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Principal Financial Group

Engaged Employer

Not marketing-driven - Anonymous employee Principal Financial Group Employee Review

2.0
Jun 20, 2008
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fantastic benefits (especially for the Des Moines area and the Midwest), great company reputation in the industry and in the region, and good work/life balance. Performance is rewarded with career advancement, but most likely not at the pace that many people would expect. Corporate headquarters is located in downtown Des Moines, which is experiencing cultural growth. Des Moines has been rated a great place to live and to raise a family, and the cost of living is very manageable.

Cons

The division of labor is so great that roles and responsibilities can be quite limited in scope, greatly reducing the satisfaction (and amount) of day-to-day work. There is quite a bit of role overlap in the various marketing areas, leading to tension and turf battles over strategies and initiatives. The advancement of initiatives requires a HUGE amount of buy-in, almost to the point of becoming unmanageable. Senior leadership seems to be frequently engaged in internal political issues. There is a lot of lip service paid to observing and sharing marketing best practices, but much is left to be desired in the actual application of these practices. Marketing in general does not seem to have a leadership position within the company. On a minor issue, there seems to be almost too much internal communication.

Explore other reviews about Principal Financial Group

5.0
May 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Three years in and still LOVE it. Great leadership. Work-like balance. Principal invests in their employees with training and professional development. It's very telling when literally thousands of employees have been there for 20-25-30+ years.

Cons

First time in a large company. Sometimes it is tricky to find the right internal partner to get the answer you need.

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Principal Financial Group Response
1d
We appreciate your feedback! Hearing that you felt supported reinforces what we're proud of—the strong community we've built together.
2.0
Jun 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent work life balance and benefits. Principal offers a pension which is unheard of in today’s age.

Cons

Pay is below average and Principal does not offer inflation raises. Once you hit the midpoint of your salary, you will get a 0% raise until you’re promoted, which will take multiple years regardless of performance. Performance reviews are vague and often used against employees to avoid promotions. At least in my department, I’ve yet to see any of the remote workers be promoted. This is starting to affect attrition and we’re already starting to see people leaving. It’s well known at this point that the best way to get promoted is to leave Principal and get rehired, which even leadership has stated publicly. This is a huge frustration and blow to morale, as it starts to feel like employees need to compete against their co-workers for raises.

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