Wells Fargo Reviews in San Francisco, CA Area

Pros

Good benefits
Easy to take time off
Good vision and values

Cons

Employees are often felt burnt out by the constant agressiveness of sales pressure

Advice to Senior Management

If the vision and values are really what the company believes, then treat the employees that way as well as change the sales structure.

Pros

The oakland branch is amazing in its supportive environment, and effectiveness. The management was extraordinarily approachable and seemed to really care about their employees.

Cons

It is a rather traditional company, but that can be a pro depending on what you're looking for.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the good work.

Pros

Wells Fargo offers stability, decent benefits, and average salaries compared to industry.

Cons

20 years with bank, MBA, I've hit a glass ceiling. have the keys, but it's hard to find the doors.

Advice to Senior Management

Mr. Stumpf seems genuine with embracing diversity and leadership roles but management is not a reflection of his beliefs.

Pros

Great benefits and lots of time off, very flexible with school scheduling. Constant change and fresh faces. Wells Fargo is a great place to get started and build up your resume or have a good paying job while in college.

Cons

Massive turn over, horrible micromanagement and focus on sales over service. I was constantly pushed to get numbers at all costs, threatened with termination if I didn't sell.

Pros

Generally makes a strong investment in its people for training and development
Management truly believes in the company's vision and values - helping our customers reach their financial goals
Gallup poll annually takes a pulse on employee engagement, and action plans are developed in response to the top strength and top opportunity for the team
Generous benefits for medical, 401k, dental, PTO

Cons

Revenue opportunities are squeezed, either by political or social pressures - people in general feel entitled to free financial services without any recognition of the cost of providing those services. So I'm personally concerned about the long-term prospects about the industry as a whole. Wells Fargo's management is strong and genuinely compassionate, so I know they'll do their best to do right by their customers and employees.

Advice to Senior Management

Tell our story more effectively in the press - WF employs 1 in 500 people in the country, and the misguided bad press directly affects all of us.

Pros

It is a globally respected bank with leading technologies implemented ahead of its competitors. Competent senior management decision guides the bank in right direction.

Cons

It is too big to revolve. The environments becoming complex to support the growing customer and satisfying their needs globally.

Advice to Senior Management

Wells Fargo was the symbol of diversification and I strongly believe the senior leaders will strengthen the businesses based on the past success.

Pros

It's a very stable environment as a full-time employee, with amazing vacation (I had 25 days), with a terrific work-life balance. At least in Wholesale, people are generally good about working no more than 40 hours and managing their own time. Working from home about one day a week is standard, unless a team appears to be abusing it. Wells Fargo has a very wide range of financial products and services, making for an intellectually interesting environment.

Cons

Because of its size, raises tend to be small (1-2% average, never more than 4% unless it comes with a promotion). Promotions are hard to come by too, since people tend to stay in their positions for a long time, and once an opening comes, politics almost always overrides qualifications. There's also a sizeable beuracracy, making product development/changes very slow - slower than most other organizations its size. Every little job has a dedicated employee, making getting experience outside your area difficult.

Advice to Senior Management

Reduce complexity! Not just all the many redundant systems and databases that do the same thing, but all the forms and process you have to do to get everything from change of email address to project funding. Forms are updated every month with the same information in a new format. Many forms have 75% the same content, same approvers, but work can't begin till each is routed with appropriate routing time given. Months are wasted in the process, yet more wasted training new employees on the process.

Give employees (FTEs at least, contractors too ideally) more opportunity to work in other areas.

Keep innovating.

Pros

Vision and Values are consistent and well known throughout organization.
Leadership is talented at setting a winning strategy and executing it.
Overwhelming majority of managers support live/work balance.
Genuine appreciation for diversity in the workplace.
Employees seem to genuinely care about their work and workplace environment.
Strong record of community giving and volunteerism.

Cons

Current economy and regulatory outlook for financial services companies is squeezing profits.
Budget for merit increases and promotions has been declining for the past 5 years and is nearing 1%. Company stock price is lower than it was in 1998.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what you're doing as it's working for the most part. Reevaluate compensation structure and make adjustments to increase pay for the 99% because compensation for the 1% has been growing much faster over the past 15 years.

Pros

The benefits are actually good, the PTO amount they provide is above average comparing to other companies in similar industries. The health insurance plans are decent as well.

Cons

Working at Wells Fargo may have been much better at one time. But every year I have been there, they have made the job harder and harder, while drastically cutting back on bonuses and incentives. The goals are higher now than they have ever been, and the bonus potential is at it's lowest. Upper management is very unprofessional and they often make promises that they don't keep. We have had sales contests where a prize can be one, but once the contest is over they decide not to offer the prize (bait and switch). Also if the phones are too busy, they will cancel planned PTO requests and even cancel days off.

Advice to Senior Management

Do not make promises that you cannot keep. If you make a promise, deliver on that promise. Also if there is a dispute between a customer and a banker where the customer is way out of line, don't side with the customer and punish the banker for failure to WOW the customer. Also, don't cancel PTO days 3 days before and then be surprised when we get upset about it.

Pros

The company is very strong and has a lot of job security. Overall, when working in the retail banking section of Wells Fargo, you never have fear of being laid off. A manager once said to me, the closer you are to the customers the more job security you have. Also, the benefits are great, even for those tellers who are part time. They offer paid holidays, vacations, tuition reimbursement, etc. It's also a great resume builder. If you're looking for a career in sales, Wells Fargo bankers who are good end up getting great sales experience that will definitely help you in your future career.

Cons

This company houses some of the most unethical bankers that set foot in the financial industry and the worst part is, it's the company's fault! They make the goals so unrealistic and therefore it pushes the pressure down from upper management to retail personal bankers and the only way they are capable of making their goals is to do things that most times are NOT in favor of the customer. Bankers are often closing and opening accounts, opening accounts for people who don't really need them, and worst of all opening numerous accounts for friends and family that end up getting charged fees and closing off on their own. The whole system for wells fargo sales goals focuses most on quantity of products opened rather than quality. Especially with the new account changes that makes it increasingly difficult for bankers to open accounts for customers who do not have direct deposit or a minimum balance. Also, this particular position i am in, which is the CSSR position, is basically a way for management to work you like a personal banker and pay you just a little above a teller. It's now becoming a company norm for retail managers to hire CSSRs instead of bankers just so the company can save money. 'd say its an okay company overall if you're ethical and are able to sell products the right way but be prepared to take the ride of your life.

Advice to Senior Management

Appreciate the hard work that your bankers are doing for you, Do NOT micromanage bankers because it makes them feel like they are in preschool, and make sure bankers are taught the right thing to do for the customer.