Portland General Electric Reviews

Pros

Management is supportive of growth objectives and there are many training opportunities. The atmosphere is relatively safe for trying new things. People are allowed to make mistakes without immediate consequences to one's future.

Cons

A number of programs are not as far along in maturity as in other companies. Standardization in IT is in progress, but may lag industry in general.

Pros

Good benefits
Above average programs and accommodations including: tuition reimbursement, training, etc
Annual pay increases (this is sort of a con too)
Good executive leadership in certain areas
Very talented employees who do work hard to overcome challenges
We don't fire people (Which should also be a con)

Cons

Too many old people work here (That sounds mean, it isn't intended to be. We don't value people's accomplishments rather, their years of service)

Poor people management - sorry not everyone is doing such a great job that they deserve a pay increase each year.

Promotions to management are often for the best workers, not the best managers
Attitude is fully reactive and not proactive.
Inconsistent policies which are not enforced and therefore, are irrelevant.

People hanging on until they can retire - many employees have been moved out of management positions due to performance but have retained their salary.

There is a huge lack of trust in the company, employees don't trust supervisors, supervisors don't trust management, and management massages information to give to executives. People guard their fiefdoms with all of their energy instead of working harder to improve their outputs.

Advice to Senior Management

You need to figure out what kind of company you want this to be. If you keep on this current path, you will have more people walk out the door to companies which actually give their employees the freedom to do their jobs.

Far too many initiatives that cost significant dollars are approved each year which often return little in the ways of ROI. People do more and more each year so they can simply fill up their scorecard (a childish, end of year report which is intended to prove that we actually did something this year) and make themselves look better.

You need to get middle and upper level management on the same page. You need to remove a number of middle managers in this company.

Stop rewarding people for just sticking it out here and completing their meager goals for the calendar year. Truly challenge people by actually letting them have some say in what they think would provide value to the business.

Trust your employees once in a while, they might actually surprise you. And guess what, people still have value even if they forget a comma or a period in an email.

Pros

Good culture that is collaborative

Cons

Slow culture that can be sclerotic

Advice to Senior Management

Encourage attrition

Pros

-Great location in downtown Portland, right next to the Waterfront
-Salaries are competitive
-Pay raises are insane, apparently 2/3 of the company are consistently exceeding expectations
-Low stress environment, anything goes, mistakes are not a big deal - everyone makes them, takes an act of Congress to get fired

Cons

-Most of the employees are in their 60's, very unmotivated and can care less about anything - just waiting for their retirement
-Even younger folks are turning into sleepy zombies after a few years
-Manager are good at their technical work, but absolutely worthless at managing people, let alone helping you develop and grow in your career
-People been working together for 30 years and are not very welcoming to new comers
-All the training is in the form of tribal knowledge, gotta know then right people to get anything done
-Seen people reading books, knitting and even dozing off (!) in their cubes in the middle of the work day
-Opportunities for advancement are based on time in the position and not merit

Overall - very low energy place with a bunch of nice but aging people, which makes you feel like you are forced to spend 8 hours a day in the same room with your grandparents day after day after day after day....

Advice to Senior Management

please try to hire someone younger than 60, give those young folks a chance

Pros

Two reasons it is nice place to work: it is a regulated monopoly so the company works hard to maintain a positive public image. Also, people tend to work there for a long time so close relationships are developed. It is a nice combination.

Cons

The low employee turnover means that new ideas are harder to come by, and the average age is older than any other place I've worked. It can be a bit stodgy. Because it is under public scrutiny and MUST have solid delivery of its product, business tends to move slowly.

Pros

The company expects you to work longer hours when it's necessary but they also highly value a strong work/life balance. Management is competent with many years of experience internal to PGE. There is low turnover because people just simply like working here.

Cons

Base pay is typically lower than other companies within the same industry. However, the benefits seem to compensate for the lower salary.

Pros

Great salaries and stable job

Cons

Good ole boy system, uptight work environment

Advice to Senior Management

Don't assume mid level managers are executing your strategies. Need checks and balances in hiring and interview process.

Pros

First off: I was employed by PGE for only one week back in 2005. Due to my own, ahem, mistake (read: foolishness) I left for "greener pastures". Therefore, chances are my review is completely different from reality. However, I decided to post what I observed during the 1 week I spent there.
1. Superb benefits package.
2. Competent management, both the top and middle-level.
3. Super nice working conditions. You work in the heart of Portland, on the waterfront, in a modern building, spacious quiet cubicle, very high speed internet, top-of-the line computers etc.
4. Overall, very mature, professional and well run organization.

Cons

In general I cannot say I saw any. For me the commute was long (but it has nothing to do with the job)

Advice to Senior Management

They seem to be doing good job and don't need any advice.