Bureaucratic, Political, and Very Technophobic - Anonymous employee Shell Employee Review

2.0
Jan 18, 2014
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great pay, great benefits, and decent work/life balance. For a baby boomer, it's a dream company. Also, since it's at the top of the food chain, just about any company will hire you with Shell experience on your resume.

Cons

Extremely inflexible and bureaucratic. Nothing happens quickly in Shell, and the inefficiency is costing them. Very rigid job roles - you are a cog in a machine. People will sometimes get angry (to an unprofessional degree) if you push into their territory, even if it's better for the company. New ideas are not welcome. "Reorganizations" every couple years of departments (and in 2009 the entire company!) keep the efficiency low and lead to a constant anxiety about job security. Worst of all, the Peter Principle is hard at work in Shell. At the lower levels, people are sometimes promoted based on their past technical performance and not on their ability to manage people. All in all, a Millennial's worst nightmare of an employer. Retention rates of new hires are very low.

Explore other reviews about Shell

5.0
May 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Shell is a wonderful company to work for. They truly support your continued development and many employees have been here for 20+ years. The work culture is one that provides a feeling of true psychological safety.

Cons

There are lots of meetings.

4.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Early career engineers are given significant ownership and exposure to complex operational challenges. Strong focus on safety, technical development, and collaboration across disciplines. Opportunities to work on high-impact projects, interact with senior leadership, and contribute to decisions affecting major assets and infrastructure.

Cons

Workloads can be demanding, and priorities can shift quickly based on operational needs. Decision-making processes can be slow due to organizational complexity, and geographic mobility may be necessary for certain career opportunities.

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