The Vanguard Group Reviews

Pros

Good benefits, high level of respect for employees

Cons

Low salary, very strict corporate rules, not much room fro creativity

Advice to Senior Management

Provide employees with more freedom and room to be creative in their jobs

Pros

Good work life balance
Good tuition reimbursement (9000 / yr)

Cons

Tough advancement unless in an accelerated program
Impossible to get into Trading or Portfolio Mgmt, people never leave

Advice to Senior Management

Not going to happen unless your in an accelerated program

Pros

Very good benefits package and decent work/life balance.

Cons

The decisions made by management are born out of a need to put feathers on caps rather than serve the needs of the clients. Internally, their organization restructuring has a terrible impact on morale. The changes I've personally witnessed show clearly Vanguard's disregard for experience and specialized knowledge. They do not respect their long-term loyal employees. For example, currently they are restructuring Flagship. They have hired mainly outside reps, and they have denied positions to current reps who are now forced to continue servicing their existing clients with smiles on their faces while given virtually no time to perform their new task of going out and finding a job within the company. Now the clients who are being serviced by these new outside people are suffering while these rookies are trying to figure out the Vanguard systems and process. Vanguard promised these clients that as Flagship members, they would get more experienced reps, but that is a promise they are ignoring.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more receptive to differing opinions and don't punish people for expressing them. Different ideas are good, even if you don't agree with them.

Pros

Work life balance is important
Good ethics
Friendly co-workers
They offer Great benefits

Cons

The organization is top heavy

Pros

Paid Time Off is a huge benefit

Cons

The hours for management is way too long

Advice to Senior Management

Talk to people don't talk at them.

Pros

The people are very friendly and the culture is not confrontational or aggressive. The Malvern campus is beautiful. Work-life balance is good.

Cons

It is difficult (thought definitely not impossible) to be rewarded in the short-term for strong performance. It can be frustrating at points to find the right advancement opportunities though I would say most managers are helpful here.

Advice to Senior Management

No advice.

Pros

Great Training/Learning Environment, Team Building

Cons

Low Pay, Conservative work enviroment

Advice to Senior Management

Offer better wages for entry level positions

Pros

Very stable organization with opportunity for growth.

Cons

Needs a change in senior management, old boys network prominent and lack of diversity in senior leadership roles.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase diversity among senior leadership roles. Many officers are stagnant and resistant to growth.

Pros

benefits and the training courses are great!

Cons

salary and bonuses are horrible.

Advice to Senior Management

Be willing to take criticisms and not punish people for being opinionated

Pros

Vanguard does offer tuition reimbursement and paid time off. Very little chance of layoffs.

Cons

The culture is very old boys network. It's very hard to advance in this company.

Advice to Senior Management

Remove some of the dead weight in your management ranks. Over all the company manages to mediocrity. People reach a certain level and they stay there reaping the salary benefits adding little tono value and blocking the paths of others who may have something valuable to contribute.