PepsiCo Reviews in Chicago, IL Area

Pros

big company, pretty good salary, OK benefits, competitive culture

Cons

little transparency in organizational stuff

Advice to Senior Management

more transparency

Pros

Smart, hardworking people. Co-workers are the best I've had in my career--always willing to help out. Compensation is good.

Cons

Senior management is incompetent and has no accountability for their own mistakes. Zero employee empowerment, everyone just has to do what they're told. Constant turnover in many groups due to working atmosphere.

Advice to Senior Management

Give power back to your employees. We're smart and we have experience. Let us use them. Require all potential new hires to take a Myers-Briggs so we can weed out anyone with narcissistic personality disorder (and take one yourself--you might learn a few things).

Pros

Top CGP that looks good on the resume.
Many volunteer events to give back.
After 5 years of employment, you receive and extra week of vacation.
Get a chance to work with new systems like SAP and WebEx.
Sr. Management "cooks" breakfast for employees once a year. (Kinda neat.)
Co-workers have a generally pleasant demeanor.
Summer and winter hours are a plus. (Who can't use extra time off?)
Many Employee Groups to join for networking or support.
Tuition reimbursement.
You can wear jeans to work everyday.

Cons

No work life balance depending on your department.
Serious silo effect. If you hire into one department be prepared to stay.
Departments are very click-ish. Most don't know what departments are on other floors.
Talent that is brought in, is under valued and not used to their potential. Current employees that have obtained MBAs or MAs are still overlooked for promotions even with proven results.
You must be good at brown-nosing to get ahead in this place.
Annual raises are very small (barely cover cost of living) or not at all unless you are sales or management.
If you come up with an idea for process improvement, be ready to go through months of red tape before it might be approved for a test.
Many supervisors and managers pass projects from sr. management to their employees to complete. Then take the credit with no thanks to those who actually did the work.

Advice to Senior Management

If the company promotes work life balance, then you should stand by that statement. Utilize the talent you have before you lose them. (That doesn't mean give them more of the same work.)
All managers should take refreshers on how to be effective, supportive and how to use appropriate communication skills.

Pros

Great culture and ample resources

Cons

very strict deadlines, bad HR department

Advice to Senior Management

Some advice I would give the leadership would be to improve their HR department, trying to fill out necessary paperwork for the job was very challenging

Pros

Great company with a strong vision. Focus on service and work-life balance. Better than average compensation. Lots of opportunities for advancement.

Cons

High expectations and strong competition for promotions - survival of the fittest mentality. Sometimes senior leadership out of touch. Training can be insufficient - trial by fire.

Pros

Great opportunity to work with professional colleagues, culture is great, a lot of cutural awareness programs

Cons

Very Large Company - need to be visible to managers and senior leadership

Advice to Senior Management

Get to know your employees.

Pros

Great place to learn the business. Aggressive company requiring the best out of you. You are well respected when looking for opportunities outside the company. Talented people.

Cons

Culture has changed. No longer have feel of if you work hard and perform well you are secure. Benefit if you are young and lower payed. Difficult to stay loyal as feel is company not loyal to you. Company frowns on those not willing to relocate.

Pros

Deep Pockets. Great Leadership. Walks the Talk.

Cons

Some functional area are downsizing. Emphisis is on growth in other countries outside of the USA.

Advice to Senior Management

Overall, I admire you!

Pros

stable, good people, worklife balance, opportunities to learn how to work

Cons

pebble in a lake, small impact, need sponsorship to advance, and lots and lots of waiting to move

Pros

Great company with great products

Cons

Large company with a lot of bureaucracy