It was a great company to work for years ago, now not so much - Plant Manager Caterpillar Employee Review

3.0
Jul 15, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Salaried compensation is at or above what you would find in the market. Benefits are comparable to similar size companies. I had some great leaders and mentors that helped develop me. I gained a lot of experience with my years with Caterpillar. They kept challenges in front of me to keep me motivated.

Cons

Company culture under new CEO is deteriorating. This is sad because culture was the most significant positive thing I noticed when I started with the company years ago. They have a great severance package. However, they don't follow their own processes with regard to their TTP (job loss) program. The employee in the job pool is supposed to get priority in the list of candidates who applied a given position. They choose to ignore their defined process and bypass the priority rules. This is sad when they claim to be focused on process discipline and structured processes. They are adapting the 'GE model' with STIP bonuses which turns out is not the best model to follow (reference GE position today). There is a pool of money to divide amongst employees. To give an employee additional money you have to take money away from another employee. So, the stated % of bonus in your compensation package might not be accurate.

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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