IHS Reviews

Pros

Great technology, awesome people, brilliant work environment. The company is growing so fast that you get to direct the way you want your career to develop.

Cons

Know your grade and benefits - for both the proposed grade and the grade above - before you sign on... Know how your start date relates to bonuses, pay raises and promotions.... A weeks delay in start date can kill you for the next financial year - but nobody will tell you that.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what you're doing... It's a fun ride.
eep "Connecting" and integrate, integrate, integrate....

Pros

Executive leadership has a viable plan to provide leading edge solutions for strategic information and insight. Learning culture, good benefits, customer satisfaction driven in principle.

Cons

Internal customer satisfaction is a challenge due to fragmented matrix organizational structure and high volume acquisition activity.

Advice to Senior Management

Set attainable goals for internal customer satisfaction and prioritize tactical solution deployment.

Pros

Nice people and flexible work schedule

Cons

Disconnect between overall corporate strategy and the silos of different brands.
IHS doesn't have a culture or identity (and what little does exist is resented by the employees)

Advice to Senior Management

Break up all the silos. Many senior managers are holding everything back because they are trying to hold on to their old identity pre ihs

Pros

Very strong exec management team.
People are fantastic; knowledgeable and friendly.
Company and management have ambition to grow via internal investment and acquisition.
Many career development options as a multi-faceted organisation.
Never a dull day!

Cons

Some egos remain clinging onto their fiefdoms but much less in evidence than it was.
Breaking down some of the internal silos is taking time - but we are getting there.
Pension provision not overly generous.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest more internally to support long term growth. Acknowledge that IHS is a global company with global ambition and a global culture (rather than a North American entity)

Pros

IHS is a great place to work for people with ideas and initiative. Creativity and initiative is often rewarded with increased responsibilities.

Cons

The bureaucracy at IHS can be difficult to navigate. The transition from a small company to a worldclass organization and implementing appropriate infrastructure has felt slow from the inside.

Pros

Benefits are pretty standard
Vacation time is more than fair
Total compensation is average
Flexible time off is a plus

Cons

Bonus program is a big disappointment
The promise of expanded opportunities has not materialized
The company has grown to large to quickly

Advice to Senior Management

Stop acquiring so many companies at such a rapid pace and concentrate on cultivating a unified environment. Way too many upper level managers that change on a daily basis.

Pros

It has got a very good health benefits plan. Work timing is flexible. In my view, it is a good place for people who value family time. Location is central but parking is definitely an issue for those who prefer driving than taking a train.

Those who are in sales have a strong product suite to work with and sell, although this means more training required to get up to speed with the products.

Cons

Too many business units due to acquisitions. There will be overlaps in terms of knowledge coverage and also a need for information sharing.

And as a result, too many processes. Making some of the day-to-day claims has become more tedious, which is unavoidable due to the sheer size of the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Slow down on acquisitions, focus on organic growth as well as how to integrate all the existing business units.

Pros

Opportunity to work with autonomy and with smart people is the greatest strength. Acquisitive corporate strategy has its benefits.

Cons

Difficult to move up, career paths not all that clear.

Advice to Senior Management

Try harder to remove obstacles.

Pros

* Great benefits package
* Managers are very accepting of needing time off for doctor's appointments, etc.
* 3 Weeks vacation @ entry level

Cons

Too many meetings that prevent you from using work-time effectively; you end up working longer hours to get your every-day stuff done. Most of those involved in the meetings are on a need-to-know basis and shouldn't be involved.

Getting things approved and actually put out the door is a long, overly complicated process.

Incompetency of middle management is frustrating.

Advice to Senior Management

Cut out the middle men holding things up. It's ridiculous.

Pros

Flexi-time is just about it

Cons

Change in job description
Politics politics politics
Lack of manpower
Poor compensation & benefits plan