Constellation Wines Reviews

Pros

Great work/life balance
Excellent self-paced on-line learning
Opportunities for outside learning
Fun industry with a variety of challenges
Many Directors and Managers are very "Open Door"

Cons

Corporate and local leadership are not on the same page
Some middle managers are not good people managers and should not be in the position
Deadlines are not realistic based on tools to get there
Outside industry reputation is very mixed
Poor promotional opportunities at the local level

Advice to Senior Management

The Good Old Boys network has been dead and buried for a long time, need to move forward and figure out ways to promote and educate the good quality people you have even if they are not housed in New York. Lots of imbalances in job titles and salaries.

Pros

For the most part, winemakers wear a lot of hats so there is a lot of variety. They also get good exposure to what is happening internally as well as in other parts of the company so they understand the 'big picture' as well as the day to day operations. Excellent opportunities for management training, ongoing education and ability to participate in industry events. They are also finally working on new product development, utilizing fresh ideas, good label design and marketing...very exciting.

Cons

There tends to be a lot of bias and favoritism when it comes to promoting. Working hard and doing an excellent job seem to be secondary to how well you schmooze your manager. Like anywhere, there are some people in management who simply are not good at or qualified for what they do which can be frustrating. It's kind of a fraternity so if you aren't part of the club, don't expect recognition or advancement. If you are the kind of person who doesn't need ANY recognition and can be satisfied simply by knowing, for yourself, that you've done a good job then you should be fine.

Advice to Senior Management

Would suggest doing annual or bi-annual reviews of management by subordinates (anonymously) to ensure that employees feel good about the leadership they are receiving and have an opportunity for them to point out shortcomings that could be addressed to make the teams more coherent, efficient and productive if needed.

Also, figure out a way to maintain relationships with growers and lock in good fruit sources. Too many vineyards of high quality are being let go for cheaper, seriously inferior, fruit. Work smarter, try to build customer loyalty rather than selling wine at th cheapest price with the most profitability.

Pros

for the area, pay and benefits are pretty much unmatched. At least once a week, there is a tasting and you get to sample new products, or do a taste testing for developing products. There
is opportunity for education both on the company intranet and through outside sources.

Cons

After working there many years, and being one of the more tenured team members, I saw the morale come to devasting low levels, the stress increase exponentially, and those fresh out of college and/or the 'favorites of management' being promoted ahead of those with experience and loyalty to the company. There is a culture of favoritism that is disheartening. When you see MULTIPLE people taking medical leave for stress, you know something is rotten. Don't even think about offering solutions to issues that differ in opinion to the management - you'll get either ignored for future conversations or reprimanded. I routinely saw co-workers in the bathroom for 'intestinal upset', people crying at their desks. My job became merely a means of financial survival. Now that I am out of the company I am happier, healthier, and yes, while making less at my current job, feel a satisfaction that I had not had in years with Constellation. There is LIFE after CWUS, and it's a better one.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper management creates a bottom line for each quarter without seriously considering how it's going to get there. Good people have been cut, and their workload split up among the remaining. You can't get blood from a stone. We can have all the flowery speeches and rah rah sessions in the world, but employees would rather have the support of management rather than being told to suck it up, because there are figures to be met. Jay Wright is a brilliant, likeable man. I do think he has the ability to improve the morale, but he has to be given good information, not be told what those in self-preservation mode think he needs to hear.

Pros

Good benifits packages is above average for industry.

Cons

Poor choices in managers. Lacked industry experience and understanding

Advice to Senior Management

Review management performance against realistic company goals more closely. There are quite a few underperforming managers that probably should not be in the position they have.

Pros

Work / Life balance practiced in most positions. Often people are "at the winery working" while they are enjoying gourmet food and wine tastings.
Solid wine education.
Strong market-hold in the industry.
Good place to learn.

Cons

The good people leave. Marketing and Sales experience way above average turnover.
Senior management doesn't walk the walk. HR is barely staying above water. There is a strong disconnect between marketing theory and execution. Marketing leadership is self-centered more than team oriented.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn employment law. Respect the time of your employees by not canceling meetings over and over. Maintain a small business, grower feel, even though the company is corporate and large. Enhance digital communication with the end user via social media. Include all levels in team building.

Pros

Work/Life balance
Laid back atmosphere
Great industry that is fun to work in

Cons

No promotability in the local office
Pays significantly lower than average in the Bentonville CPG community

Advice to Senior Management

Work on a career path for your employees

Pros

Top of the acquisition ladder. Can't lose your job because Constellation buys your winery, because you work for Constellation already.
Generally good benefits.
Part of a sometimes glamorous industry--wine perks, etc.
Generally supports further education and training if you can find the time.

Cons

Your experience will vary greatly depending on your manager--make sure who is hiring you is currently in favor upstream.
Very political. Sense of being in constant competition with everyone around you.
Endlessly restructuring and reorganizing departments. Company seems to feel that keeping staff in a state of constant insecurity is the best way to get them to go above and beyond in their jobs.
Company has grown too large to competently do justice to its entire portfolio--only a few brands get the attention they need.
Lots of corporate driven compromises to quality with no end in sight.

Advice to Senior Management

You have good people, make them feel appreciated and secure in their jobs. Stop reorganizing just for the sake of it. Remember that wine is not a widget, you can only "optimize" so much before your 50 brands start becoming completely interchangeable and ultimately irrelevant.

Pros

Great benefits, such as vacation & medical coverage. Unparalleled wine knowledge training for industry veterans and newcomers to the alcoholic beverage category. Job opportunities within the company are available.

Cons

Base compensation is consistently below the market. Career planning can be overlooked by supervisors. Direct promotions/advancement can be difficult in certain channels of the company. Overall negative is, like most places, you do not know your manager's strengths until it's too late.

Advice to Senior Management

Leadership positions exist to provide guidance and oversight to those you manage. That includes training for everyday tasks - to career-pathing. If you have dialog with employees regarding these things, act on them. Don't tell them what you think they want, just simply, listen AND act.

Pros

Good carreer advancement. However, it tends to favor outsiders.

Cons

tends to favor outsiders for promotions.

Advice to Senior Management

NOne

Pros

Working in the wine industry and with people who are passionate about wine makes work a more interesting place to spend 40 hours per week. Most people within the company definitely live the wine country lifestyle, and the company is very good at recognizing the need for a good work/life balance. Most employees do not work over 45 hours per week.

Cons

For the last several years, the company has been continuously acquiring smaller wine companies, making the corporate structure very unstable. Also, the company is much larger than most other wine corporations, and it has a very corporate feel compared to most companies within the industry. The pay is somewhat within wine industry standards, which makes it extremely low compared to most other industries.

Advice to Senior Management

Offer more training to employees and make departments and positions more structured. There is not a clear division of labor between jobs, making responsibilities unclear at times and making it difficult to complete tasks.