Still a good place to work, but new HR policies are bringing us down! - Chemical Engineer Eastman Employee Review

3.0
Mar 9, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people. Interesting work. Collaboration is still amazingly good, despite poor HR policies that work to undermine this. Cost of living in Kingsport area is very low. Beautiful area.

Cons

Terrible HR decisions recently that have really undermined morale: 1) Forced distribution of 20-25% of employees not meeting expectations, with impact on raises and advancement, which generates the feeling that someone can improve and rise out of the lower 20-25% only by having someone else enter! 2) Setting of "career level" top advancement for most jobs for Bachelor's degree that allows for only 4 promotions over an entire career. Even though this was rolled out a couple of years ago, the impact is just now being felt by the rank and file. 3) major reductions in benefits, especially medical insurance. 4) Two reductions in force over the last 2 years that have purged employees with long, successful careers at Eastman with a unceremonious walk to the door. This despite multiple years of double digit growth for the company.

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5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

High pay and good learning environment

Cons

Interview process is kind of difficult

4.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly, helpful colleagues. Vast variety of opportunities for engineers, especially younger ones. Actively supporting the communities where we live and work. Recent changes in management have restored positive outlook.

Cons

A lot of eggs are in the circular-economy basket rather than having the risk more evenly distributed among our product streams. We've lost a lot of talent recently to other businesses, partly because of unhappiness with former management but partly because of pay. Annual pay increases exist but have not even come close to keeping up with inflation.

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