1. Few people last longer than three years.
2. Company philosophy is to bring in talented, intelligent people from top schools and reputable companies to let them make a contribution for 2 to 3 years while they are eager to prove themselves and hungry for a promotion, then they force them out before salaries get too high.
3. Succession planning is everything and can limit your longevity. You might be wonderful at your job, but if they think you aren't the material for your boss’s job they will force you out rather than let you stay in your job or give you a lateral move.
4. HR does little to remedy your concerns. Behind closed doors they will admit the company's treatment of employees is "harsh", but they take their marching orders from "The Man" and don't want to jeopardize their own paycheck.
5. Company is paranoid of its employees. Fear of unionization. E-mails will be monitored, sometimes your phone line too. Arbitration agreement is signed on day one of employment to thwart potential lawsuits. (This should be a red flag).
6. Few promotions from within. When someone leaves (usually fired), the company will give the person's responsibilities to the remaining employees with no compensation.
7. Corrective action is the weapon of choice for manipulation and fear tactics. Consider it an invitation to find another job because many people receive it but few people survive the process.
8. You must be on constant guard regarding what you say and who you associate with. Say the wrong thing in a meeting even in a humorous tone and you will be blacklisted and out the door faster than you can say "corrective action memo".
9. They pride themselves of fairness, but there is little diversity. It is mostly white male dominated. There are very few African Americans working there, and they don't seem to stay very long. Considering the large Hispanic population in Tucson, there are relatively few Hispanics as well. There are very few women or people of color that will make it to upper management positions. If you are gay or lesbian, be prepared to stay in the closet. When the HR Department was cut in half recently, the three oldest were let go.
10. No loyalty whatsoever to the employees. "What have you done for me lately?" is the company's attitude. You must write a lengthy and time consuming bi-monthly report to rationalize why you should still be on the payroll. Inside Rain Bird it is known as "the rope you will use to hang yourself". The company is always looking for someone to force out.
Overall there is a very adversarial relationship between employer and employee at Rain Bird. Most people grin and put up with it because these are tough economic times, but it isn't pleasant.
If you interview here, be sure to ask how long everyone has been here. That should tell you plenty. Directors that have plenty of scapegoats below them tend to have longer tenure.
