Swiss Re Reviews

Pros

flexible time and people are all nice

Cons

dont have anything to share

Pros

Decent benefits, flexible working arrangements (from home/remote), opportunities for those with the right skills in the right location that know the right people.

Cons

In a very tough spot right now. Jobs are shifting to lower cost locations and replaced at lower salary. Company is reactive in nature to the point of being "knee-jerk" at times. It is really a phase due to the natural catastrophe losses in recent years but it is very discouraging. Lots of folks left or were asked to leave and those of us left are left inadequately equipped to pick up the pieces.

Advice to Management

The business and budgets were not managed conservatively for years and now it is suddenly everyone's responsibility to fix senior management's mistakes. It's not fair or transparent. You're at risk of losing your most skilled staff who feel taken advantage of and you don't seem to realize it. There is an atmosphere of "fix it tomorrow" and we're all left asking why now when it wasn't a problem for the last 15 years?

Pros

Strong company with long history

Cons

Cold and inwardly focused company

Pros

NYC building is close to transportation

Cons

Gossip, clicks, hierarchy culture, unfair bonus based on band instead of contributions

Advice to Management

Do not treat employees like numbers! Treat employees like people and individuals,

Pros

Pros truly depends on the team you are in and which location you work from. In general vacation is good and some benefits like the COyou2 program to support sustainable purchases are over the average of the industry

Cons

Zero growth opportunities in the last years; outlook for the company is negative after the Tax Act 2018 which pushed non-US reinsurers to play on a more fair playground tax-wise. Senior management is non transparent and comes up every year with a new creative explanation of why the company is unable to match the expectations in terms of performance bonuses: in 8 years at this company I never got the target bonus I was...

Advice to Management

Stop lying

Pros

401k is nice. Education reimbursement is unmatched so far.

Cons

The company is doing VERY poorly so I imagine the only pros will be cut soon. HR does not care about employees and they lie to get people to start with this company. If you have an issue with bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, etc. HR will not protect you or help you. They are there to protect the company! Just get a lawyer. HR is wildly uneducated and uniformed about how to treat employees. The open office environments...

Advice to Management

They won’t listen and the company is too far gone.

Pros

There are a lot of smart people who work hard and do their job well. There are a lot of chances to work on global projects and initiatives and take up job rotations or work abroad in other locations. Management pushes a culture of integrity, discipline and empowerment. There are few hierarchies and many chances to work on projects beyond your assigned role. There is very little or no micro management. The company focuses...

Cons

Since the company is based in Switzerland, most of the career growth opportunities are in Switzerland. The performance management or employee rating system doesn’t compliment the company culture.

Advice to Management

Replace the performance management process and program.

Pros

There are no positives of working at Swiss Re

Cons

Harvey Weinstein will likely be Swiss Re’s next hire. There have been numerous reports to HR of sexual harassment and physical attacks against several women in the NYC office all stemming from the same individual. Management has turned a blind eye. If you are a female or self respecting male avoid working here at all costs. The HR issues and rampant sexual harassment will likely play out in the press sooner rather than...

Advice to Management

Protect your female employees.