Exelon Reviews

Pros

Challenging work;; good pay and excellent benefits

Cons

In the utilities youhave to be willing to work long hours when power emergencies arise - outages due to storms, etc.

Advice to Senior Management

Streamline top management - communicate - communicate - communicate to employees!

Pros

Salary
Benefits
Stability
Growth (some)
Mobility (positions available in multi-states)

Cons

Succession Planning only for the select few
Equality
Politics

Advice to Senior Management

I've found its difficult to navigate through the highly political culture of this company. Exelon values diversity and we are continually reminded of that by seeing who are put in leadership positions and the barrage of "network" groups this company has. Very poor at sizing up talent (especially on the ComEd side) and very top heavy. I've never seen so many VPs, Directors, and Key Managers (group level employee). Some of the upper management don't even have degrees. Some of the regularly promoted don't possess the experience or have been rotated through the various operations. Yet they are put in protected positions where they will not fail. Some don't cut it but end up with titles of "Manager-Developmental" to keep their pay and levels. The performance management process, individual development planning, and succession planning is a joke. I and many others feel that this company has abused the employees. Abused because we consistently meet all our goals and solidly contribute to the "performance indicators" we are held to so highly, yet I am rewarded with a 2.5% raise, far below the 4% increase the Union membership is given in their contract. (Yes, I realize many employers have cut back raises but not here this company makes money). What a slap in the face for someone with almost 30 yrs experience, an advanced degree, who works hard and often "takes one for the team", and most importantly produces results. Why should I stay motivated, dedicated and give any extra? I guess to keep my raise above 2%.

Pros

This company is a growing leader in the Energy industry, with a forward thinking vision. Amazing compensation packages (Salary and Benefits). I have spoken with everyone I know about my work experiences at Exelon; and I can confidently say that this company is dedicated to the cultivation of it employees. Constant training and advancement opportunities. Rewarding job full of challenges where I am given an opportunity to excell without fear of failure. Management is constantly trained on new methods to keep the workforce engaged, rewarded, and happy. Despite my junior level, I am allowed and expected to function on a high level where by I am given a great deal of responsibility. I will probably work here for 20-30 years.

Cons

Not much to say here:
The changing economy makes some long term focus changes within upper management trickle down upon middle management a little uneasily.

This company is a little top heavy (a few too many Directors, VPs, Senior VPs, etc...)

We are expected to perform at a higher level of excellence everyday, eventhough the workforce is slowly being down sized. This presents a challenge, but is in no way un-manageable. I personally like it this way, as it caters to my slight superman complex, but many can be turned off by this. I welcome the challenge to change the way I do business to make each task easier, thus leaving myself in charge of making my job easier.

Advice to Senior Management

This is a fantastic company to work for. Our future looks very bright (I may need to wear sunglasses in the office...lol). I have 3 suggetions: Slightly slow the growth (Mergers and aquisitions), eliminate 5-10% of the Director through Senior VP level of staff, and increase the Staffing/Funding in the areas of IT, R&D (Uprate, SmartGRID, etc.), and Power Team. I believe this combination of changes will work well together and increase our margin by around 2-3% immediately as well as set us up for very large gains upon the rebound of the US economy.

Pros

Work Environment, benefits, training & development, flexibility

Cons

politics; takes long to get promotions

Advice to Senior Management

Offer specific and direct feedback regarding how one can move forward to the next level position.

Pros

All of my managers were incredibly helpful in getting me started with the company. I was given a job to do and shown how to do it, and then I was left alone to get it done. That being said though, I was also able to get a hold of my manager if I needed clarification.

Cons

Some of the people in my group who had been there a bit longer than I had would complain about the upper management. I had no issues personally, but I guess there is some amount of discontent.

Advice to Senior Management

I think the company is currently headed in the right direction. Continue to keep all employees well informed on company-wide issues, and keep listening to the feedback that the employees give.

Pros

Active in the community, cares about employees, fair compensation, good benifits.

Cons

24 x 7 time commitment, real time response to emergencies. You can't just walk away at the end of the day.

Pros

The company is accommodating and hours are generally easy. You are provided with tools and resources.

The company makes strong efforts to follow "best practices".

Cons

There is a lack of actual work to be done and a too much time is spent creating budgets, evaluating performance to budget, etc. Not enough time is spent trying to make money.

Politics dominate and voicing a dissenting opinion is looked upon poorly.

People manage up and your contact with your boss will be limited.

Advice to Senior Management

Focus more on doing actual work and making money. Don't worry so much about Wall Street and the stock price. If you create a renewed focus on creating new revenue, the stock price will follow.

Pros

They had good benefits and generous training allowances. On site gyms are a nice perk. Some managers permitted working from home and flexible hours.

Cons

I only had one professional manager in the 15+ years I was there and he was moved to a non-management position. I didn't receive my 15% bonus one year because I "missed meetings", although no one could tell me what meetings I missed! HR felt that was OK. That was the same year my stepson was dying from cancer, my stepdaughter was getting married, and I wasn't permitted to take any vacation time. Fortunately that manager left. When I retired, I was the only one that showed up for my exit interview, although it had been requested by HR.

Advice to Senior Management

Exelon leadership needs to come out of their ivory tower and get in touch with the people who are actually doing the work..

Pros

recognition of their employees' hard work

Cons

processes improvements were difficult to execute

Advice to Senior Management

keep the stock high

Pros

Generally kind people, clean work space, potential to review other jobs within the organization, good benefits, opportunity to visit other sites in addition to 'home base' departments.

Cons

This company is perfect for the employee that wants to be a 'corporate slave', or that wants to be glued to their blackberry on vacations, weekends, nights, during your commute.... There is a lot of discussion regarding WLB (Work Life Balance), and it is promised during the interview process. What is not mentioned is that if you actually do request a WLB, it is both highly frowned upon -although no one will tell you this, they will just talk about you behind your back, and expected that you will still be working your full day-although you're not in the office.

10+ hour days are expected regardless of department or job, everything from craft employees up to Sr. Mgmt and everyone in between.

Another problem is the finger pointing and lack of ownership. As a power company, everything is very highly monitored, regulated, and tracked (which is wonderful!). The problem comes in when employees do not stand up for their own actions or lack of action, errors, or whatever the problem may be. There are many people that are so overloaded that they push their work load onto others, which just causes work-stress, and even worse results. Middle management does not recognize work load allocation, problems within their own team, or if they do, a blind eye is turned.

If I had to summarize, Exelon pays fairly, has good benefits, and believes in employee and community safety. My position afforded me the opportunity to talk with all different departments and levels within the organization. When I asked the question "How do you like working for Exelon," the answer was always the same...."They pay is good, but money isn't everything if you can't enjoy it and you're always here. Middle and upper management needs to realize the work loads of my/our/the team and play fair."

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your staff. People are afraid to tell you their work load is too heavy because they do not want to be looked at as 'weak' or 'incapable'. The reality is, the staff (again, regardless of department/location/site/job responsibility) is doing the work of 2-3 people since they layoffs, and yet they are still expected to produce with the same results and timelines from the days of fully staffed teams.