Symetra reviews

4.0

73% would recommend to a friend

(483 total reviews)

Margaret Meister

88% approve of CEO

82% positive business outlook

Symetra has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 483 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Symetra employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Insurance industry (3.6 stars).

Reviews by job title

483 reviews
1.0
Apr 4, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The people who actually do all the work are great. They want to build a more progressive and sustainable organization.

Cons

New executives have a lofty perch mentality that is counter productive in a company of this size. Corner offices, special amenities, refusing to attend meetings that aren't held on their special 14th floor create a wide divide between workers and management. Executives regularly issue edicts and set unrealistic time frames and expectations - to be performed at the expense of low paid staff. The HR department lives in the executives hip pockets and does nothing to protect the workers, no matter how many complaints are levied. Stale management tactics are broadly applied to all situations. Employees are not viewed as a critical asset - everyone is expendable. The subject matter experts are leaving in droves, yet the executives seem to have no concerns -- that is until something falls through the cracks -- then any errors or missteps are placed firmly at the feet of staff. Work / life balance benefits such as flexible schedules or remote work is being eliminated -- yet many of the executives are remote and the company bears the cost of flying them in multiple times per month and paying for housing. Another executive 'perk' a company this size can ill afford. Aging IT systems elevate costs and create constant issues for staff while management invests in non-essentials like expensive consultants and re-branding. The question on everyone's mind is, if this executive team is so stellar, why do they need consultants to guide them every step of the way. What are we paying them for? The company engages in double-speak, telling employees to 'be prepared to be uncomfortable' as they want the truth to be told. Yet, employees who do dare to raise issues or provide insights are sidelined, vilified and often dismissed. Operational leaders put the majority of their efforts into ensuring real information doesn't make it to executive ears. Which is easy as the executives rarely deign to leave their floor and mix among the 'little people'.

2.0
Nov 24, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you're looking for an IT job where no overtime is required, and an employer who is flexible with schedules, Symetra is a good choice. The people are generally very nice to work with - it's a friendly place.

Cons

The structure of IT and the business has fostered quite a bit of silo-building. Most of upper IT management has a mainframe background, and has not kept current on technology. As a result, most managers have an unusually low level of knowledge about what they manage, and seem unable to determine who their best performers are. (The dead wood in management has fostered the retention of dead wood among their staff.) This group of IT managers who seem out of touch with technology also translates to problems with the formation of a coherent IT strategy. Symetra has an unhealthy level of reliance on outside contractors to build critical applications that Symetra employees probably will not be able to maintain.

3.0
Apr 10, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They have good benefits and the company try to engage with their employees.

Cons

The pay is low and there is no growth opportunity. They tell you there is but when you apply for different positions within the company numerous of times and still no luck- there is a problem.

avatar
Symetra Response
2y
From Dave Kryzanski, Vice President Service and Operations: Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m glad to hear you appreciate our benefits and employee engagement efforts. I am sorry that you feel there has been a lack of growth opportunities and I understand your frustration. However, Symetra is committed to helping our employees develop in their careers. I encourage you to co-author a development plan with your manager, including some time to job shadow other opportunities in the organization. If you are interested in leadership, explore programs such as the Emerging Leadership Program set in place by our Talent Development team geared to help prepare employees become leaders within the company.
Viewing 58 - 60 of 483 Reviews

Glassdoor has 557 Symetra reviews submitted anonymously by Symetra employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Symetra is right for you.