Guardian Life Reviews

Pros

The business environment at Guardian is challenging, but may good, bright, intelligent people. Changes at the top management levels may allow the firm to stay as a smaller firm in the mutual life industry.

Cons

Can be death of a thousand cuts if they do not ramp up quickly.

Pros

Cafeteria food
Experienced mentors
Good daycare
My boss

Cons

Dysfunctional. Staff is afraid to make any mistakes
Emphasis on short term solutions
CYA is rampant
Has become a 24/7 commitment

Advice to Senior Management

Very mixed message. Communications regarding very favorable results contradict salary growth (i should say lack of) policy. New leaders tend to sell outdated ideas that they are familiar with

Pros

Great training resources. Outstanding Financial Strength and loyalty to mutuality par none. Great selling system. If you have a great GA, you are in luck, you are going to thrive. If not, be ready to leave in approximately 2 years.

Cons

Its all about the GA. If you have an issue or think something can be improved the Management will not talk to you. Everything has to go through the General Agent, who happens to be the problem sometimes. They have a tendency for the "flavor of the month" when is related to recruiting strategies. And they don't pay enough attention to the small agencies that need the most help.
And....It's not all about Whole Life guys!!! Financial Balance requires being willing to understand how different products and strategies can help somebody. i.e. A 65 year old individual trying to go into retirement with 220,000 in retirement funds with some health issues very unlikely will be insurable so you have to look for other options. Whole Life is not the answer but they still find a way to place it. There are different challenges. Last but not least, the Overrides are a joke!! All the subsidies you provide stay in the GA's pocket!!

Advice to Senior Management

Love the company philosophy and the loyalty to the Mutuality so you have to pay a lot more attention to the field people in the Agencies and if you brag about focusing on Second Line Management, then stop the "you have to talk to your GA". The Field Managers have something to say, they do all the work!! Maybe create a position like an Ombudsman that can be a company embassador that the Sales Manager could contact to reveal a thread of discontent . But no like the ones you have now, the 2 guys in that position are incredibly incompetent and quick on the "brown nosing". You need authentic executives that care for the field.

Pros

good training program, great to learn ins and outs of life insurance field

Cons

not real competitive in pay structure, need an updated prospect methods.

Advice to Senior Management

go out in the field and do some selling

Pros

- No one expects much of you so preserve your brain cells
- Retirement club atmosphere with full time pay and perks
- No fresh ideas or input accepted so keep doing what has been done for the past 150 yrs
- Easy life that is sure to make you unfit for any future jobs!

Cons

If you aspire to have a career don't even think about a job here!
- Rife with politics and zero accountability for results
- Extremely slow moving with strong resistance to change
- Majority of employees counting days to retirement
- Senior Management too busy building personal fiefdoms
- Rampant favoritism with no desire for real results
- Absolute hell hole for anyone below 50 yrs of age

Advice to Senior Management

Stop bluffing and lying to senior business leaders, outside publications and your delusional selves with grandios stories when in reality the deployed technology is at least two decades behind most mainstream companies. Computing environment is so unstable and amazingly enough the recovery from most basic crashes is hailed with hero worship. Wake up...and start by replacing the super intelligent leadership ( with non existent people and leadership skills ) who have been around for years if you want to see any positive change!

Pros

The benefits and pay are excellent.

Cons

Cold, sterile, life-sucking, cubical-filled monotony. The work is extremely boring. The software is OLD. I spent more time struggling through red tape than doing actual work. The work-home balance is gradually shifting toward work as more and more after-hours and weekend events are planned.

Other employees here are obviously still shell-shocked from previous layoffs and restructuring. They get nervous if you talk about something non-work related for more than thirty seconds. Most work through lunch everyday and stay after-hours.

Advice to Senior Management

Upgrade your software for the love of everything holy! This isn't 1990 anymore.

I can't complain about the quality of the work done by management. They're ruthlessly efficient. However, please know that this job is nothing more than a sterile office job. Stop trying to dress it up as something it's not. No amount of cake in the break room and impromptu "parties" will ever make the work any less soul-sucking. Admit that it sucks and learn to work from there.

Pros

Flexibility, recognition of efforts, great benefits, appreciate long time employees, overall I had a great career.

Cons

The health care environment was just too legislated and too complex today for a smaller medical insurer to stay a float.

Advice to Senior Management

Great leadership, listened to employees, always did the right thing.

Pros

401k, and health benefits good

Cons

Seems Like the "Uppers" want us "Little People" to be as uncomfortable in our jobs as possible. The metrics that are in place make it very difficult to do our jobs and be confident in what we do. One member of the management team tells us "don't be worried", but how can we not be worried when everyone and their brother is being put on "performance plans" (aka write up). I've never worked for a company that only allows 6 minutes and 20 seconds to help our callers. When you are just a few seconds over for the month, you get written up (And I mean as little as 3 seconds over). RIDICULOUS!!!!!

Advice to Senior Management

Get a clue!!!

Pros

Helpfull co workers - information is readily shared
Cafeteria food

Cons

Changing visions on the part of management
shifting priorities generate projects that never get completed
People are afraid to make mistakes

Advice to Senior Management

Let your staff use their imaginations and make mistakes once in a while

Pros

Stable company with lot of work opportunities.

Cons

People are slow and reluctant to changes.

Advice to Senior Management

Need strong, skilled and motivated leadership.