Vertis Inc Reviews

Pros

Compensation and benefits were adequate. Work schedule was extremely attractive and time off was also adequate. My manager was flexible in meeting my requirements to balance personal and professional life. The team was great to work with.

Cons

Leadership was constantly (corporate) changing and training to perform position responsibilities inadequate (division level). A lot of changing towards how production was measured, used different metrics, but none were helpful to the men on the floor. Not enough capital investment as the equipment was aging needed much repair and necessary resources to adequately satisfy production and customer requirements was unavailable or lacking.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase capital investment in new equipment and technologies. Invest in training for divisional level management and supervision. Address specific areas needing improvement as opposed to a general "we need to improve". Give employees sense that direction being taken will not only improve shareholders/stakeholders confidence, but employees confidence as well.

Pros

A good work environment that promotes teamwork and joint decision making to accommodate our internal and external customers.

Cons

Sometimes work is not steady in this general field which leads to reduced work times however there are also extremely busy times of the year that require working lots of extra hours.

Pros

From 2000 to 2006 the company was led by senior management who embraced process improvement and out of the box thinking. It was a great job with plenty of great projects that helped streamline quality enhancements and process improvements.

Cons

Once the CFO took control in 2006, senior management focused on cost cutting so much that it put employees in danger of failing. They also pushed away senior sales people, and customers with outrageous policy decisions.

Pros

Great co-workers but many are leaving

Cons

Too many "Chiefs", no one knows wahts going on

Pros

The quality of work they produce is outstanding. Creatively, they are as good as anyone. Their products are solid.

Cons

The company lacks any true direction or identity. They have no training for new employees because they do not have a clear definition of what they do, what they charge, or how they want to go to market. Upper management is complete disassociated from their field people, and the level of dissatisfaction among the employees is shocking.

Advice to Senior Management

Learn what services and products you offer (you clearly do not know). Then learn what supply and demand of these services and products is in the marketplace. You place emphasis on antiquated products and you fail to understand your competition and your place in the market.

Pros

There are some nice people to work with, and for the most part co-workers help out one another.

Cons

Upper management is too concern about metric, less about quality and customer care. Management does not care about their staff or how they are treated. Managers are disrespectful and treat staff as they are stupid. There is no training or advancement within this company. You will be stuck doing that same thing today as you did 5 years ago, if you were one of the lucky ones to have made it that long. Interaction between the divisions is taboo, even though they say we are all one team working together. Do not speak your mind, as you will not be heard and be look down upon for not seeing things in the "Vertis Way". HR is a joke were no one likes feel comfortable to talk to them regarding any issue because it never get addressed.

Advice to Senior Management

You need to take are real hard look at your managers are across all division. 360 Degrees Reviews would be a good start. Address staffing issue instead of just brushing things under the rug.

Pros

One learns how to navigate in turbulent waters.

Cons

Too many internal politics vs. concentrating on what serves customer best interest. Production driven, not sales driven organization.

Pros

Met a few nice people. They did not cut wages and benefits until after I left in 2007. A place to work if your unemployment is about to run out.

Cons

I worked at Vertis HQ in Baltimore 2005-2007. Glad I left. Cannot believe all the cost cutting and wage reduction taking place. Vertis was sinking years ago, will not be with us much longer. They treated people like garbage. Public reprimands were the norm. Managers with all the manners of a shaved ape. Zero training of any kind, they cut that out years ago. Buy a book if you want to learn. Every time I look at the Vertis web site there is a new management team. New employees wait 90 days for benefits, what a joke. Management reneged on a telecommuting arrangement, so I had to shlump into downtown Baltimore each day. Do not work here unless you have low self esteem or are about to lose your house.

Advice to Senior Management

No reason to delay the inevatable, sell the company off in pieces and be done with it. Vertis is not long for this world. Pay attention to how poorly your managers are treating their employees.

Pros

One of the pros of this company is that it is an option for those with a printing background, which there are very few left today.

Cons

Senior management is extremely incompetent and out of touch. The new HR VP (in the past couple of years) has no clue about their workforce, doesn't even know many of the work force works shift work. The SR VP of manufacturing is extremely two-faced, touting the need to invest in the company for improvements while going a full 180 degree on that when the $ are shown to them. That SR VP is too busy trying to make themselves look good to get a CEO position then to try and save this company. Reminded me of a fraternity when I dealt with senior management. I worked for a VP of operations who could barely figure out how to log onto their computer, let alone try to lead an organization. They will use their top performers to make themselves look better, but when it's between them and you, you'll lose out every time.

Advice to Senior Management

Try to understand your workforce better. I understand the economy has hurt this company forcing shutdowns and layoffs. The way it's done, with many of the poor performers still left at the end leaves many of the employees disillusioned and distrusting of management.

Pros

I got a decent pay in today's economy but I don't know how long it will last. The printing industry is dying.

Cons

Ineffectual upper management, unhealthy micro-managing style overall (data metrics), rigid inflexible work/ life balance. lack of trust of employees

Advice to Senior Management

Want to save money? Get rid of the excess overpaid management you have in place. Too many chiefs not enough Indians