Rain Bird Reviews

Pros

Decent pay, robust processes, commitment to quality, commitment to growth, stable business in tough economy, appears to be economically sound with conservative decisions regarding spending.

Cons

More secretive than the CIA. Information is tough to come by, revolving door for many positions, agressive ranking system that fosters distrust.

Advice to Senior Management

incorporate structured and proven continuous improvement processes such as lean and six sigma. promote teamwork with a focus on continuous improvement.

Pros

Only salary is the bait use for all

Cons

Well, poor management, no leadership and being push to do more than one job while you are basically force to work more than what is normal and with no resources is the day to day job, no respect and hearing comments from managers that do not value the effort to get results

Advice to Senior Management

Frustration work load from middle management, I heard this from some one before "we are not lean we are anorexic" will describe what's happening, do not yell at people we notice that during your morning meetings, do not use the F or BS words that often and do not use the BS

Pros

The co-workers at the hourly level are very smart and excellent to work with. The wages were good at the time of hire, but were compensated for the lack of raises later.

Cons

Working at Rain Bird started out good, but as time went on with new management coming and going through the revolving doors, the quality and the working enviroment at Rain Bird has gone extremely down hill. Upper management treats the employees like criminals and never praise when a good job or deadline is achieved by dedication and hard work. The management will utilize their energies to find fault and decipline and insult employees to the full extent. Moreover, this causes a very poor morale amongst everyone in the plant.

With the plant closing upon us, we were informed that no severance package will be honored because of the lengh of time Rain Bird gave us for our layoff date. This sounds like another fast one that the Human Resorce Department has pulled on us. For some of us, whom have put more than 10 years of service at Rain Bird should get some type of severance package, but this is not so at this facility. Overall, how cheap and ruthless can this company be when dedicated employees performed their best to make Rain Bird the number one sprinker manufacture in the nation.

Advice to Senior Management

Management needs to have some common sense when it comes to hiring salary employees. A few of them have no experience in the position they were hired to perform. Also, management needs to have more respect and treat their employees like people and not like criminals.

Pros

A great team of people, although once everyone figures out what they are in for they start leaving. Salary wasn't bad but there is NO BONUS as expected/promised.

Cons

Management was very adversarial & antagonistic. Spent more time selling yourself internally than selling products externally. Waste of time when you could actually be helping grow their bottom line.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat your employees like you value them and their relationships with customers. that's the #1 priority in sales!

Pros

Good compensation
Smart and accomplished co-workers
Relocation package available
Smart and accomplished co-workers
Given large amount of job responsibility
Industry leader; quality products

Cons

A ridiculously high employee turnover rate
Management has quotas to terminate 15% - 20% of employees every year
A "management by fear" corporate culture
A "What have you done for me lately?" and "Why should I keep you?" management mentality
Weak senior management - a bunch of yes-men
Retention and employee development/growth are non-existent
Very minimal training
Human Resources hires and fires - period!
50-60 hour work weeks are the norm
Little to no prospect of long-term career growth
The employees operate in survival mode
Old laptops/computers

Advice to Senior Management

The time and money spent on recruiting the "best and brightest" only to drive them away is absolutely insane. This kills morale and it kills the continuity and growth of the business. Tony (the owner) must retire; it's time. New leadership (from the outside) needs to be hired to dismantle this crazy culture and build a business the values the retention, growth and well-being of its employees.

Pros

The pay is actually pretty good, but get what you can when you hire on, since raises are rare.

Cons

Very bad morale, you are treated like a criminal, and people snoop on your every move. Cameras everywhere, airporty style metal detectors, and eavesdropping of e-mail and telephones.

Advice to Senior Management

Knock off the poor treatment of professional people, you might notice a decrease in the massive turnover. I notice you hold meetings to try to address the issue, but never ask the right people for their input.

Pros

Very good compensation. Good relocation package. Great location. Okay benefits.

Cons

A lot has been said in other reviews that pretty much sums up the company as a whole. It's not a healthy environment to work in. As for Senior Mgt and local plant management, Rainbird is full of managers, but I've never seen anyone I would call a leader. The plants and the company are highly political. My opinion of Rain Bird on the whole is not very high.

However, I don't consider your coworkers as being much better than the company itself. Is it Rain Bird that makes them that way or is the nature of the people they hire? I think both. Your co-workers are ever ready to throw their fellow employees "under the bus", as they call it here. I've witnessed a lot of butt-kissing, much finger pointing by the workers, and a hostile environment that could be changed to some extent by the employees themselves. I've seen and talked to employees who have left, for one reason or another, never hear another word from their fellow employees. This is not the place you come to develop long term friendships. In summary, the company can be blamed for some of the ongoing problems and deficiencies, but let's own up to what's our responsibility.

Advice to Senior Management

Begin to hire upper, middle and plant management that is capable, competent, and can treat their employees as valuable resources. Get mgt to start to listen to their employees instead of trying to run their plants solo = synergy. Keep enough employees to actually get the job done the way it needs to be done. Or at least, recognize the need to change employees' objectives to cover the ever-diminishing work force, and give them a reasonable chance to achieve them, and at the same time, strike some balance in their lives.

Pros

The salary is at least competitive

Cons

Lack of respect
Future prospects grim
Feedback is not helpful
Tony LaFetra rules with an iron fist
Management is run by yes men
There is an attitude of disposable employees
Every day is seen as a kill or be killed outlook

Advice to Senior Management

Get rid of Tony and his antiquated management style and invest in people and team work

Pros

Industry leader, great products, great employees, fair compensation, brand recognition, avancement opportunities, lots of resources, educational reimbursment, lots of work to do.

Cons

Bad coporate culture. Owner tries to motivate his senior staff by using fear based tactics. VP and director level staff have to completely sell out to eveything they believe is honorable and fair to remain in these positions.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen you your salespeople in the field. They will make you look good if you trust in what they are telling you. However turnover in outside salespeople has been so high over the last few years there may not be enough experience left the field to help give senior management some direction and feedback.

Pros

Rainbird has good pay when you work well. Rainbird has great name recognition but it is undeserved. Other than that, not much is good.

Cons

Rainbird management is too close-minded when presented with differing opinions. Upper management is more like yes men when faced with Anthony.

Advice to Senior Management

change the president to somebody who listens and cares for the opinions of others people. Be fair and professional to outside companies that bring new ideas. DO NOT be a predator.