Kaiser Permanente Reviews in Redwood City, CA

I have been working at Kaiser Permanente

Pros – Kaiser Permanente believes in big things and really tries to implement them. They're forward-thinking; for example, they're looking very carefully at health reform and implementing programs and policies so we can be positioned to compete at a high level in the coming years. They've invested heavily in electronic health records and even have their own internal social networking site. The company thinks very big-picture and crafts policies to achieve and maintain a leadership role in the health care industry. I've worked with some truly exceptional people and genuinely like and respect my co-workers.

Cons – It's political, just like any other job - you have to play the game to get your job done and be effective. Salaried staff are worked to the bone, and it's pretty much accepted that we're going to have to work harder and with fewer resources in the coming years. Departments are so lean that there's not much room for advancement - you need to leave and come back to get a significant salary bump or increase in responsibility. There are so many meetings that sometimes the only time you can do your follow-up work is after hours. The higher up people go, the more okay it is for executives to be a micro-manager and bully their staff. The company is so big and can require so many sign-offs that projects can move at a glacial pace. And email? Hundreds of emails every day...

Advice to Senior Management – The company has a lot to offer and has a lot of good people working for it, but when you're demanding excessive reporting, making heavy-handed decisions, and constantly second-guessing your staff, you shouldn't be surprised if your staff is not terribly pro-active. If you make it clear you only want it your way, any smart, resourceful person will give it to you - and then look for other opportunities, whether within or outside the company, especially if they want a real increase in pay or responsibility. Kaiser Permanente is a great name to have on your resume, so the time investment in a given role can pay off later. Wouldn't it be better if the pay-off was in KP's favor?

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Kaiser Permanente

Pros – Healthcare benefits (including $5 co-pay for appointments and $5 prescriptions)

Cons – Management is incompetent and doesn't know how to deal with its employees. It's about who you know. Management is hired or people are promoted with the best connections and relationships with others higher up.

Advice to Senior Management – Learn to listen to your workers and to not ignore what they say. Learn no how to deal with employees.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Kaiser Permanente

Pros – Healthcare - it's the industry that is experiencing the highest growth and has the most potential.

Cons – Employment - working for unskilled Executive Directors.

Advice to Senior Management – Please qualify your Executive Directors prior to promoting them to the role.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Kaiser Permanente

Pros – The Pay, Benefits, and Union are great reasons to work here. We also get a bonus every year. I like working in the medical feild and helping patients. At the pharmacy we're the last place patients go before they go home and I think it should be a pleasent experience. You don't know what has already happened to the patient before they come to us. They could've been told there really ill or that a loved one is dieing, or they could be there for chemo therepy or just getting a refill. Also, who know's how long they waited at the doctors office. So, I like being they last person they see before they leave and I thry to encourage them with excelent customer service.

Cons – I can't think of any. Just the usual that you might not always get along with management.

Advice to Senior Management – We do have a voice at work and it's great to beable to tell our concerns with management.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend