Allstate – “Great place to work if you're willing to work long hours and tow the company line.”

Pros

Being a large company, you have opportunities to move around the country as well as within the company itself. The innovative TAP (Talent Acceleration Program) is very neat for up - and - coming managers. If accepted, you spend 2 years doing 3 different assignments in various parts of the company (often various geographies) in order to accelerate your level of knowledge about the organization and prepare you for a leadership role. Vacation and benefits package are good, as is the 401K and it's one of the last few companies that still offer a pension plan.

Cons

The company's culture changed dramatically in recent years. Under the internal umbrella of "high performance culture" it has put extreme pressure on Allstate Agents to sell more (despite the company introducing higher rates amid the economic downturn) and on its corporate support areas to do more with fewer resources (60-hour weeks have become the norm in many areas). If you are early in your career, able to put in long hours and willing to tow the company line, you will likely prosper. If you are seeking work-life balance and an environment that rewards strategic thinking over tactical "doing", this may not be the place for you.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire a few executives who have the courage to speak their mind even if it means disagreeing with you. No single person knows it all. Also, stop micromanaging your leaders. Trust them to do their job.