Hewitt Associates Reviews

Pros

If you enjoy customer service, you'll enjoy Hewitt. It's very fast paced and there are opportunities for advancement, even if you are someone with only a High School Diploma.

Cons

With the pro's listed it above, that is also a curse. You may have days where all your incoming calls of people who are highly escalated, sometimes rightfully so. Remember the advancers with no college degree? Yeah, those are sometimes the same people who messed up a person's account, gave out wrong information, or didn't properly document a call. These are the people who push back when a customer is demanding to speak to a supervisor. These are also the same people who still urges you the CSA to handle their issue in under 7 minutes with holding time of under 2 minutes and "adhering" to a schedule the does not compliment the nature of the unique situations I run into on a daily basis. Then there's also the outsourcing issue of having a call center overseas that takes calls, and customers will get angry because of the language barrier. And wouldn't you believe that these are also the people who work on the special cases we open in the US? Why? You guessed it, because it's cheaper. I came in as a contractor and my contract is up but I am still hired there, however I'm not permanent. Most people at Hewitt (Woodlands anyways) are there because they know someone. There is a lot of favoritism. One temp worker was moving to Orlando and our trainer from Orlando was able to get her hired out there, which I found odd. While I do love working with the customers and going out of my way for them, I can't say I feel the same way about the workplace or surrounding locations.

Advice to Senior Management

Promote the people with the credentials, not the person with tenure. Is the CUSTOMER satisfied with the way "so and so" handled their account? That's who matters! Don't limit the way you grade an employee based on their "stats" if the customer has nothing but great things to say each time. There's a method to the madness. With you managing at a company that is a world leader in managing benefits for privately owned to Fortune 100 companies, you're gonna wanna do all that you can to remain in the top spot. It starts with satisfying the person on the OTHER side of the phone.

Pros

Good training , decent co workers and ability to advance if you choose. If you have a decent manager/ jungle guide the the experience is more enjoyable

Cons

long hours and cutbacks based on your project with little assistance to transfer within the company. No room for error and beware if you have a bad manager, because you will be lucky to last 6 months

Advice to Senior Management

better training for managers. If you want to be McKinsey then pay like it. Otherwise don't expect that level of productivity.

Pros

Benefits and pay are good. People are great for the most part beyond senior executive level and upper management just trying to hold on to their positions.

Cons

Being public has changed the focus of the company to stock prices and profits from caring about our clients, employees, and the little guy at the other end of the phone lines and website. All about being as lean as they can get to make top dollar for much less quality than Hewitt used to stand for. Upper management and C level execs all talking in circles and you are off budget for the year out of the gate with unrealistic expectations in a tough economy.

Advice to Senior Management

Get back to appreciating the people who sell the business that is Hewitt and servining clients well, rather than caring most about the almighty dollar. Quality and engaged employees will do the work for you if you have them supporting the business future vs. running to keep up to keep their jobs.

Pros

really good entry level experience - everyone knows about Hewitt
used to employ decent team members
campus is big and roomy
enough human interaction to not go insane
able to take walks, smoke, or get coffee when you need a mid day boost
everyone on campus is approachable - regardless of status

Cons

work can consume your life when you get no help or feedback from your team
cant help feeling miserable sometimes
helpless when other people's work is dumped on you for defects/testing
technology is not stable so half your day you deal with your sub par dell optiplex 280

Advice to Senior Management

communicate with us more
offer advice and workarounds instead of reassigning tasks

Pros

Pay is good; benefits compared to others I've seen recently are good; Reputable company and ahead of most others in consulting and outsourcing in technology and a leader in the industry.

Cons

Employer/employee partnership lost some years ago - not sure how the career growth and promotion process works anymore. Seems who you know/how much you kiss up to certain leaders, and how you cover for senior management where they are unskilled. Disappointing past few years of loss of recognition in form of verbal praise and thanks and blindness to overwork of many employees to cover high volume of quality issues and understaffing.

Advice to Senior Management

You have lost or turned away the true heart and knowledge leaders that built the Hewitt business, and put profits ahead of your clients and employees. It was a disappointment to be part of the organization for over 15 years and see how leadership willingly trampled the engagement of employees and employee contract that inspired associates to contribute to the success of Hewitt for many years.People used to laugh about the tag line of Hewitt "SWAN", but it truly made Hewitt the successful business it was before Hewitt became the company that is an overpriced, low quality, assembly line of benefits admnistration.

Pros

Friendly enviroment, Moderate Pace, managable work loads.

Cons

Insulated enviroment, low level of knowledge sharing. Folks tend to keep to themselves and hold on to their knowledge. Management is not good at developing leadership - sink or swim strategy. Certain individuals get paid well, while the vast majority can only afford used Yogos or a bus pass.

Advice to Senior Management

recongize leadership, develop it, promote it, pay it.

Pros

Good exposure to industry leading thoughts. Good opportunity to interact with clients even at junior levels.

Cons

Large company creates a lot of bureaucracy.

Pros

Good training programs, benefits, wide use of technology tools.

Cons

Poor management, Do not allocate resources.

Pros

collaborative team members and smart peers

Cons

uncertain future with AON acquisition

Pros

Benefits are ok. Flexible work cluture as long as job done. Very high pressure work env. Good technology and infrastructure.

Cons

Management just look for cost saving. Doesn't care of the quality and key talent retention. No growth and career advancements.