Stanford University Employee Review

Current Employee – been working at Stanford University full-time for more than a year

Pros – As an institution, Stanford provides great perks. Decent benefits, although not all are fully covered and I've been spoiled at other jobs. Many opportunities for professional development, which I love. Vibrant intellectual community on campus. I think there may be more staff than students at Stanford! Free gym access where you can work out near some of the world's best athletes. Strong commitment to reducing car traffic by making bicycling easy, and offering free buses. Yet parking can still be found (you just might have to walk a little). Pretty good food in the cafeterias that is, as far as I know, sourced from local and organic farms when possible. Once you are in your job for awhile, your position is fairly secure. Some departments are flexible about letting people work from home sometimes.

Cons – I've heard many people complain that the pay is not competitive. Inequity across departments. Each department seems to be run like its own mini-business, and some businesses are more employee-friendly than others. No union for most staff. Politics can come into play. People sometimes worry more about impressing others, laterally or vertically, than about doing what is best for our constituents. For example, if I want access to support at levels beyond my supervisor, I have at times been be discouraged, delayed, ignored, or straight up denied (for example, if I am seeking legal consult in order to ensure I'm working within legal bounds, or wish to collaborate with other departments). Management within departments can sometimes be disorganized, operating reactively without clear direction. Managers sometimes don't seem to have all the training they need to be secure (I think they have access to the training, but that does not mean they are taking advantage of it). Also, while flex-time is mentioned in places on the Stanford website, is is certainly not offered in my department. Most of us feel underpaid and overworked. Overtime occurs on a regular basis. Burnout rates are high, at least in my department. In terms of community service, while some departments offer some, I know some organizations pay employees to do one-to-two days per year. I think Stanford should do more in its community.

Advice to Senior Management – Invest in manager training. Require more of it. Make sure managers know the laws that pertain to their specific department very well. The anti-harassment training is good, but managers need to know more about topics related to their unique constituents. I should feel safe that my department is operating legally and ethically, and not worry about getting sued. Provide liability insurance to employees just in case. Clearly I worry about this some. Encourage inter-department collaboration. Think "no man is an island" and apply that concept to the departments at Stanford. Support staff doing community service by allowing 8-16 hours per year or more of community service in lieu of work - at least for salaried exempt employees. I am glad Stanford is reviewing its salaries. I know other employers in the region pay more for what I do. That being said, Stanford looks good on a resume. For those being underpaid, it's the kind of place you go for 1-3 years, then use it to launch a longer term career elsewhere.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company