Pros
The company is extremely stable and has been in existence since the 1930s with consistent growth. Pay is competitive and benefits are excellent for crew leaders and above. This is in part due to the fact that the position requires individuals with strong leadership skills that can perform entry level management functions and have the ability to work independently. The company is performance oriented and rewards, including advancement are 100% merit based. Claims of favoritism or politics are simply unwarranted, but claims of being driven by the bottom line have some merit. Osmose is a business and the purpose of its existence is to make money. Therefore rewards and promotions are based on excellent performance and skills rather than politics, favoritism, or even tenure. This may or may not always be viewed as positive but it is the reality. Advancement opportunities are excellent due to continued growth. Safety is an obvious priority and no expense is spared on safety equipment, ongoing training, scheduled safety meetings and so forth. Occasionally injuries do occur and every attempt is made to handle them correctly with the employee’s care in mind. Company operation is very transparent and by the book. Any deviation from this would be isolated and immediately corrected when discovered. Negative attributes associated with employment are open for all to consider such as those listed below.
Cons
The work can be physically demanding to various degrees depending on the service performed and it is 100% outdoors. So for those looking for a more relaxing, climate-controlled setting, Osmose is probably not an ideal career. The impact of weather can be challenging but it’s not unlike any other industry that requires outdoor work. Same goes for the presence of insects, animals and so forth when working in rural areas. Crews go wherever power lines go and must deal with the environment in those locations. Some people view the travel as a positive aspect of the job and use it to see locations they might never have an opportunity to visit otherwise. However, travel does have challenges for most people and like the outdoor work issue, requires a serious consideration of personal preferences as it’s not a good fit for many. Attempts are made to keep crews as close to home as possible and in many cases it works out very well. However, with hundreds of crews, projects, schedules and skills to match up, the puzzle does not always come together in a way that pleases everyone.