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Cornerstone OnDemand

Engaged Employer

Think twice before joining or buying - Anonymous employee Cornerstone OnDemand Employee Review

2.0
Jan 11, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There was a long period of time where I would recommend Cornerstone to the most talented people I know. There are great people here who care about each other and their work and we have the most wonderful customers. Cornerstone had a heritage of market and technology leadership and for giving back, especially through its foundation.

Cons

That heritage and culture has been in serious decline since at least January 2022, giving way to recent changes and a revolving door of senior leadership. This company has perfected the art of gaslighting. The smooth talk of the vast majority of the executive team and their underlings is unmatched. If you enjoy trying to rally around a positive vision of helping others “realize their potential” (or whatever else it’s being phrased as these days after rebrand attempts) while rarely experiencing that people-centric focus yourself on the job, then look no further. If you need to ramp up your skills in managing up and telling senior leaders what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear, then your on the job experience will be like a mini-MBA in office politics. This level of soulless activity will also get you promoted. A word on product quality. It is slowly improving in some areas but it’s been a house on fire for so long, it will never catch up. More importantly the customer centricity that keeps being touted is a mantra with nothing to back it up whatsoever. If it were more than that, there would be deep systemic changes in place to address the sharp decline in customer focus and satisfaction. But there aren’t. Just more words and desperately weak promises. If you’re interviewing for a job here, or maybe thinking of becoming a customer, ask anyone if the CEO, CLO, CHRO, CCO or anyone else on the leadership team know how to use the software (ie all of it) and if we’re using it internally for its stated purpose. The honest answer would be no. But gosh, do they talk a good game. You’re guaranteed get the best most polished veneer of goodness right here at Cornerstone, while working non-stop to no end. For as long as you’re willing to stomach it.

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Cornerstone OnDemand Response
2y
First, I want to thank you for being a long-tenured employee with Cornerstone. You have been here through multiple company changes including changes in CEOs, going public to private, and several acquisitions. With all this change, it’s important to remember that sometimes what we have done in the past will not work in the future., I’d like to hear more about your input and encourage you to set up time with me if you’d like to discuss it further. I also want to share that our senior leadership team is invested in the growth of our product. While some of us may spend more time focused on our tech stack while others are focused on our user experience, we all are leveraging the capabilities that address our people’s needs in the moment. - Carina Cortez

Explore other reviews about Cornerstone OnDemand

5.0
Apr 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great leadership. Clear vision for growth and success.

Cons

Acquisitions created competing products and culture.

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Cornerstone OnDemand Response
2mo
Thanks for sharing this; it's great to hear your positive outlook on our leadership and vision as that’s something we really care about. There can be challenges that come along with acquisitions, especially when it comes to aligning products and culture. While these decisions are made to support growth and long-term success, they don’t always feel seamless in the moment. Again, I appreciate you sharing your perspective and wish you all the best. -Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer
2.0
Jun 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Originally, this company was very supportive. There were many layers of resources meant to make employees successful. After the purchase of the company by PE they have cut software, resources and staffing to increase profits. I would not say there are many advantages over other employers in the field today. The ability to work from home is a pro. Complexity of the software is a pro because the work isn't boring. There's always something to learn.

Cons

- no real path to advancement, Cornerstone used to promote from within, over the past several years the majority of hired have been external - management cares a lot about stats but doesn't care to educate employees on how to meet those expectations. Ex. If a employee gets a negative survey it isn't reviewed and strategies aren't shared for improvement. If an issue goes on longer than expected and it puts employees out of compliance with the resolution time standard, employees are told to fix it with no strategies for doing so. There is no analysis of issues. One caveat: my team has a new manager so there is a possibility that things will improve; however the directives come from the top down, so upper management still has a problematic philosophy.

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Cornerstone OnDemand Response
4w
Thank you for being part of Cornerstone. Employee growth, development, and internal opportunities remain important priorities for us and is something we also share with the market. Through our Pulse surveys, All Hands meetings, and ongoing conversations with employees, we're committed to listening, sharing what we're hearing, and providing updates on the actions we're taking in response. If you'd like to talk further about your development at Cornerstone, available resources, or help in having these convesrations, please reach out to me or my team any time. - Carina Cortez, Chief People Officer
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