People come first...a rare concept in today's business environment. - 6Sigma Black Belt I Caterpillar Employee Review

4.0
Jan 15, 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The company fosters long term opportunities for growth. Succession planning is the best of all employers where I have worked. The people come first, and management supports this paradigm. Working across numerous functional areas at any given time is a great way to learn people's different work ethic and behavior for your own self improvement. Being exposed to the different business units allows you to easily explore future career opportunities or to find the niche in which you want to focus. Engineers within specific areas of the company are truly fortunate for their ability to explore possibilities to create breakthrough products for end users.

Cons

Middle management is very transient in decision making. The almost weekly changes in direction creates waste and frustration among staff. While there is very little that can be done about this mode of operation, discipline in the development processes will enable faster, more accurate decision making. Some areas of the organization have the potential for protecting "old habits" (i.e: "we have always done it this way"). It can be an overwhelming challenge for staff-level engineers to break these barriers to do what is right. The most significant challenge is to work with the people who stifle and disqualify the input of others.

Explore other reviews about Caterpillar

5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits Great WLB Great pay

Cons

Low mobility to move up within company

2.0
Jun 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good health insurance and benefits, good yearly bonuses. The pay is good.

Cons

They are enforcing returning to office by any means necessary. They have lost many high-quality producers who have refused to relocate or refuse to come in. Here's the kicker - they are requiring in-person attendance at the Chicago office and there aren't even enough desks for everyone. It would be a literal fire hazard if we all came into the Chicago office at the same time, M-F, during business hours. No one knows how or if they are going to actually enforce this. Cost of gas is insane, Joe doesn't care about the workers. Or the work for that matter. It's obvious this is a soft layoff, they have made a bunch of people quit. Their internal design agency is falling apart, lots of people have quit, not only because of return to office but because of the toxic politics, favoritism, and lack of direction and accountability. Mediocre workers are allowed to keep their jobs ONLY because of their ability to put their bodies in a chair and work in-person. The other relocation option HR gave besides Chicago was Peoria. No one wants to live in Peoria for any reason whatsoever, be for real.

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