General Mills Reviews

Pros

General Mills has a best in class marketing program, they are great at innovation and having a consistent marketing planning, strategy and brand stewardship approach. The consumer insights uses best in class methods and approaches. This is a great place to learn marketing and research.
They know how to simplify things and focus on what is important. Top notch executive management focusing on Holistic Margin Management, Strategy (Plan to Win), and Brand Building programs.

Cons

Once you are an experienced CI manager there isn't much room for growth. The current VP and many of the older directors aren't good at managing people and expect people to stay motivated without any control over what positions employees are moved to in the organization. Unfortunately they aren't good at setting a vision for the organization or leading. While they can execute some best in class quantitative research the Senior CI directors don't' understand how to value the softer side of research or right brain thinkers. Their career model doesn't allow for much deviations there are a couple paths and if you don't fit into one of them it's harder and takes longer to get promoted.

The CI organization made an attempt to look at 'future skills' and what it takes to be a good Consumer Insights person in todays world. Many of the future skills were more right brained and the organization is setup to reward much more left brain skills. The intent was good and the folks who put together the program did a good job. But in the end hard many of the Sr. leaders don't have strengths in that area and are not able to coach or train folks in these skills.

The worst part about the culture their is the competitiveness. They don't have a win win attitude - it's always someone has to lose for another person to win - there are only a few Champions!. All their programs emphasis this Plan to Win, Champions awards, Company of Champions, etc.. While this is great when thinking about the external competition it doesn't foster team cooperation. It's really hard when you are up for promotion to the same level as your boss who hardly wants another person in his peer group to compete for a handful of director spots. A friend who is also a former mills employee put it best. "Mills has a way of making you feel like you are the worst of the best - once you leave you realize you've gotten a great grounding in strategy and best in class work that is valued outside of the Mills"

I left after 20 years because I couldn't imagine working for the VP her potential replacements when I got promoted. Plus I found a great job at another big CPG which allowed me more room for personal growth. While I miss the great strategic frameworks and innovation mindset, I don't miss the lack of appreciation for what I brought to the organization. Now everyday at work I know someone appreciates what I do!

Advice to Senior Management

I think the executive wing at Mills is great but they need to take a strong look at how their CI leadership is motivating and managing the careers of their people. You've got some top notch folks in CI middle management and you need CI Sr. Leadership that knows how to manage a diverse set of skills, personality types and approaches. You need a fresh new perspective on people management that understands that not all folks are willing or going to stay at one company for a long time if they aren't able to grow and develop in directions that motivate them.

Pros

Competitive pay and benefits
Great communication

Cons

ITQ lacks diversity- African Americans can't be promoted unless they are there for decades. Unless you are from the true midwest, you won't be treated equally.

Advice to Senior Management

Work harder with diveristy in areas where there are problems. Hold Senior leadership accountable for results. Make sure that there is a representative distribution of diversity talent at the manager level in ITQ.

Pros

*Welcoming, inclusive culture. People genuinely care about you

*Excellent advancement opportunities

*Headquarters is a wonderful place to work.

*Senior leaders have the company on the right path with a strong strategic vision and the tools that are necessary to realize that vision.

Cons

*Some leaders are excellent. Others are only excellent at looking good for their supervisor. Without 360 feedback processes in place for everyone, the company does not see the difference. If a leader is bleeding talent in their organization and/or morale is low, have the courage to find out why, and take action.

*There are wide disparities in quality of work and life depending on where you are. Some locations have happy, talented, motivated workforces. Others simply don't. Make sure you know which one you're going to.

Advice to Senior Management

*Keep up the great work on defining strategic priorities.

*Continue to improve your rigor around managing people.

*Some people have been moved into positions where they aren't succeeding. Have the courage to make the necessary changes.

Pros

Benefits, Values, Career Possibilities, Cross Functional Opportunities, Pay, People, Flexibility

Cons

Limited to Food Production, Possiblity to be tranferred to field locations in order to advance career.

Pros

GMI really cares about their people for a very large corporation. Great brand recognition and pay, especially for the wage employees. Many opportunities to move to other plants and offices if you are willing.

Cons

Wage employees are treated like spoiled kids. Long hours in the plant environment (50+ hrs week not including weekends). Working in a plant, you don't get that much exposure to headquarters so the career paths are very hard to figure out. Also, not being in the rotational programs, it can be hard to learn about the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Reach out to the plants to expose them to Headquarter leadership.

Pros

Great people - highly energetic, fun to be around
Great benefits - on site fitness facilities, onsite vehicle maintenance, onsite salon
Great culture - focused on healthy food options, focused on giving back to the community
Growth - company keeps expanding in logical ways

Cons

Some bad departments - managers who do not care about the company or their employees and offer no support to get the job done
Communication lacking at times

Pros

Great benefits
I work with some of the best people in the industry, through cross functional team and assignments.
Truly fun to work here.

Cons

Hard to move up without moving to another location or playing the political games needed.
Immediate managers looking or ways to move up, less concerned about building the team.

Advice to Senior Management

More focus on the people, teaching, listening and reacting to there comments would be an improvement.
Overall, a wonderful place to work.

Pros

Great opportunities for advancement and personal growth. Strong emphasis on leadership development and the company provides a platform to help employees develop.

Cons

Top down culture. Communication could be much better. Email and powerpoint are used much to often. Can be somewhat challenging to "fit in" if you are an experienced hire.

Pros

It is a pretty fun job, you get to work with a bunch of intelligent individuals and you rotate jobs to gain a decent knowledge of the company as a whole. Dress is business casual, and summer Fridays are shorter hours.

Cons

Somewhat political, hard to get a promotion. It is a really big company.

Advice to Senior Management

Offer promotions based on credibility and merit rather than personal relationships.

Pros

1. Good level of independence
2. Very good culture of inclusion and work life balance
3. Cross functional opportunities
4. Leadership training

Cons

1. Too much responsibilty and entitlements given to recent college graduates that foster a sense of arrogance and a poor work ethic
2. Departments and divisions can operate in silos
3. Promote based off of relationships - extremely political

Advice to Senior Management

Pay more attention to your supply chain and plant leadership teams. Their leadership and production can and will make or break your company