General Mills Reviews in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Area

Pros

Benefits, geographic locations to work at, excellent corporate HQ facility, low turnover. Total comp and benefits package is just enough to keep you there.

Cons

Flat organization, location, complete lack of a global mindset. Culture is tolerant of style and diversity differences but far from accepting.

Advice to Senior Management

The HR function needs to start taking care of it's own because the cobbler's kids have no shoes. Senior management needs to spend some more time overseas and get more mid-level managers out of Minneapolis to figure out how to be global.

Pros

They recruit the best, and therefore work hard to retain you.

Cons

It's a knowledge culture, not a documentation culture. I feel I could have started faster if there was more documentation regarding my job rather than relying on meeting after meeting after meeting to figure it out.

Advice to Senior Management

More emphasis on documentation for onboarding.

Pros

Committed to producing high quality products.
Many opportunities for professional growth.

Cons

Leadership not committed to individual development - few managers know how to assist othesr with development.
Manufacturing leadership often sets unrealistic goals, then accepts superficial and unsustainable results.

Advice to Senior Management

Take the time necessary to evaluate results and gains to ensure that the results are sustainable. Make a real commtment to developing people - There is MUCH to be gained with a small investment in increasing the effectiveness of individuals.

Pros

People! the Passion we have is amazing, but people care about others too!

Cons

We all work and give our best, and sometimes that means we work a little too hard.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to Communicate.

Pros

- Diversity at forefront of values
- Career advancement opportunities and transparency abound
- Work is recognized and rewarded
- Management style is mainly laid-back: we work hard, we play hard

Cons

- Retention of those who shouldn't be: GMI loves its employees and it hates letting anyone go. Great for job security, but it means you will certainly work with someone who shouldn't be there.

Advice to Senior Management

- Keep doing what you're doing on staying transparent and rewarding a good job when it's due
- Be more critical about who you're keeping around: some people can be too difficult to work with effectively, dampening our shared goal of driving results

Pros

General Mills is one of the best work environments I have ever experienced. The work is varied and interesting, and I am surrounded with bright people who treat others with respect.

Cons

I honestly do not have any downsides to report about General Mills. I've been working in professional positions for 20+ years and this is the most satisfying environment I've worked in.

Advice to Senior Management

Great job at providing a positive, respectful work environment for highly capable people, and for navigating a difficult economy successfully.

Pros

Good training and development. The company let's you take early responsibility as a marketer and you learn General Management principles early on.

Cons

Passive aggressive culture can lead to some surprises. The marketing track is extremely competitive and it's not always about your performance when it comes to getting promotion. Bottom line there's not enough spots for everyone so stay close to your headhunters. Get off to a fast start your first year or forget about getting to the next level. The best and brightest are at the company's choice so any blemishes can hurt.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more transparent with your promotion practices; no need to keep us all in the dark. Also, invest in training your managers to actually manage and develop people. They're great at running business but not all are created equal when developing people. Very hit or miss at that can hurt you early.

Pros

Overall corporate concern with finding the best position within the company that matches employee skills. Salary and bonus levels very generous. Commitment to family is unmatched by other companies.

Cons

Ability to communicate senior leadership goals into workable, measureable objectives for mid-level management. Ability to recognize and reward efforts.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to focus on employee work-life balance. Maintain

Pros

Good compensation
Good Training
Good reputation - lots of opportunities if you choose to leave

Cons

In Marketing the time to promotion is much longer than it has been in the past.

Advice to Senior Management

Figure out a way to get back to the old promotion timing.

Pros

General Mills was a great place to work. I enjoyed every minute of it. I would definitely recommend working there.

Cons

Nothing really comes to mind about negatives with General Mills. They were a good company to work for and I worked with really great people.

Advice to Senior Management

General Mills was a great place to work. I enjoyed every minute of it. I would definitely recommend working there.