Westat reviews

3.6

71% would recommend to a friend

(712 total reviews)
avatar

Scott Royal

77% approve of CEO

29% positive business outlook

Westat has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 712 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Westat employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Management & Consulting industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

712 reviews
2.0
Jun 15, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you don't have a criminal record and can speak English this job is relatively easy to get if you need to make some money. No intense interview process. An opportunity to work from home if your home setup qualifies and you are out of state.

Cons

This is review for the telephone research center where you actually work in the building (TRC). The job in and of itself is tedious and monotonous, you make dozens of phone calls, get dozens answering machines, hang ups, and ill tempered respondents. On top of this there is a on site manager, a shift team supervisor, another online supervisor and a "mentor" which is actually just another overseer waiting to ponce on any mistake you make. Since I worked at night my "mentor" had a bad habit of wanting to call me during the daytime, when I had to be at another job, for issues and updates that could have easily been handled by e-mail. With the weekly monitoring of phone calls, which I understand is necessary, the overall effect is like being in a cage with people watching you, ready to poke you with sticks at the slightest error. It is probably better if you can work from home.

3.0
Dec 21, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-The work can be challenging and fun. Opportunity for developing skills if you take initiative and are a leader. -Everyone has a private, decent-sized office. There's a really cheap cafeteria and a gym. Nice, clean facilities. In-house graphics and printing department. -Casual atmosphere - attire ranges from jeans to suits everyday. You can pretty much dress according to your mood. -Benefits are decent. Generous leave time for sick leave/vacation, but no maternity leave. -Flexible schedule for some projects, along with working remotely from home. -I've never been micro-managed, and management is very receptive/appreciative of new ideas. -Senior staff members on my project have been excellent mentors, and they are kind and encouraging. Good at providing positive feedback. I have a lot of respect for them.

Cons

-Salary is below industry standard, and can be extremely discouraging. I'm not compensated fairly for the additional responsibilities that I've taken on over the years. -Some staff abuse the casual atmosphere and contribute little to project goals. It's particularly annoying when you know they're paid more to do less. When you complain and expect management to intervene, nothing changes. -When new staff are hired they are often ignored and not given assignments/training for extended periods of time. This was my experience years ago and other new hires have shared this opinion. -Some managers are disorganized and do not establish feasible due dates or guidelines for projects. Not the best at communicating effectively, either. Limited communication regarding project assignments and roles, and it is unclear how much the company supports internal staff career advancement. -Westat puts their employees' safety at risk by staying open during hurricanes and blizzards. -The free coffee tastes like potting soil.

Viewing 106 - 108 of 712 Reviews

Glassdoor has 849 Westat reviews submitted anonymously by Westat employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Westat is right for you.