General Dynamics Land Systems Reviews in Detroit, MI Area

Pros

The people. From Managers on down are the most dedicated coworkers you could ask for. They care about the products and each other. The products delivered to the US Army are the best in the world.

Cons

Latest culture shift from VP level is focused on short term gain. Its disrespectful to employees and gives up long term prosperity of the company for short term gain. Employee's are not assets but commodities.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior Managment does not take advise, they give it. Thats part of the problem. The Employee Surveys should be all they need to understand the problem they have caused.

Pros

Benefits package good, 9/80 work schedule

Cons

Misguided or lack of clear focus of direction over past few years. Management creating exclusive clubs of favorites and rewards only to the "elite". Tuition reimbursement stated HR benefit, but at VP discretion, only given to top percent rated employees

Pros

Benefits, flex time, 9/80 Schedule, vacation

Cons

GDLS touts themselves as a Veteran Friendly Company however, each Layoff numerous Veterans whom were minorities. Comments made by several non-veterans were "why does the Company hire Veterans" taking jobs from others. Of the approximate 140 persons laid off in June 2011, 130 were a mix of veterans and minorities. Management was informed duting last performance evaluations to bring scores down. Evaluation numbers were lowered and this was use as why emphasis for laying those with lowered evaluation numbers to be laid off. No remedial training available or given for those whom management feels are less then average performers.

Advice to Senior Management

No one knows more about the Military then someone whom has been there, however the Senior Management thought process does not reflect this.

Pros

None except for the benefits

Cons

Incompetent leadership top down from the president (Mark Roualet) to section managers.

Pros

Excellent pay and benefits.
Good community of people.
Can socialize all day.
Christmas Party!!
Gym, Cafeteria, Choir, Clubs, Softball, and many other company supported activities.
Education reimbursement.
American Express gift certificates!

Cons

Unrealistic goal setting.
No lateral mobility to get well rounded experience for promotion.
Promotion based on *ss kissing than qualifications.
Computers are used for e-mail bashing, socialization, playing solitare and paying the household bills.
Work is still done by paper processes.
Company bills customer (US Gov't) by the hours each employee works, the longer it takes to get the job done, the more money the company makes.
HR is there to support club and community activities, not provide guidance to managers on employee.
Rewards are passed out to everyone regardless of performance.
Low moral.
Lay-offs based on performance can be fought and reinstated by following a published HR process.
Office Union staff - nuff said.

Advice to Senior Management

Be ther first defense company to move to capatilism and provide the US soldier with a quality product at the cheapest cost that will save their life. Move away from mentality of grabbing as much money as you can and not providing a product.

Pros

Great Benefits,decent pay. They make it seem like a great place to advance and grow with a world class company, but really you are less that a number to these people.

Cons

Dealing with the HR and the upper management is a joke!! No one knows what they are doing,the most disappointed I have ever been working for a company! Always trying to screw you out of something.

Advice to Senior Management

I would recommend they hire the right peole for the right job, stop hiring people for there veteran status and people that have worked in the real world , not just military!!!

Pros

decent pay: pay hovers around the market average
decent benefits: benefits are probably better than average for engineers in the area
9/80 work schedule: 3-day weekends are nice
tuition reimbursement (with strings attached): MBA degrees get more scrutiny and you must stay with the company for at least a year after you graduate. Other than that, they reimburse tuition and fees.

Cons

poor communication from upper management: until recently, our budget charts were available for viewing so employees know what kind and how much work we will have every month. Apparently that fueled rumors throughout the company about layoffs so those were removed from viewing.

flawed use of performance review system: the performance review system is nice if it was used correctly. Managers simply see it as an obstacle and another "box to check". If more time was spent tailoring goals and tracking progress, it would actually make manger's jobs easier.

horrible handling of recent round of layoffs: HR mishandled layoffs by laying off higher paid senior folks and hiring entry level people. If you're reducing your workforce, you don't start hiring new people too.

Advice to Senior Management

You cannot fix a company by adding more layers of managers and directors. Often times, less is more. Streamline and "flatten" the organization if you care to see progress. Excessive management simply means more people giving orders and blurred scope.

Pros

Vacation is okay
Sick time is okay
Health insurance is good
401K

Cons

Sr. Management has forgotten about all workers and their value. People are verbally encouraged to charge for work they don't have to do, so that they don't charge overhead that would be money coming out of the Co. pockets. Mandatory overtime at the end of the year, when there is no work to do because not enough hours get charged to government paid projects and senior management won't get their big corporate bonuses for shafting the government to the max. The leaders are incompetant and illogical. Instead of thoughtful innovation to motivate people there is now a reign of terror that has been eroding the morale of every single person. It's a very sad state of collapse for a once great company. Nepotism, narcissism, arrogance and outright lying is now the norm.

Advice to Senior Management

Give the workers a chance to start looking for employment elsewhere before the division goes under. Rethink the way that the rating system so that it doesn't fail so miserably. If you want good people to work there. You need to have a solid history of fairness, which you won't have if you stay the current course.

Pros

9/80 work schedule allows every other Friday off.

Cons

Poor communication which is almost non-existent from upper management. Vice Presidents and Directors rarely are seen out of their offices and NEVER among the workers. It seems many are unapproachable. Promotions and advancements are rare despite increased responsibilities and furthering education.. VP of Engrg micro-manages all decisions and changes. The company keeps hiring Directors and VPs but none of them are bringing in any new business. Extremely top heavy in upper mgmt.

Advice to Senior Management

Improved communication needed. Many employees feel they are doing their best and are not rewarded. Performance evaluations and merit increases are a joke. Management is told how they must evaluate employees by giving a quota of ratings.

Pros

Company paid tuition assistance for continuing education
Flexible work schedule can allow for every other Friday off
Type of work can be rewarding as it supports military efforts

Cons

Workload is poorly planned, constantly shifting from "fire drill" to "very slow"
Engineering constantly having to change job functions due to industry dynamics
Executive management (VP level) tends to be condescending to employees--not receptive to information flowing upward
Fist-pounding management style -- shows lack of leadership, motivation skills, vision, and respect for capable employees

Advice to Senior Management

Empower capable employees, and seek leaders with vision. Improve resource planning.