IT - where careers go to die - IT Director National Grid Employee Review

1.0
Aug 15, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits. The farther away from the flagpole you are, the more relaxed it is, but also the less your input is listened to.

Cons

I've worked with and in most departments in the company, and IT is by far the most dysfunctional and out of touch. Those in leadership positions are more focused on protecting their jobs and building empires than working together and listening to employees (completing less than half of projects committed to with regulators each year, and being complacent with it, is just one symptom of a major problem). Promotions are based on proximity to Waltham and who you know, not performance. Good employees are often rewarded with higher workloads and more difficult work, while weaker employees are allowed to do less and keep their jobs. Major disconnects and distrust exist between Waltham and other offices, and between IT and the business (IT isn't even allowed to manage their own budget). It's common knowledge within the company that advancing your career requires getting out of IT within 5 years. UK IT leadership is more progressive, open to suggestions and listening to employees, while many US IT leaders give lip service to innovation, trying to stifle communication and collaboration.

Explore other reviews about National Grid

1.0
Jun 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

At NGED the few pros are lessened by the day as the cons are increasing. The idea of a career has gone and now most are resigned to just having a job.

Cons

Aside from the reality being very different from what the leadership team sell IE they don't care about people or net zero, it's all spin and marketing. Now at NGED we are in a situation where staff you have known for many years simply disappear from duty and no one seems to know why, a couple of weeks later they have left the business with an NDA. It's happening all over the business. There seems to be a drive to remove any leaders who have industry technical knowledge and replace them with people from outside the industry who knows little to nothing about electricity. Despite safe to say being an important value, speaking out against this usually results in an NDA. It's toxic positivity where playing along seems to be more important than the role you fulfil.

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