Sonoco Products Reviews

I have been working at Sonoco Products full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Even thought the company is large, team work and collaboration are the norm. people genuinely care about each other and the company takes good care of its own.

Cons – I hadn't worked for a company the size of Sonoco before. Sometimes the bureaucratic methods are hard to work through.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Sonoco Products full-time

Pros – The money is very good.

Cons – Most of the factory is not air conditioned and they really don't care how hot you get in there.

Advice to Senior Management – You need to pay more attention to the employees that you have that do a good job for the company and you are totally clueless when it comes to your supervisors and their lack of abilities to lead people.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Sonoco Products full-time for more than a year

Pros – Salary/benefits package was above average.

Cons – Many companies have a salesperson "managing" employees. I have never understood this - being good at sales usually does not go well with being able to manage others. Only about 5% of any sales people I've dealt with have been decent managers. Plus, in this particular situation, the salesman was one of the poorest sales people I've worked had the misfortune of working "with" - poor understanding of the business and company we were associated with, worked off-site so usually MIA, condescending, untruthful (and bad at keeping track of his lies), etc. The other employees on-site were always worried about losing their jobs, and completely self-serving. Collaboration is a big buzz word - that's all it was there. Lots of lying and back-biting, in addition to purposeful non-sharing of information. No one wanted to work as a cohesive group.

Advice to Senior Management – Sales people are horrible general managers. If you have employees that are not on-site, have the managers check in with employees. It is not the employee's responsibility to initiate all contact. I was once told that if my manager hadn't heard from me, the assumption was "no news is good news." Sounds like a manager who's on top of things!

I have been working at Sonoco Products

Pros – long lunchs, lots of breaks

Cons – mangaemant, pay, peoples, work environemnt

Advice to Senior Management – wake up

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Sonoco Products full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Good opportunity early in your career - gives you the opportunity to build your resume which you will need when you finally realize there is a better world outside.

Cons – Culture is bizarre at times - senior management says the right things- then behave exactly the opposite of what they say. God help you if you are a manager of an operation and someone gets hurt - it's as if you held the employees hand and told him to injure himself... The witch hunts are frustrating and I've seen several very good managers fired over the years for purely political reasons - people who were excellent at their jobs, but HR people didn't like them because they voiced their opinions too openly.

Advice to Senior Management – Realize that you phage good people working hard in your operations at all levels - and have more respect for them and what they contribute. If you want to know about a particular plant, spend more than 5 hours a year there -

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Sonoco Products full-time

Pros – Everyone is always willing to help each other out!
A safe working environment is extremly important to not only management but all it's employees.

Cons – Work losd is controlled by one contract at our location

Advice to Senior Management – Always listen to questions being asked by employees and make sure you get answers!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Sonoco Products full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – "Small town" feel as you have opportunities to get to know peers across company. Current senior leadership has an interest in the well being of employees. Opportunity to quickly get responsibilities and grow.

Cons – Company has a history of downsizing and layoffs. The soon-to-be CEO (when current one retires) is only bottom line focused with not much regard for employees. Quality in some divisions is ignored with plant managers cutting corners. Matrix structure can be very frustrating when trying to satisfy 2 managers with competing objectives. Not a lot of opportunity to advance as company had all but stopped allowing transfers to other locations. Ok opportunities for hourly/craft personnel.

Advice to Senior Management – Listen to employees.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Sonoco Products full-time for less than a year

Pros – Benefits good, high quality employees, people that care about doing a good job. Corporate culture is positive and some very good production environments exist in other geographic areas so it can be done.

Cons – expect to give up either sleep or a family life. Unreasonable hours due to poor workforce mgmt - exempt lower level work excessive hours week after week without appreciation, compensation, or comp time. Time off is taken away with no notice or care People are so burnt out that it is impacting plant safety. Harassment is swept under the rug. Management refuses to address the issues because they themselves aren't impacted.

Advice to Senior Management – Recognize that people won't continue to give without getting something in return. Excessive hours lead to safety violations and turnover. Harassment should never be tolerated.. Audit plants to make sure they are following company culture of making Sunoco a good place to work and advance. Make it a company policy people are treated well.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Sonoco Products full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Typically top player in their market

Cons – Can not compete in a competitive market

Advice to Senior Management – You are cutting cost at the expense of not providing service to customer

I have been working at Sonoco Products full-time for more than a year

Pros – Stable company with good compensation

Cons – Small town cliques within employee base

Advice to Senior Management – Encourage established employees to involve newcomers

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend