First Data Reviews

Pros

Work from home availability
Relaxed work environment
Competent managers and co-workers
Challenging job responsibilities
Benefits are decent compared to other companies

Cons

Hiring and pay freezes
Bonuses are not very large
Changes require lots of approval and can be lengthy at times

Advice to Senior Management

Management is making strides in improving the culture and processes but still has some room for improvement to become a world-class organization.

Pros

Stable company, good job security in non managerial roles. relaxed work environment and plenty of scope to learn and develop if you are willing to push for it.

Cons

Limited opportunities for promotion. No clear development path set by management to grow employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Provide training courses that are more relevant to employee roles and tasks. E.g. MS office courses.
Better define standardised career progression paths through departments.

Pros

close to home and plenty parking space.

Cons

not too much technology and corporate latter to advance.

Advice to Senior Management

Good

Pros

They are a leader in the industry.

Cons

Sometimes hard to effect change.

Advice to Senior Management

Find ways to capture employee feedback.

Pros

Good benefits and work environment

Cons

mis-management - they are not able to best utilize their acquisitions

Advice to Senior Management

get your act together

Pros

Not many at all really. tenured staff and good pay, decent benefits, great vacation, good sick pay, flexible schedules, good people

Cons

Lots and lots of issues. don't promote from within, good old boys network, don't treat everyone equally, lots of poor leadership

Advice to Senior Management

pay for performance, give opportunitities, give accountability, let leaders solve problems, give freedom in budgeting and staffing, promote when due

Pros

First Data has great benefits for employees, including medical and 401k. The employees are generally friendly and the environment in Houston was great to work in.

Cons

Constant downsizing and outsourcing resulted in employees constantly worrying about their jobs. As more sites were consolidated and outsourced to contract work, employee layoffs were common.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior management often seemed out of touch with the lower level employees. Decisions on directions were not usually made on the merits, but on who was in the position and what they got out of it (i.e. kickbacks). Listen to your employees, as they are the lifeblood of the organization.

Pros

Great work life balance and time flexibility.

Cons

Boring work/everyday is the same

Advice to Senior Management

Increase compensation for entry level

Pros

Flexible, good technology in product development

Cons

If you care about your customers beyond the point of when they sign the contract, it is not a good career move.

Pros

The work environment is pleasant.
The Health benefits are pretty good.
There is opportunity to move up, but that is situational
Management Listens
Lots of good people to work with
Tuition reimbursement is a strong plus

Cons

The pay is average, and "somewhat" comparable to industry averages.
Bureaucracy slows things down
Bonuses are hardly worth mentioning.
Working with other divisions within the company can be a challenge.