Horrible work culture, near zero growth opportunities - Safety Engineer Intertek Employee Review

1.0
Mar 7, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Generous PTO and benefits, most of my coworkers were easy to work with. Never had to work more than 40 hours a week.

Cons

Where to begin... Management needs better structure and more realistic expectations of when their workers can get things done on time. Constantly throwing tasks in our faces and expecting them sooner than possible while already knee deep in other projects is a recipe for disaster. There are no incentives to go above the bare minimum of work due to lack of bonuses or raises more than 2-3% a year for inflation. A real slap in the face. Lots of dumb rules at this office too. No eating at your desk or throwing TRASH in the TRASH can at your desk (apparently there's rodents...?). No recycling bins in sight either. During covid, we were remote for the first 3 months, but execs thought it would be better to come back to the office because it would "look good". Fast forward a few months later around the holidays and we're getting emails each week that someone in the building tested positive for covid. When one of the coldest winters Chicago had for a while came, and restaurants were closed, many employees resorted to eating in their cars since eating inside was not allowed. For a company that prides itself in sustainability and safety, it really falls short when it comes to the employees. Guess it only matters when profits are involved. I cannot in good conscience recommend this place as somewhere to grow your career. Unless its your first job and you need experience or are desperate because no one else is hiring, look elsewhere.

Explore other reviews about Intertek

5.0
Dec 14, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good hands-on experience in construction testing, exposure to real projects, opportunity to learn industry standards, fast-paced work environment.

Cons

Pay could be more competitive, limited growth opportunities, management support varies by project, work-life balance can be inconsistent.

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Intertek Response
5mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you found value in the hands-on experience, exposure to real projects, and opportunities to learn industry standards—these are core parts of what we aim to provide. We also appreciate your honest comments regarding compensation, growth opportunities, management support, and work-life balance. These are important areas, and your feedback helps us better understand where improvements are needed. We recognize that experiences can vary by project, and we’re actively working to strengthen communication between management and field staff, improve consistency in support, and clarify career development paths. Investing in our employees’ growth and well-being is a priority, and we are continuing to evaluate ways to enhance training, development, and overall support. Thank you again for your insights—we value feedback like this as it helps us build a stronger and more supportive workplace.
2.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good group of people in local office.

Cons

Stuck in the past. Unwilling to consider updating methods or procedures. "We've done it this way for 30 years and it has worked." Sales relies upon project engineers to do most of their work for them. When volume of work is slow that becomes the engineers responsibility to go find new clients. Can't reliably pay the most basic of utility bills on time. I've seen the power cut off 2x and the gas this past winter.

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Intertek Response
1d
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We’re sorry to hear that your experience with our management team didn’t meet expectations. We’re actively working on improving communication channels and leadership training to better support our employees. We'd like to gather more details. Could you please send us a private message at IntertekHRUSA@intertek.com, and include your name, phone number, email address, and location? Thank you.
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