Jan 14, 2016
good company but pay is low
Anonymous employee
Penguin Random House reviews
3.8
70% would recommend to a friend
Nihar Malaviya
73% approve of CEO
73% positive business outlook
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3.0
Jan 8, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
Penguin Random House is a very loyal company. They are generous with benefits, there is strong job security, and they offer opportunities for growth within the company. Of course, it's also a great place to be if you like books. There are a ton of smart dedicated people working for PRH. For the right person you can easily move ahead if you play your cards right. I was able to get a promotion, raise, and role change within my first year and a half with the company.
Cons
The big problem with Penguin Random House is that it is a very loyal company. It is not uncommon for people to stay with the company for their entire careers–20, 30, 40 years. While many of these dedicated employees are amazing at their jobs and are the driving force behind the success of the company, many in senior leadership are poor leaders and frankly incompetent. They are there only because they have played the politics correctly. Overall loyalty has led to an overly political, petty, and negative atmosphere–think high school. I should note that there are many divisions within the company, all with different cultures and while this politically charged, negative is present in all of them it is especially toxic in corporate where I worked. During my time there I saw high up executives do some pretty sketchy stuff(falsifying data, manipulating budget numbers, etc.) in order to justify building up their teams and increasing their budget. This is not what you want to see in an already struggling industry.
4.0
Jan 3, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
Good compensation & benefits. Flexible hours (though not in all departments). Working with cutting-edge technology and great people. Management is willing to try new things and pushes for innovation. The company size and market-dominant position (in book publishing) make the company very stable. Employees are proud to work here and are willing to push hard together for results.
Cons
Opportunities for advancement are limited (partly because of low turnover). Merit increases are rare; instead, most everyone gets a fixed increase annually (3%). Can be discouraging if you are a highly motivated employee wanting to contribute extra and get compensated extra. Patience is necessary.
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