Pros

If you can schmooze with the best of them ---- the sky is the limit........ If you are one of those individuals who does not really care about relationships and is after just a performance based role...where merit/recognition is solely based on performance (like in trading) ...then look elsewhere.....i've definitely seen ppl with 4.0 gpas from top schools get turned down for jobs/promotions --- because they weren't "sociable".....of course if you are one of those social types ---- and you perform --- then this is the place to be

Cons

kinda the double edged sword of working at a company that places a high level of emphasis on relationships/social activities/work life balance ----- if you aren't social/comfortable wit networking --- i can see it being a drag

Advice to Senior Management

Have a more objective promotions review process --- sometimes politics can inadvertently get in the way

Pros

Work/Life balance is a focus. The benefits are best in class. Pay is competitive. You get a chance to work with great people.

Cons

Lack of innovation in how processes are done. Promotions sometimes based solely on time in job and not on performance. A lot of the managers are micro-managers and do not give their direct reports enough autonomy.

Advice to Senior Management

Give your employees a chance to spread their wings. Don't micro-manage and let them try new and innovative things. These new methods could really impress customers if given a chance.

Pros

Great benefits, caring people, strong sense of community involvement
Many ways to get involved in the corporate community
Strong belief in promotion from within

Cons

Weak ability to successfully integrate experienced hires into the company.
Strong bias towards Ivy League MBA
Sometimes competition gets in the way of cohesive community

Advice to Senior Management

Employees need to believe that senior management is open to hearing the difficult information without fear of it being career limiting

Pros

GMI is best known for its great work-life balance, but its biggest strength is the amount tremendous cross-functional teamwork you will have the opportunity to collaborate on. Beyond that, you will be working with exceptionally talented people from the top schools in the world.

Cons

General Mills undoubtedly has a more conservative culture and is known as a slower moving competitor. The company has significantly improved in this area, but slow decision speed remains a weakness. While best known for some incredible mega brands, some of its brands are very mature, and it has not produced a successful new brand in many years.

Advice to Senior Management

Overall the past few years have been incredibly successful. In order to remain successful long-term, GMI will need to be increasingly strategic at the corporate and brand levels, build/buy new brands, and become faster with innovation.

Pros

the work and life balance is one of the best reasons to work at GIS

Cons

They don't pay talented people well, and thus they have trouble retaining them

Advice to Senior Management

innovation is needed ... true innovation that is.

Pros

The people are great to work with, have strong integrity, and are fun to spend time with.
We make great products and I am proud to see them on the shelf.
You are given a lot of responsibility immediately which creates growth and learning.

Cons

Long hours are sometimes seen as an expectation to the job.
Some people are placed in roles that they don't seem to be prepared for - a "learn by doing" approach instead of spending time to train the individual.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue focusing on research and development to create new products and stimulate growth - both domestically and internationally.

Pros

General mills offers growth opportunities for hard working folks

Cons

THe midwest location of the company is the only downside.

Advice to Senior Management

Get feedback

Pros

Lots of benefits on site at the Headquarters such as the company store, gym, and Caribou coffee. They spend a lot of money on their employees. Everyone is very proud to work there. The company has pretty good leadership, which is why the company is still successful in this tough economy.

Cons

Very competitive. There is pressure to work too many hours, at the expense of work-life balance, even though the PR is all about employee happiness. Maybe they think that if they give you lots of free food you will forget that you don't like your job. There is a lot of tension between business units in terms of people treating anyone outside their group poorly. A very cliquey culture. As with any large company there is a ton of politics involved, and it is all about who you know. They pride themselves so much on being a great place to work that it seems almost snobbish.

Advice to Senior Management

Really think about how much you are asking people to do with such limited resources.

Pros

Great benefits. Numerous job opportunities. Generous vacation. Numerous on-site perks such as fitness center, company store, salon, restaurants, credit union. Flexible working schedule. Some individuals have the opportunity to work from home one or more days each week. On-site child care for children 18 months and under. Medical department on-site. Career development classes are available either on or off-site. Training for Microsoft applications as well as learning leadership skills, time management, new manager skils, etc.

Cons

Heavy workload. Too many layers of management. When you take time off it seems you end up spending additional time when you come back to make up for the time you were off.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more accessible and be more visible. Need to be more attuned to what is going on with the workers.

Pros

Large stable coroporation with good people. The total compensation is slightly above average, but is nothing to write home about. There are some opportunities to play the game and rise to the top fairly quickly.

Cons

Management is young and inexperienced. Most managers are still focused on his/her career as opposed to developing or enabling those whom he/she manages. This also causes a lot of "middle-management" syndrome where a manager feels important becuase of information he/she may have and is unwilling to share. Too many levels of management create prohibit change or innovation. Due to the large size of this company, there is always the battle of networking and politics that over-rides any merit based promotion structure.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more in-tune to the workforce. Sr management does well as explaining the tactics, but lacks in ability to show the big picture.