Caterpillar Reviews

Pros

Not having to worry about executive management making a foolish decision that will impact my job negatively....no worry of losing my job so long as I am performing appropriately.

Cons

Large company.....sometimes it is difficult to find that one person who is an expert in the area that you need assistance or consultation.

Advice to Senior Management

Be careful not to become too shareholder focused and not enough employee focused.

Pros

Caterpillar is a very large world wide organization offering many varied career paths and different opportunities. The product is great and easy to take pride in. The brand is well known, and the company looks good on your resume. Compensation is good, particularly if you're located in central Illinois. If you find a good role and a good organization it can be an exciting and challenging place to work.

Cons

Caterpillar has grown to several times its size when I hired in, but I'm not sure it's handling the transition from a small networking focused company to a large organization. It is struggling to recognize and enable key talent. Good people are not always recognized or rewarded for good work, while sometimes people are rated well and/or promoted just so they can be "gotten rid of." That's not a sustainable process, so it's something they need to work on, as it has resulted in some very questionable in critical management positions.

Advice to Senior Management

The Jim Collins book Good to Great is frequently referenced as material the executive office is reading... The central message there is right people on the bus, wrong people off the bus. Such action at Cat would probably help solve some of the talent problems that seem to be pervading the company.

Pros

They offer overtime most of the time which somewhat even things out as far as pay. Monday thru Friday is a plus also as far as a work schedule.

Cons

They offer overtime voluntary and involuntary which is sometimes good and sometimes not. The pay could be better for a company such as Caterpillar. There's no way a max out should be $13 for a company like Cat.

Advice to Senior Management

Management should be a little more concerned for employees than themselves and maybe the turnover rate wouldn't be so high. They also need to reassess all the employees as far as with production. They maybe need to pay close attention to the people that's doing work and ex all the ones that have become lax in their roles as warehouseman.

Pros

Its a good place to learn new things. Work load is divided and for the beginers its easy to get along with others. Very friendly environment,

Cons

It takes time for you to suggest any issues or any suggestions. The suggestions takes a long time to come into effect.

Advice to Senior Management

Its a great company to start a carrer with. I learned a lot and the management is very polite and friendly.

Pros

The flexibility and trust in employees is very rewarding. They can afford to have the right tools. They make the best in their industries.

Cons

It's very big. Restructuring happens constantly. 6 Sigma. They can't get out of their own way.

Advice to Senior Management

Pick something to try and stick with it long enough to see if it works. Keep your people from burning out.

Pros

room for advancemeant,move around alot

Cons

incompetent upper management, alot is expected of you

Pros

You have a chance to excell if you are politically saavy, and have a reasonable amount of talent.

Cons

Caterpillar does not make an effort to integrate alternate work environments into their strategy. You either work te standard hours at the office or you don't work there. Little value is placed on supporting working parents in terms of flex time or work at home.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't lose the existing sense of community that some divisions have. It is being replaced by political jockeying.

Pros

Great place to work and grow.

Cons

Internal Politics dominate top management

Advice to Senior Management

Be more diverse in Top Management positions

Pros

Cat provides high tech projects that are engaging for engineers of all types. Overall the Culture of Caterpillar is one of teamwork and respect.

Cons

The biggest downside of Caterpillar is location. Although Caterpillar is a well managed company, there are some typical large company politics to deal with.

Pros

Good compensation, good company structure

Cons

Travel a lot, not much really

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up good work