I work in technology and have been part of the digital transformation at Cengage. - IT Director Cengage Employee Review

4.0
Feb 13, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Organizationally, Cengage is in a state of transition. Digital products are transforming the publishing industry and Cengage is and has been committed to transforming itself both culturally and technologically. The environment is progressive, innovative and open. The teams are centered around getting customers brought into the development process and using their feedback to guide development. They are highly committed to value and quality and so far I have had a lot of fun working here.

Cons

Some of the "old guard" are reluctant to give up on their book publishing roots. They are challenged to accept some of the change the industry is forcing them to move toward. Old book publishing processes are slow to be transformed and are hindering the pace at which the company is moving into the future. I will say that I believe the change laggards recognize the need for change, and are trying to be prudent about changes. The change will happen.

Explore other reviews about Cengage

5.0
Mar 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Total rewards, time off, great people and culture

Cons

Lots of changes and uncertainty at times

1.0
Jul 13, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The individuals below the management level are good people, with some good people at management but C-Suite is horrible.

Cons

C-Suite hides their plans under corporate speak. Cengage was a family owned private company and they sold and ever since then has had, debt, schemes to shuffle and restructure debt while implementing RIFs after RIFs after RIFs...never ending and amazingly has been in increased this last year. From their actions it's outsource as much as you can of company operations and squeeze value from Intellectual Property. Look how many times they've renamed themselves. They had a CTO join for about a month or two until she realized it was a role with no team, no authority and left. The CEO is amazing at spin, you hear "great, great, great" corporate speak as the reality on the ground is "this failed, that failed..what!? they're gone!...what they moved that department offshore!...what!? that department is now a vendor relationship...oh we're not DEI focused because the wind changed". The trend is contraction not expansion, no ground breaking innovation. My jaded view from college on expensive books has only grew since I see how the sausage is made.

5
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