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General Motors (GM)

Engaged Employer

General Motors (GM) reviews

3.5

57% would recommend to a friend

(11,732 total reviews)
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Mary Barra

48% approve of CEO

44% positive business outlook

General Motors (GM) has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 11,732 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The General Motors (GM) employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufacturing industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

12K reviews
4.0
Oct 28, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Good pay and generous benefits -Hybrid work -Coworkers and supervisors are all incredibly friendly and helpful -Strongly supports a wide range of employee cultural backgrounds and LGBT+ employees. Insurance benefits included health, dental, and vision. If close enough to certain locations (in my case, Detroit), this insurance plan could cost about $50 a month, total, for very comprehensive coverage for a single individual, with family members only costing slightly more per person. Some of the other benefits included double-digit PTO days, even if hired partway through the year, generous sick leave, assistance for adoption, and a yearly bonus.

Cons

-Terrible and untrustworthy communication from upper management and senior leaders -Given very little direction on internal work systems As an example of the untrustworthiness of senior leader communication: At the start of my first full year at GM, roughly 500 employees were let go for "performance reasons," shortly after that senior leaders had offered voluntary severance packages to workers that have been with the company for long enough, stating that involuntary severances may be necessary if not enough employees accept the offer. This was all part of an initiative to cut labor costs by a few trillion dollars over a few years. Enough employees did take the offer, which led to senior leaders announcing that no more layoffs would be happening that year. 4 months later, the president of technology at the time announced the closure of one tech center, resulting in nearly 1000 people being laid off. Roughly one year after that, another 1000 or so employees were laid off from the software department over a weekend without warning, myself included.

2.0
Nov 9, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The values align well with my personal values. I believe in the importance of diversity and a customer-centric approach. Better work-life balance than many development companies but it really depends what team you land on.

Cons

Everything that upper management says ends up getting reneged. They said we wouldn’t have to go in office, now we have to go in office. They said they wouldn’t do layoffs, but they keep doing layoffs. Many areas are a boys club and there is endless red tape preventing promotions even with prior experience. Once you’ve been hired in at that level you’re on a certain track and everything is seniority based. There is very little flexibility in anything and everyone is more concerned with rules and structure than making sure employees are happy or individual needs are met. As a result of this one-size-fits-all approach almost no one is happy. Was severely bullied on one team by a manager and as a result they moved me instead of addressing it. Also the pay is very poor for a mid level software engineer/developer

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General Motors (GM) Response
2y
Thank you for taking the time to write a review and sharing your feedback with us. We read each of our reviews and take them seriously. If you have not done so already, we encourage you to share your concerns with your leader or your Human Resources representative.
5.0
Jul 16, 2022

Solid Workplace

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Solid - GM is a solid, stable employer. I have been treated very fairly during my time with General Motors. The compensation is very good and the senior and executive level managers are very clear and aligned regarding company direction. 1:1 with Managers - These 15-30 min regular sessions with your direct manager are incredibly valuable. You and your manager drive the conversation. Sometimes it's current work objectives, sometimes career objectives (next moves), sometimes it's about nonsense (thrills of home repair). It keeps me and my manager aligned. Chart Your Career Direction - You have the ability to apply for positions internally and move around however I've always used my management for advice on what direction to put my effort. That advice has has always been geared towards what areas I can get really engaged in. Good (but cautious) Covid Response - Senior Management has subtly extended the 'Dress Appropriately' idea to 'Work Appropriately'. You have work to do and if you don't get it done there won't be any hiding it so self-discipline is key. I've actually worked longer hours at home since Covid started but more enjoyable (esp for my dogs). SouthEast Michigan - During the Summer Michigan is fantastic with weather and the Great Lakes are truly fantastic... see the Cons for Winter. Detroit Area - Detroit is a major city and it has all the great stuff that comes with a major city (restaurants, arts, sports, etc.). It has all the not-so-great stuff that comes with a major city (crime, etc.). Anyone turns up their nose when you say 'Detroit' has not been there in the past 25 years. This is the home of Automotive. The people here absolutely love Cars & Truck from classic restored 60's muscle to OEM prototypes running all over Michigan. Look up 'Woodward Dream Cruise' for a glimpse

Cons

SouthEast Michigan - Jan/Feb are cold and not sunny. If you like the concept of sleddng (snowmobiling) there is a lot of fun to be had.... if not oh well! Not Rich - This is a stable company and you'll be decently compensated but you're not going to get rich (i.e. become a 30 year old VP). Promotions are out there but you are simply not going to 'be a big boss' in a matter of a few years. If that is your desire in automotive I suggest working for an appropriately sized supplier. More opportunity and yes more risk. Advocate for yourself - In some companies you have senior management engage in a form of 'personnel strategy' (ie 'horse trading') where they move their people around to best fit company direction and observed behaviors/talent. GM is not that kind of company - You have to honestly request some career planning advice from your management and then work in your own best career interest.

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General Motors (GM) Response
4y
Thank you for taking the time to leave a thorough review! We are so glad to hear that you are enjoying your time at GM and are gaining valuable knowledge from networking with your manager. Again, we really appreciate your feedback! - Global Talent Acquisition
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Glassdoor has 16,588 General Motors (GM) reviews submitted anonymously by General Motors (GM) employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if General Motors (GM) is right for you.