Pros
* Great at insurance - knows their market well and I would consider them a market leader in the insurance industry * Decent campuses with an above average work environment * This pro is also a con - Totally empower their managers at all levels; if you get a great manager (and there are a number of great managers at Travelers), this is great, if not... see cons section * One of the best leadership development programs (LDPs) in America - if you can get into one of their LDPs, it is THE fast track to management and longevity in the company * Pays fairly well * Top level management is some of the best in the business at business. Very financially savvy and know how to run the business; I would put top senior management at Travelers up against anyone as far as the straight business aspects. (But not culture -- see cons section).
Cons
* Unfortunately, too much of management is "good ol' boy" - Bonuses are tough to get and you have to please; bonuses and promotions not solely based on merit, you have to be "liked" or favored * There are great managers at Travelers, but there an unacceptable number who have absolutely no idea know how to lead, don't know how to communicate and motivate, and who simply don't know how to relate to their employees. Due to total empowerment, if you have a good manager, that situation can work out great for you. If not, then there is next to nothing you can do about it. * Very poor upward mobility in the company. Favorites are promoted and fast track preference is given to LDP participants. I know of a number of individuals with 10x less experience who were promoted ahead of me and other very talented individuals in the company over my 5-10 years there. * Again, some good managers, leaders and communicators, but way too many pockets where there is a clear divide between managers and non-managers, lack of communication and true team building. Too many egos and turfs. * Internally, it's very political - if you don't understand it and play to it, you can be the most talented person in the world, and you aren't going anywhere internally. * No true 360 degree review process, so all the cons never change. "Surveys" with locked in multiple choice "answers" (often the real answer isn't in the list) are not true 360 degree reviews. Feedback only flows downhill. * Travelers believes firmly in a "bell curve" system, meaning, they feel it's impossible to have a department where everyone shines (and departments which excel across the board do actually exist at Travelers), so performance measurement is literally forced into a "bell curve" across the board. So some who have average (or even above average) performance are brute forced into subpar categories, etc. This is a solid, unalterable philosophy of the company. I've spoken to many good managers there who are chagrined at this philosophy and practice. * Very defined roles at Travelers - if you are someone who is good at many things, you will probably be frustrated. Travelers does not seem to recognize or understand at all how to truly leverage multi-talented, multi-faceted individuals. * No true loyalty. You can work for years and years at Travelers and even attain a high position in the company. If the "numbers match" and it makes "fiscal sense" to lay you off, you're gone. Doesn't matter what you've accomplished, how hard you've worked, how good you are or even your position. * My bottom line opinion is: Travelers knows how to run a insurance business, but they don't understand how to manage, motivate and lead people. It's not a sweat shop; it's just very entrenched in its management approach and entirely focused on the business aspects of selling top flight insurance (which they do absolutely do well.)