as one of the corporate values but it is not enforced
- recognition and career advancement is not based on actual abilities or knowledge. Performance evaluations are completely meaningless.
- no follow through on support for continuing education or career growth
- Though management says they want "out of the box thinking", in reality it is never supported unless it comes from the top.
- no cross functional teams. Departments work in silos.
- organizational structure is an old style that does not allow for effectively sharing information or engaging in teamwork

Advice to Senior Management

- Do not hire "managers" - recruit leaders with vision at all levels.
- Look at re-organizing factions of the company in order to foster teamwork, lose some redundancy, and better utilize the skills of workers.
- Enforce accountability in order to ensure people are doing their part.
- Spend time "on the floor" to find out what is really going on and set-up a Forum where new ideas can be brought forth without being stifled by layers of management.

Pros

Extensive flexible benefits package
Defined benefit pension plan
All job opportunities are posted internally first, and 90% are filled internally
Good flexibility to move around to different parts of the company using only your existing skill set

Cons

Lack of business focus and drive - decisions are political rather than focusing on the product that brings in the revenue and take far too long to make
Company is exceedingly complex for its small size
Promotions are politically-based rather than competence-based, especially at the mid and senior management levels
Executive are out of touch with frontline employees
Too much focus and resources spent on non-revenue business units such as Power Smart and Customer Care
Many executive and senior managers have only ever worked for Hydro so lack breadth of knowledge and business acumen

Advice to Senior Management

Simplify the organization structure, processes, and endless paperwork
Focus resources on the areas that produce the revenue
Hire outside expertis to expand the knowledge and acumen of the senior management
Drive accountability and weed out employees who are underperforming

Pros

Lots of projects, so lots of work. Good company benefits. There are a lot of interesting people who work there.

Cons

Incompetent and unsupportive management. They really don't care. There is a lot of bullying in that organization. It is very dog eat dog.

Advice to Senior Management

If you are a good manager, then leave the company, it is not a place that good people can thrive.

Pros

Generally relaxed approach to work
Nice benefits
Lots of meetings with lot of people lot of days

Cons

Lets do meetings - gets to a point where it is clear many people do only meetings as their real work
Politics drive everything from top to bottom
Performance reviews are a joke
Un-qualified people get promotions to support workplace diversity goals
No technical competence left in middle management. Lot of back stabbing and claiming credit for others work

Advice to Senior Management

Dont promote unqualified people for political reasons
Remove committee driven culture

Pros

Corporate Culture
Recognition
Relax environment

Cons

Lack in variety of work

Advice to Senior Management

.

Pros

BC Hydro offers a great work environment. The people are friendly and helpful, and the managers are respectful and understanding. the work life balance is fantastic.

Cons

because it's a union environment, you sometimes get people who don't want to do anything outside of their job descriptions. Also, the process of change is fairly slow.

Advice to Senior Management

The one area that needs significant improvement is interdepartmental communication. There should be more focus on bringing different business units together and promoting collaboration.

Pros

BCH was really involved in our department and made great effort to show how important we are as the 'face' of BC Hydro. They are a sustainable company as much as possible and actively practice the 'triple bottom line' in their business.

Cons

We often had to travel around BC (sometimes to really small towns where there weren't hotels so we had to stay in cabins...) so eating, sleeping, working together made for some interesting times.

Advice to Senior Management

I would have appreciated a team leader who was excited about the job and wanted to get involved with our tasks every once in a while, and who offered encouragement and support. It's draining at times and it would have been nice to have some understanding and support.

Pros

can be a relaxing environment, depending on where you work. If you are a new engineer fresh out of college there are many opportunities with their engineering in training program which is quite rewarding. Lots of benifits.

Cons

Work may or may not be challenging, again this may depend on what you are working on, if you're a co-op student, there may not be sufficient work for you during your co-op term.

Advice to Senior Management

Ensure co-op students are actively participating in engaging activities that relate to their studies. Routinely communicate with your co-op students.