How are career development opportunities at Smithfield Foods?

Good benefits Good leadership Good growth opportunities within department, although seeking positions in other departments is not an easy transition

Not much in the surrounding town unless you take a 30-45 min commute to a real city. Refer to themselves as a hybrid company, but their hybrid policy leaves much to be desired and is not very flexible, especially considering the commute and surrounding area. Managing child care is difficult. Surrounding area has limited and expensive options. Choosing one in a nearby city can cause some issues if they don’t accept children early enough. Lunch options are limited as it is a small town. Most restaurants close on Monday, one of the days we are required to be in the office. As much as I enjoy the work, having to choose between commuting or moving here is where it starts to feel like being here long term is unsustainable. Smithfield is like stepping into a separate universe from the rest of the Hampton roads area. The people chalk up the many inconveniences of a small, rural town as character when really it’s an unwillingness to change. Because of this, I can’t see myself working her long term. The commute alone invalidates work life balance for anyone with a family.

Good career advancement, good resources

Poor management, not customer driven.

Competitive pay and opportunities for bonuses

Recent layoffs, facility closures, and benefit cuts have created uncertainty and low morale There’s a lack of career advancement. You stay on the same desk so it’s important that you’re taking on a desk you’re interested in. I’ve been at other companies that rotate you ever so many years so that the team is well versed. Here, pray no one quits or gets cut because they take that knowledge with them. You own your own development. There are opportunities out there for those that leadership likes, but it’s not openly out there for you to know about. Our culture is increasingly shifting towards a cost-cutting culture despite strong profitability in recent years. Work-from-home flexibility was removed, increasing our commute. PTO policy changes have reduced flexibility. We used to be able to roll over our vacation and now we need to use it all up before this year’s end—all the while pressuring us not to take time. Leadership communication can be inconsistent, with shifting priorities and direction changes mid-project. Even from what I’ve seen with my peers and other departments, advancement seems political rather than performance-based.

Remote work for Project Managers Great group of people to work with on teams Good compensation package - salary, bonus, healthcare and vacation benefits

Management team doesn't trust employees to make decisions Penny culture Not much room for advancement in project management career

This company offer job stability for several years

Upper management seems to care about DEI, however, it is a surface level push and minorities are only put on posters or offered roles that have no real value or career growth.

An amazing group of people work inside the North East facility. Many have become my extended family.

While compensation is competitive, the work environment under the current senior level distribution leadership has become increasingly difficult. We frequently are given communication with a condescending and dismissive tone, offering no genuine support despite repeatedly asking what is needed to improve OTB (On Time Billing). On their sole site visit, referred to the leadership team as “dogs” and implied we were “sniffing around” for bonuses we would not receive. While the visit was intended to get to know the NEDC team, both hourly and salary, they did not engage with staff. We were promised weekly onsite support until a GM was hired, but that never happened. Work-life balance is minimal at best. The expectation is to be in the office five days a week (9-10 hr days) and remain available during off-hours. When other leaders resign or are terminated, their responsibilities are often redistributed without training or corresponding increases in pay. My role had to assume the duties of General Manager, Safety Manager, and Training Supervisor for six months. During that time a salary adjustment was requested months after proving my abilities—only to be told for two months that the decision was “still up in the air.” Overall, there is little recognition for being a top performer, taking on increased workload and managing additional roles with minimal support from leadership offsite. What is provided is an unsustainable approach to employee well-being, which has led to many seasoned leaders leaving the company. We were told to give names to complete a RIF (Reduction In Force) one day with no guidance from anyone outside of the facility. No clear direction on volume changes, shift adjustments or plan moving forward. The RIF was poorly executed and no support was given to those of us who had to facilitate the RIF.

Fair pay, decent people, good opportunities

Company does not care about you in the least

The worst company I have worked for. Can we leave 0 star reviews? 🤣

Top-heavy structure with layers of leadership and very few actual doers. • Constant reorgs and shifting priorities, leaving teams confused and directionless. • Decisions made behind closed doors, with little to no input from those actually responsible for execution. • Communication is poor, often last-minute, and sometimes contradictory. • Responsibility is pushed down without granting the authority needed to succeed. • Favoritism in promotions and opportunities — not based on performance or merit. • Little to no career development or mentorship • Relocation pressure without clear timelines or guarantees. (A friend was relocated, started building a house, and was then victim of a “RIF”) • Morale is low, and turnover is high in critical areas. • Leadership focuses more on appearances than solving root problems. • Lack of transparency in strategy, leading to constant uncertainty about the future. • Siloed teams that rarely collaborate effectively. • Heavy workload but unclear accountability, leading to finger-pointing instead of problem solving. • Employees feel replaceable, not valued. Before I left they cut PTO to where its use or lose and were to get like 1.5 weeks.

Incentive program is nice to take advantage of

Long hours growth opportunity not as good

Work Life Balance - rarely need to work more than 40 hours

Lack of Development Programs Lack of Career Paths No Change Management in Rollout of Critical Changes to Policies and Programs No true actionable plans based on feedback provided via Employee Surveys