Colgate-Palmolive reviews

4.1

81% would recommend to a friend

(2,484 total reviews)
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Noel Wallace

86% approve of CEO

72% positive business outlook

Colgate-Palmolive has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,484 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Colgate-Palmolive employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufacturing industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
2.0
Jul 16, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This company is stable and you are highly unlikely to be laid off.

Cons

The opportunity for advancement is terrible. It is an open secret that there is a 8 year wait list for promotion to associate director level. Someone has to retire or die before promotion can occur because the number of employees at that level or higher is fixed and can never increase. The company has no compunction about working people to death with no intention of ever promoting them. The only way get a management opportunity is to leave the company. There are only two weeks paid vacation for the first five years of service. They'll offer to let you buy another week, but they won't tell you that the week will cost you the fully burdened rate or about 4% of your gross annual income. That's an entire pay check.

3.0
Jul 5, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Solid performing company. Few large companies have the financial performance of this company, over short- and long-term. Focused - does not stray into extraneous areas without deliberation or make trendy moves. Generally positive atmosphere to work in, with some modern-day trends coming into existence recently (work-from-home, etc.). People are proud to work for the company and many stay a long time. Makes products that make peoples lives better.

Cons

Salaries are below-average and this is one of the worst-kept secrets at the company. Other non-salary benefits (e.g. hours, 401(k) match) offset this somewhat. The company is very old-fashioned, and, presumably like at most companies, double-standards exist. Men still wear suits, women wear whatever they want. Atmosphere is cordial and collegial but at the same time stressful and cold - people often do not even say hello to each other in the halls. This has only gotten more pronounced with the attempt to cost-cut their way to profits and shuttle jobs oversees. Also, people are overworked (although it never gets to "sweat-shop"-type hours) and that probably adds to stress. Cost-cutting also left those who didn't get cut feeling like they had to validate their existence with "work analyses" done by high-powered consultants. There also is a veil of secrecy and guardedness from both HR and upper management. HR is not very good on the whole and neither is IT. It's almost impossible to know where to turn with an HR question. IT service is horrendous. This has only gotten worse with the move to a Mexican shared service center. Management skills are poor and managers are not trained to lead. Most annoying thing at the company is they pat themselves on the back so much with cliches and jargon about Managing with Respect and Colgate Values and then they cut people and let unskilled managers still exist. Premium is placed on ethnic diversity, even to the exclusion of attaining the most diverse (university-wise) talent.

3.0
Apr 23, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I enjoyed most I worked w/especially my line leaders. They gave me opportunity to advance.

Cons

The long hrs and being called in on days off. Also being underappreciated by the big bosses...(though the line leaders were awesome and made up for it a lot)

Viewing 136 - 138 of 2,484 Reviews

Glassdoor has 4,717 Colgate-Palmolive reviews submitted anonymously by Colgate-Palmolive employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Colgate-Palmolive is right for you.