The Nielsen Company Reviews

Pros

flexible work enviroment, WAH, attire, etc.

Cons

Poor benefits, constant layoffs and cost cutting, big paydays for Sr. Execs.

Advice to Senior Management

Bonus policy is terrible.

Pros

interesting industry - tv ratings and all the interactions are fascinating. lots of IT and technology, although they are trying to move as much as possible offshore

Cons

you are competing with indian contractors who are replacing US citizens (story on CNN and fox news). pressure cooker atmosphere is many areas.

Advice to Senior Management

pressure cooker atmosphere and constant layoffs = lower productivity and lower profits. Make a clean cut for functions that are offshored and assure competent folks of a minimum employment time.

Pros

Nielsen provides a great learning environment and team atmosphere

Cons

Career advancement is rare due to lack of resources and "Do more with very little" mentality from senior management

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in employees and enhancement of products

Pros

The people are generally nice and collaborative. The location downtown is convenient for most people. It's close to mass transit for both city dwellers and suburbanites.

Cons

The rewards and recognition system at Nielsen is completely broken. Bonus payouts are purposely made a mystery and the company provides "fuzzy" explanations if you ask for clarity on how they are calculated. Merit increases are extremely low and most people get them on an 18-24 month cycle. The key to success at Nielsen is to come into work and smile every day. It's a completely conflict avoiding culture, meaning that people that have learned how to smile no matter how bad things are get rewarded. Never make waves!

Advice to Senior Management

Do something to fix the rewards and recognition system. Compensation needs a complete overhaul and the idea of identifying 20% of your workforce as substandard performers is an outdated/unproven model (GE abandoned it years ago).

Pros

Work life balance is well respected. There is a wide range of products to get educated on and expand your knowledge base.

Cons

Upper management is out of touch with what really goes on with clients and with what clients need to succeed. Sales people that are too short-term oriented are left to run the accounts when true strategy is needed.

Advice to Senior Management

Leverage existing experience. Do not assume that new is better.

Pros

Interesting products and services offered.

Cons

Nielsen is full of chaos. Deliverables are always on extremely tight deadlines, and management is aware of this but does not care that employees are working around the clock to meet expectations.

Advice to Senior Management

Please think about work life balance.

Pros

here is like a school making you learn many things. all people help you about everything

Cons

our benefits package 's lower than other ones working another company.
low salary

Pros

- Generally nice and smart people through out company
- Great place to learn, grow, and advance, especially early in career
- Industry leader with clear strategic advantage

Cons

- Good ideas, but sometimes poor execution from Sr. Management and HR
- Limited feedback loops between departments leads to limited accountability among some non-revenue generating functions.

Advice to Senior Management

- The ideas and strategy are generally good, but work on attention to detail and oversight of execution to avoid demotivating while changes are rolled out.

Pros

opps to learn marketing research with high efficiency and good exposure to the client.
good working environment
friendly colleague to work with

Cons

low compensation, no pay for overtime, easily gets bored with daily work, need time to refresh
salary gap with regional workers

Advice to Senior Management

increase the compensation and start to think about how to enhance the morale.
try to keep the talent in the group

Pros

Pays the bills few perks some as gifts iPod , etc good experience for a part time job

Cons

Mass layoff , swing swift is horrible

Advice to Senior Management

none making money for shareholder by outsourcing great idea! for management