Medtronic – “Great place to work if you're profesionally well-connected, and went to a big-name graduate school.”

Pros

Medtronic employs a lot of really bright people in all of their functions. It feels good to work for a company that's improving the lives and health of so many people around the world.

Cons

People with degrees from big-name schools seem to float to the top effortlessly. Hard work is not always recognized or appreciated. Work-life balance is not a priority. Many managers are unwilling or ill-equipped to guide their employees to success. HR is of little to no use to the average employee, if they have an issue they need to work out. Employee morale has suffered terribly after three successive years of layoffs.

Advice to Senior Management

If the top five officers of the company receive large pay raises in the midst of a terrible economy and a round of 1,500 layoffs, it sends a terrible message to your employees and stakeholders.