Crayola Reviews

Pros

Great people
Common goals
Power of the brand

Cons

Sometimes too reserved in thinking

Pros

A major employer in the Lehigh Valley.
The vision of an awesome corporate culture is in writing but never truly executed.

Cons

The ability to grow from within is a myth. Departments refuse to work together for a united effort. Unable to complete projects if you do not get support and cooperation.

Advice to Senior Management

Embrace the ideas and suggestion from your employees.
Human resources should be a strategic partner between the employee and management.

Pros

Great brand, great product, exceptional salaries.

Cons

Uninspiring leadership. No real vision. Extreamly non-diverse company in thought, color, and gender especially in executive leadership roles.

Advice to Senior Management

Innovation and diversity is a mindset first, a process second.

Pros

Crayola has a great brand name, great culture, although they never fully realized their own potential. Nice place to live.

Cons

Management just didn't have a clear compelling vision.

Advice to Senior Management

Mgt needs to harness the brand name even more.

Pros

Good atmosphere, great people, engaged employees, plenty of training. Best pay I ever saw for any job I've had in my 30+ year career.

Cons

(I worked there as a contractor during 2005-2006, replacing a regular [now ex] employee who was playing the FMLA game as often as federal regulations permitted.)

Too much bureaucracy. Matrix's, upon matrix's, upon matrix's. Some departments are so overloaded with focus and responsibilities it would be impossible for the number of humans working within them to accomplish the goals and tasks to anyone's satisfaction. This company obsesses over employee wellness.

I agree with the other commenter, keep your resume up to date because once you're fully trained on your job, accountability matrix's, pressure and stress will be your constant companions. Like any corporate entity, God forbid anyone outside of your select group of confidantes, also sharing your pain within your department, learn of your logical displeasures.

Advice to Senior Management

Recognize your employees strive for the perfection you're demanding and endure stress on your behalf. The least you could do is allow them some time off to refresh/regroup. Encourage freedom of expression instead of repressing it....after all, aren't the products you're selling designed to allow just that?!

Pros

Great products, great people, dedicated to quality and the experience of the consumer. It is truly a brand you can believe in.

There is a ton of experience with people who have spent their entire career with Crayola. They have a good performance management system that they have used for some significant internal promotions.

Cons

It is family owned (Hallmark Cards is the parent) so it is not subject to the whims of the stock market, but there is a strong resistance to the change needed to grow the company as much as they want. It is still very susceptible to a bureaucratic lack of inertia and to powerful fiefdoms where personality is more important that ability, but there are some efforts to move away from this.
I was told early on by a vendor to keep my resume up to date. It was sage advice on two fronts. One: there can be significant turnover, especially in certain positions. Two: there are often good opportunities for lateral and vertical moves if you perform.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't be hoodwinked. There are some great leaders who don't play the politics, and some dismal leaders who play politics to the company's detriment. Demand the truth to be spoken to power regardless of how welcome it is.