Kraft Foods Reviews

Pros

It's more laid back than most corporate jobs and the majority of people are easygoing. The are considerate of people with families.

Cons

Managers don't know how to manage others. People advance to higher positions when they shouldn't and those who should don't get recognized. They don't respect their contractors and make opportunities for advancement difficult.

Advice to Senior Management

Be straight with contractors about permanency with the company so they don't get their hopes up or waste their time staying at a job that is going nowhere.

Pros

Good benefits (medical/dental, 401K, paid time off, company store)
Great training courses and resources (when you are on a larger brand)
Smart people with great ideas

Cons

Politics drag the company down - things move extremely slowly
New marketing tactics that don't have proven ROI are turned down
Short-sighted - directors rotate frequently, so are incentivized to grow bottom line at the expense of brand building

Advice to Senior Management

The incentive structure currently in place does not encourage brand growth; management tends to cut brand building activity (advertising, promotions) and take price to meet their bottom line goals.

Pros

The pay rates for the various jobs there are pretty reasonable considering you don't usually need a degree, and the benefits are pretty much in line with anywhere else. Reasonably safe place to work.

Cons

While it is a pretty safe place to work, safety rules can be a bit excessive since they're trying to cover their own butts and trying to make up for the lack of common sense that can be all too prevalent nowadays.

Management also tends to baby employees too much. While there are definitely those are deserve to be treated in such a way (those who frequently call-in, do poor jobs, make bad decisions), they need to realize that not everyone acts in such a way nor deserves to be treated as such.

Employees are increasingly having to do more and more as management tries to cut manning to the barest of bare minimums just so they see a bigger bonus in their pocket.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop treating employees like children, stop and talk to them for a few minutes and realize that most know what they're doing. Stop being so anal about "safety" and every single little rule and focus on teaching (and reward those who use) common sense. You're bound to get as good or a better result by putting effort and reward into your employees rather than trying to cut back on every little loss in product and time.

Pros

Great company with a lot of potential

Cons

They aren't adjusting to changing market conditions and not capitalizing on specialty markets (vegans, celiacs, food allergies)

Advice to Senior Management

List to others not just each other

Pros

Good pay, good people, good products

Cons

Unclear how people advance in their jobs.

Advice to Senior Management

A more open system for career advancement and promotions

Pros

Amazing work place
Good support
Great Support from the team members
Very focused approach to issues, and concentrates on solving the matter :)
Good pay scale
Good incentives

Cons

Work pressure on the higher side at times
Frequent responsibility changes, with minimal changes in the grades

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the great leadership! :)

Pros

Great people, great products. Proud to work there. Always new challenges and opportunities with acquistions, divestitures, new products, promotions, etc.

Cons

At some locations, not ideal for people who want to do the same thing every day.

Pros

Work life balance; Good compensation package

Cons

limited career growth; People who are not deserving gets the promotion and recognition

Advice to Senior Management

promote the right people

Pros

Has decent health plans, high turnover so plenty of opportunity for overtime.

Cons

Morale is at an All Time Low, benefits are being cut right and left throughout hourly and salary workers, 6 Sigma is taking us inthe wrong direction.

Advice to Senior Management

You need to refocus on what worked, the vision and spirit is fading away. Do your best to get things back on track of get out...save yourselves.

Pros

1. Megabrands
2. Diverse Work Force
3. Flexiable schedules

Kraft has 9 billion dollar brands to keep on track. AS you move through your career at Kraft you have plenty of opportunity to work on differnet brands.

Cons

Senior management jobs are tough to come by and selection is based on perception vs performance. The best candiates are often passed up and navigating the red tape is near immpossible

Advice to Senior Management

Start walking the talk and promote within or years of talent will continue to find other opportunities that best fit there needs.