Guardian Life reviews

3.5

58% would recommend to a friend

(1,688 total reviews)
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Andrew McMahon

69% approve of CEO

60% positive business outlook

Guardian Life has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 1,688 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Guardian Life employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Insurance industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
3.0
Aug 7, 2009

Nice People - Cheap Company

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great atmosphere - Great people to work with. I have worked in many areas of the company and had many different bosses, I have enjoyed everyone that I've worked with. It must be noted, however, that the atmosphere has changed since new CEOs at the very top have come in.

Cons

Many dept heads/managers seem stressed by those at the very top -- it's taken out on those that they manage. The stress is palpable. Guardian is a very frugal company. Merit raises are 3% max. If you are promoted, you will never get more than a 2 grade promotion in salary. An outsider getting a Guardian job will be better paid than an insider will be. This system does not reward/encourage career advancement within the company. Health benefits leave MUCH to be desired. Did I mention that the company is very frugal? IT IS. In every area. For example: employee discounts for lunch in cafeteria but full price for breakfast. Interns, consultants, and temp workers do not get discounts. Carpets in buildings are old, ratty -- too cheap to replace it. COFFEE MACHINE IS PAY ONLY.etc. Horrible tuition reimbursement program...

2.0
Jul 7, 2009

People come and go in such a hurry here...

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Because Guardian is a mutual insurance company and accountable to its policy holders, Guardian has the ability to pursue long term goals without stockholder pressure. It also tends to be conservative in its investments, which has allowed it to escape much of the financial wreckage the current economic climate has wrought.

Cons

Guardian's greatest strength is possibly its greatest weakness. Its insulation from short term pressures allows less than stellar people to remain and also gives senior management fiefdoms, in which they are are allowed to pursue individual agendas. These agendas can easily descend into the petty and emotional where it is more important to eliminate a rival than address long-term goals.

Viewing 1675 - 1677 of 1,688 Reviews

Glassdoor has 1,865 Guardian Life reviews submitted anonymously by Guardian Life employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Guardian Life is right for you.