Direct Energy Reviews

Pros

Great people. Can have fun atmosphere on occasion, trying to make the best of a limiting situation. Some local upper management personnel are very smart.

Cons

Extreme open concept office space. Antiquated flex days, vacation packages and benefits. Conservative management. Too many levels of management, difficult to move quickly on decisioins.

Advice to Senior Management

Military leadership might work in some scenarios however in downtown Calgary oil and gas, it belittles qualified professionals. Greater autonomy for the qualified personnel would go a long way.

Pros

Great Work Life balance
Well compensated
Great benefits

Cons

Work life balance depends on who you report to. Office esthetics less than desireable.

Pros

Good benefits and above average salary and bonus. People at the Sr Manager level and below are good - its when you get to the Director level and above where self interest and politics come into play.

Cons

Senior management and executives don't have a plan. They are all interested in themselves and where the next 18-24 months will take them. Far too reactionary and tactical rather than thinking long-term strategic.

Morale is quite bad due to the scorched earth policy executives employ with respect to employees - and doubly so given most senior level positions are Centrica (UK Parent) appointees looking for a holiday from London's bad weather for a few years rather than developing from within.

Its a wonder this company makes money!

Advice to Senior Management

Build a 5 year plan

Stick to the plan

Recognize the talent within and develop them

Grow a backbone and tell Centrica to stop throwing the babies out with the bathwater

Pros

Benefits
Work from home
Vacation 3 weeks

Cons

Unfair promotions
Constant change
New graduate programs

Advice to Senior Management

Constant change and reorganization kills motivaton

Pros

There are really some great people that work at Direct. Unfortunately, they aren't the ones making organizational decisions and are penalized when trying to influence outcomes. I really learned a lot from colleagues and really enjoyed the start of my career at Direct and feel thankful for the networks I've built as a result.

Cons

Utter lack of work life balance despite the award they have on their wall. There is no regard for people's personal lives/schedules or aspirations. I would estimate that 60% of the workload is caused by completely chaotic leadership that doesn't know what they want, when they want it, or even when they've gotten what they've asked for. The continual reorgs have totally destroyed morale and it is difficult in that situation to see the upside for staying.

Advice to Senior Management

There's a lot of talk about building an organization to be proud of, but little to show for it. All the chopping and changing destroys or disregards the market opportunities. Leverage some of the talent you already have and stop the internal politicking.

Pros

Environment is friendly. Everyone from vice presidents to interns are approachable. Senior management is always soliciting feedback for improvements.

In the business teams, there is a real team "get it done" attitude without any consideration about credit.

Cons

All the core IT support teams are located remote to the places of business. They are more concerned with influence and credit than the companies business. This is a constant source of friction between the business and the IS team supporting them. As a developer, you are caught in the middle.

Advice to Senior Management

integrate the IT teams back into the business.

Pros

- Benefits package including 3 week vacation to start
- Company involvement in charities
- Although job is currently extremely chaotic, management is trying to find ways to improve quality of work experience - I would expect some improvement over the next several years

Cons

- High degree of chaos in job as previously non existent SDLC processes are implemented
- Unrealistic expectations set by upper management
- Lack of control over resources and assignment of projects to employees who lack the necessary skill-set for success
- Demanding business that is culturally expected to berate IS when expectations are not met

Advice to Senior Management

- Set higher standards for hiring IS staff
- Make full time offers instead of hiring contractors, which would make is easier to bring on higher quality staff
- Fire staff that does not have the necessary skills
- Make communication skills a number one priority for bring on new IS staff, regardless of level

Pros

Flexibility of time. You finish your work. no micromanagement. Though it was on commission.

Cons

Few full time hiring in sales associate position. Only on commission basis. Selling hydro and gas contracts. more training support required.

Advice to Senior Management

management should increse in sales force commission. Less commision less productivity. No benefits to people working on commission in sales force as salesassociate once energy got deregulated in province.

Pros

Good pay. You are encouraged to talk to senior management and hold them accountable. There are very few barriers to communication

Cons

Industry sector is waning. Due to the high turnover, the culture is hard to come by. Projects are repeated too often

Advice to Senior Management

Pick a strategy and stick to it. There are too many org changes and it really weighs down heavily on people trying to progress careers.

Pros

Great Benefits
Lots of small extras that add up (company paid outings, meals, etc)

Cons

Lots of travel depending on your job
Ever changing industry leads to volatility in direction of some groups

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to provide great benefits!