Kohler Co. reviews

3.8

69% would recommend to a friend

(1,756 total reviews)

David Kohler

83% approve of CEO

66% positive business outlook

Kohler Co. has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 1,756 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Kohler Co. 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

2K reviews
2.0
Jul 26, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people, good work life balance

Cons

Reading through the other reviews about kohler, I’m seeing consistent mentions of development and pay/career upward mobility being a pain point working at kohler. The responses are cookie cutter “we’re surprised to hear you feel there is a lack of development opportunities and encourage you to speak with your manager/work on your development plan” . No. When you see a common issue being raised both here AND in Glint surveys, that shows the problem is not associates failing to “talk to their manager” about things. That shows kohler is failing to provide associates and managers with the tools needed to plan their careers. It is not an associates job to beg and plead for fair pay, consistent career growth when goals are achieved, or a clear plan for development. When you consistently see high performers quitting because they are told “sorry, we’ll discuss that raise come next year” or “HR doesn’t allow for us to promote you yet” that means there is a procedure problem, not a problem with associates not taking the initiative. Competency models were created and are not followed. External hires are paid significantly more than those who stayed “loyal” to kohler and “worked” their way up. Once you’re in, do not expect more than 5-10% raises for promotions (which usually only come when you agree to take on SIGNIFICANTLY more work, so your “raise” is usually not proportionate to the increased work load/hours) and 1-3% for yearly raises. The majority of people I work with are not even paid at the MIDPOINT of their roles salary range, and they’ve been in their roles for years…. It’s not uncommon to see someone stay just below mid senior level for 5-10 years with no plan for development beyond that. You can use kohler as a stepping stone for another CSG company with better pay, but wouldn’t recommend picking kohler as your “career company”.

avatar
Kohler Co. Response
2y
While this is hard to hear, thank you so much for taking the time to share feedback with us. We hear you – development opportunities and fair compensation are essential as you build your career! We love seeing our associates grow with us, so if this hasn’t been your experience, we would truly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you directly to learn more and address this. Please reach out to your HR partner when you have a moment so we can set up some time for a conversation.
1.0
Feb 21, 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Pretty good benefits, company car, a flexible schedule and a powerful brand name. If you like golf they own golf courses..........if you like cheese, they are located in Wisconsin

Cons

Middle Management is extremely weak. Kohler tends to promote by who they like, or how they did on a Management presentation, not by experience, success or results. You are at the mercy of the director above you. Don’t get me wrong, some are good, many are really bad. I had a problem, it was called common sense and curiosity, I ended up sticking out for asking questions..... I was labeled and my career stalled. If you work here, be a complete yes man or woman. When the lemmings jump, jump with them. In a business sense you will die from following some really bad ideas, but from a career standpoint you will live to be promoted, overworked and grossly underpaid. Kohler Sales is kind of like the DMV. You have lifers who are there til they retire entrenched behind 3 inch thick glass. People waiting in long impossible lines looking for career advancement, and senior managers who are the bureaucrats who want no change. If you have the slightest entrepreneurial spirit, avoid working at Kohler, it will not be rewarded. If you do end up working here, get what you can out of the organization, build your resume and then jump for a better opportunity

2.0
Dec 14, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Diverser cross functional experience. Ability to work in high level position very early in career. International experience. Nice new offie for engines engineering. The Sheboygan area is a decent place to live and close enough to visit Milwaukee for a splash of culture. Lots of genuine and nice people at the working levels.

Cons

Cash compensation only slightly better than low end contract firms. My total cash compensation grew 90% when I moved on. Very disorganized and not clearly process driven. Training and development opportunities could stand to be better organized. HVK makes every important decision, so middle management indecision is rampent and progress can grind to a hault. Who you know being more important than what you know is more prevalent than most corporate environments. Nepotism is a term you need to be very comfortable with.

Viewing 13 - 15 of 1,756 Reviews

Glassdoor has 2,187 Kohler Co. reviews submitted anonymously by Kohler Co. employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Kohler Co. is right for you.