Many of the same characteristics that have proven beneficial to the company financially have also proven a detriment to it's employee morale and ability to attract new talent. The company institutes a very conservative investment mentality which, unfortunately, has bled into their approach to managing their employees as well.
The pay scale here is not nearly as competitive as other companies offer. The management team will try to convince you that the other benefits more than offset the differences, but the truth of the matter is that for most average to above average employees, other companies compensate you at least equally, if not more so. Honestly, it is a disincentive to work hard here as the bonus is based nearly entirely on how long you've worked with the company and very little to do with whether you actually deserve it or not. That type of evaluation would take much more diligence for management to consider.
While the pay scale is a bit annoying, the most flagrant offense that you take as an employee is the prolific micromanagement that takes place. Several other people have discussed the check-ins from a management standpoint and using your tardiness as a performance evaluation tactic. I can say from experience that this truly is often a primary point of evaluation when an employee is being reviewed. There is a complete lack of consideration for what modern employees consider to be appropriate for a work environment. Requiring all employees to wear ties, even when their position has zero external contact, a one hour lunch that begins at exactly noon and ends at exactly one, and little-to-no educational assistance unless it is a part of the CPCU or FLMI educational track. So much for anyone looking to further a business career with an MBA.
These are just a few of the common complaint that most employees have. Unfortunately, many of these same employees settle for this environment instead of looking elsewhere. This fear of losing a job and/or being unsuccessful is what Auto-Owners seems to rely on. I've heard several managers say that "the grass isn't always greener" on the other side. Well, I can say from experience that... actually, yes it is.
