Zurich Financial Services – “If you have a personal life and/or family, don't work here.”

Pros

The company is doing well doing the recession, and there are opportunities to develop new skills.

Cons

Management has no consideration for life outside of the office. Get used to not seeing your children/spouse/friends. Management style in many departments is very hard, and respect for employees as fellow humans is unheard of by some members of management. The more an employee gives, the more is required. Management often uses scare tactics as a way of motivating employees instead of providing positive feedback for a job well done.

Advice to Senior Management

Acknowledge the fact that employees have lives and that the office is where people should work, not where they live. Provide basic privacy for employees - work stations should provide a measure of personal space, instead of this new 'face to face' setup which only creates a loud atmosphere and a sense of constantly being watched. Some things need to be taken care of during business hours such as receiving phone calls from schools, doctors, etc., and it would be nice to have a bit of privacy while speaking on the phone. I really don't want to hear my coworkers talking about their child's problems while at school, or their prostate problems when their doctor calls. It's not always possible to get up and call a school/medical office back from a private room. Also, if I want to blow my nose, or take some medicationI would prefer not to have the entire office watching me.